Design and research on a variable ballast system for deep-sea manned submersibles

Variable ballast systems are necessary for manned submersibles to adjust their buoyancy.In this paper,the design of a variable ballast system for a manned submersible is described.The variable ballast system uses a super high pressure hydraulic seawater system.A super high pressure seawater pump and a deep-sea brushless DC motor are used to pump seawater into or from the variable ballast tank,increasing or decreasing the weight of the manned submersible.A magnetostrictive linear displacement transducer can detect the seawater level in the variable ballast tank.Some seawater valves are used to control pumping direction and control on-off states.The design and testing procedure for the valves is described.Finally,the future development of variable ballast systems and seawater hydraulic systems is projected.

Experimental investigation of the inhibition of deep-sea mining sediment plumes by polyaluminum chloride

Deep-sea sediment disturbance may occur when collecting polymetallic nodules,resulting in the creation of plumes that could have a negative impact on the ecological environment.This study aims to investigate the potential solution of using polyaluminum chloride(PAC)in the water jet.The effects of PAC are examined through a self-designed simulation system for deep-sea polymetallic nodule collection and sediment samples from a potential deep-sea mining area.The experimental results showed that the optimal PAC dose was found to be 0.75 g/L.Compared with the test conditions without the addition of PAC,the presence of PAC leads to a reduction in volume,lower characteristic turbidity,smaller diffusion velocity,and shorter settling time of the plume.This indicates that PAC inhibits the entire development process of the plume.The addition of PAC leads to the flocculation of mm-sized particles,resulting in the formation of cm-sized flocs.The flocculation of particles decreases the rate of erosion on the seabed by around 30%.This reduction in erosion helps to decrease the formation of plumes.Additionally,when the size of suspended particles increases,it reduces the scale at which they diffuse.Furthermore,the settling velocity of flocs(around 10^(-2) m/s)is much higher that of compared to sediment particles(around 10^(-5) m/s),which effectively reduces the amount of time the plume remains in suspension.

Integrated biomarker response to assess toxic impacts of iron and manganese on deep-sea mussel Gigantidas platifrons under a deep-sea mining activity scenario

Deep-sea mining activities can potentially release metals,which pose a toxicological threat to deep-sea ecosystems.Nevertheless,due to the remoteness and inaccessibility of the deep-sea biosphere,there is insufficient knowledge about the impact of metal exposure on its inhabitants.In this study,deep-sea mussel Gigantidas platifrons,a commonly used deep-sea toxicology model organism,was exposed to manganese(100,1000μg/L)or iron(500,5000μg/L)for 7 d,respectively.Manganese and iron were chosen for their high levels of occurrence within deep-sea deposits.Metal accumulation and a battery of biochemical biomarkers related to antioxidative stress in superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT),malondialdehyde(MDA);immune function in alkaline phosphatase(AKP),acid phosphatase(ACP);and energy metabolism in pyruvate kinase(PK)and hexokinase(HK)were assessed in mussel gills.Results showed that deep-sea mussel G.platifrons exhibited a high capacity to accumulate Mn/Fe.In addition,most tested biochemical parameters were altered by metal exposure,demonstrating that metals could induce oxidative stress,suppress the immune system,and affect energy metabolism of deep-sea mussels.The integrated biomarker response(IBR)approach indicated that the exposure to Mn/Fe had a negative impact on deep-sea mussels,and Mn demonstrated a more harmful impact on deep-sea mussels than Fe.Additionally,SOD and CAT biomarkers had the greatest impact on IBR values in Mn treatments,while ACP and HK were most influential for the low-and high-dose Fe groups,respectively.This study represents the first application of the IBR approach to evaluate the toxicity of metals on deep-sea fauna and serves as a crucial framework for risk assessment of deep-sea mining-associated metal exposure.

Inter-stage performance and energy characteristics analysis of electric submersible pump based on entropy production theory

The electric submersible pump(ESP) is a crucial apparatus utilized for lifting in the oil extraction process.Its lifting capacity is enhanced by the multi-stage tandem structure, but variations in energy characteristics and internal flow across stages are also introduced. In this study, the inter-stage variability of energy characteristics in ESP hydraulic systems is investigated through entropy production(EP) analysis,which incorporates numerical simulations and experimental validation. The EP theory facilitates the quantification of energy loss in each computational subdomain at all ESP stages, establishing a correlation between microscopic flow structure and energy dissipation within the system. Furthermore, the underlying causes of inter-stage variability in ESP hydraulic systems are examined, and the advantages and disadvantages of applying the EP theory in this context are evaluated. Consistent energy characteristics within the ESP, aligned with the distribution of internal flow structure, are provided by the EP theory, as demonstrated by our results. The EP theory also enables the quantitative analysis of internal flow losses and complements existing performance analysis methods to map the internal flow structure to hydraulic losses. Nonetheless, an inconsistency between the energy characterization based on EP theory and the traditional efficiency index when reflecting inter-stage differences is identified. This inconsistency arises from the exclusive focus of the EP theory on flow losses within the flow field, disregarding the quantification of external energy input to the flow field. This study provides a reference for the optimization of EP theory in rotating machinery while deeply investigating the energy dissipation characteristics of multistage hydraulic system, which has certain theoretical and practical significance.

Predicting impact forces on pipelines from deep-sea fluidized slides:A comprehensive review of key factors

Deep-sea pipelines play a pivotal role in seabed mineral resource development,global energy and resource supply provision,network communication,and environmental protection.However,the placement of these pipelines on the seabed surface exposes them to potential risks arising from the complex deep-sea hydrodynamic and geological environment,particularly submarine slides.Historical incidents have highlighted the substantial damage to pipelines due to slides.Specifically,deep-sea fluidized slides(in a debris/mud flow or turbidity current physical state),characterized by high speed,pose a significant threat.Accurately assessing the impact forces exerted on pipelines by fluidized submarine slides is crucial for ensuring pipeline safety.This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in understanding pipeline impact forces caused by fluidized deep-sea slides,thereby identifying key factors and corresponding mechanisms that influence pipeline impact forces.These factors include the velocity,density,and shear behavior of deep-sea fluidized slides,as well as the geometry,stiffness,self-weight,and mechanical model of pipelines.Additionally,the interface contact conditions and spatial relations were examined within the context of deep-sea slides and their interactions with pipelines.Building upon a thorough review of these achievements,future directions were proposed for assessing and characterizing the key factors affecting slide impact loading on pipelines.A comprehensive understanding of these results is essential for the sustainable development of deep-sea pipeline projects associated with seabed resource development and the implementation of disaster prevention measures.

Multiparameter Numerical Investigation of Two Types of Moving Interactions Between the Deep-Sea Mining Vehicle Track Plate and Seabed Soil:Digging and Rotating Motions

To ensure the safe performance of deep-sea mining vehicles(DSMVs),it is necessary to study the mechanical characteristics of the interaction between the seabed soil and the track plate.The rotation and digging motions of the track plate are important links in the contact between the driving mechanism of the DSMV and seabed soil.In this study,a numerical simulation is conducted using the coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian(CEL)large deformation numerical method to investigate the interaction between the track plate of the DSMV and the seabed soil under two working conditions:rotating condition and digging condition.First,a soil numerical model is established based on the elastoplastic mechanical characterization using the basic physical and mechanical properties of the seabed soil obtained by in situ sampling.Subsequently,the soil disturbance mechanism and the dynamic mechanical response of the track plate under rotating and digging conditions are obtained through the analysis of the sensitivity of the motion parameters,the grouser structure,the layered soil features and the soil heterogeneity.The results indicate that the above parameters remarkably influence the interaction between the DSMV and the seabed soil.Therefore,it is important to consider the rotating and digging motion of the DSMV in practical engineering to develop a detailed optimization design of the track plate.

Path Following Control of A Deep-Sea Manned Submersible Based upon NTSM

In this paper, a robust path following control law is proposed for a deep-sea manned submersible maneuvering along a predeterminated path. Developed in China, the submersible is underactuated in the horizontal plane in that it is actuated by two perpendicular thrusts in this plane. The advanced non-singular terminal sliding mode （NTSM） is implemented for the design of the path following controller, which can ensure the convergence of the motion system in finite time and improve its robustness against parametric uncertainties and environmental disturbances. In the process of controller design, the close-loop stability is considered and proved by Lyapunov＇ s stability theory. With the experimental data, numerical simulations are provided to verify the control law for path following of the deep-sea manned submersible.

Deep-sea rock mechanics and mining technology:State of the art and perspectives

The review covers the development and the state of the art in deep-sea mining rock mechanics,equipment and challenges.It begins by introducing the significance of deep-sea mining,the types and geographical distribution of deep-sea resources.Section 2 reviews the mechanical properties and fracture mechanism of seabed and related continental rocks,which contributes to the advancement of relevant technologies and theories.Deep-sea mining systems developed by coastal countries are presented in Section 3.Seabed mineral collection systems are critically assessed in Section 4.Subsea mining vehicle is reviewed by walking mechanism and controlling system in Section 5.In Section 6,the development of subsea lifting system is detailed by dividing it into hydraulic and pneumatic lifting modes,and some technical problems in the lifting system are described.An in-depth description of surface support systems is presented in Section 7,which includes the deep-sea mining ship,dynamic positioning system,heave compensation system,launch and retrieval system,mineral disposing system as well as the storage and transferring systems.Section 8 discusses the challenges in the deep-sea mining,in terms of natural occurrence conditions,international legal framework and cooperative mining,environmental protection and economic benefits,etc.Finally,a brief summary and some aspects of prospective research are presented in Section 9.

Interactions among deep-sea mussels and their epibiotic and endosymbiotic chemoautotrophic bacteria: Insights from multi-omics analysis

Endosymbiosis with Gammaproteobacteria is fundamental for the success of bathymodioline mussels in deep-sea chemosynthesis-based ecosystems. However, the recent discovery of Campylobacteria on the gill surfaces of these mussels suggests that these host-bacterial relationships may be more complex than previously thought. Using the cold-seep mussel(Gigantidas haimaensis) as a model, we explored this hostbacterial system by assembling the host transcriptome and genomes of its epibiotic Campylobacteria and endosymbiotic Gammaproteobacteria and quantifying their gene and protein expression levels. We found that the epibiont applies a sulfur oxidizing(SOX)multienzyme complex with the acquisition of sox B from Gammaproteobacteria for energy production and switched from a reductive tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) cycle to a Calvin-Benson-Bassham(CBB)cycle for carbon assimilation. The host provides metabolic intermediates, inorganic carbon, and thiosulfate to satisfy the materials and energy requirements of the epibiont, but whether the epibiont benefits the host is unclear. The endosymbiont adopts methane oxidation and the ribulose monophosphate pathway(Ru MP) for energy production, providing the major source of energy for itself and the host. The host obtains most of its nutrients, such as lysine, glutamine, valine,isoleucine, leucine, histidine, and folate, from the endosymbiont. In addition, host pattern recognition receptors, including toll-like receptors, peptidoglycan recognition proteins, and C-type lectins, may participate in bacterial infection, maintenance, and population regulation. Overall, this study provides insights into the complex host-bacterial relationships that have enabled mussels and bacteria to thrive in deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystems.

Stress Path Analysis of Deep-Sea Sediments Under the Compression-Shear Coupling Load of Crawler Collectors

The mechanical properties of deep-sea sediments during the driving process of crawler collectors are essential factors in the design of mining systems.In this study,a crawler load is divided into a normal compression load and a horizontal shear load.Then,the internal stress state of sedimentary soil is examined through a theoretical calculation and finite element numerical simulation.Finally,the driving of crawlers is simulated by changing the relative spatial position between the load and stress unit,obtaining the stress path of the soil unit.Based on the calculation results,the effect of the horizontal shear load on the soil stress response is analyzed at different depths,and the spatial variation law of the soil stress path is examined.The results demonstrate that the horizontal shear load has a significant effect on the rotation of the principal stress,and the reverse rotation of the principal stress axis becomes obvious with the increase in the burial depth.The stress path curve of the soil is different at various depths.The spatial variation rule of the stress path of the shallow soil is complex,whereas the stress path curve of the deep soil tends to shrink as the depth increases.The stress path of the corresponding depth should be selected according to the actual research purpose and applied to the laboratory test.

System Identification and Parameter Self-Tuning Controller on Deep-Sea Mining Vehicle

System identification is a quintessential measure for real-time analysis on kinematic characteristics for deep-sea mining vehicle, and thus to enhance the control performance and testing efficiency. In this study, the system identification algorithm, recursive least square method with instrumental variables(IV-RLS), is tailored to model ‘Pioneer I’, a deep-sea mining vehicle which recently completed a 1305-meter-deep sea trial in the Xisha area of the South China Sea in August, 2021. The algorithm operates on the sensor data collected from the trial to obtain the vehicle’s kinematic model and accordingly design the parameter self-tuning controller. The performances demonstrate the accuracy of the model, and prove its generalization capability. With this model, the optimal controller has been designed, the control parameters have been self-tuned, and the response time and robustness of the system have been optimized,which validates the high efficiency on digital modelling for precision control of deep-sea mining vehicles.

Blockage of the Deep-Sea Mining Pump Transporting Large Particles with Different Sphericity

The present study aims to plumb blockage of the deep-sea mining pump transporting large particles with different shapes. A numerical work was performed through combining the computational fluid dynamics(CFD) technique and the discrete element method(DEM). Six particle shapes with sphericity ranging from 0.67 to 1.0 were selected. A velocity triangle is built with the absolute, relative, and circumferential velocities of particles. Velocity triangles with absolute velocity angles ranging from 90° to 180° prevail in the first-stage impeller. With declining sphericity, more particles follow the velocity triangle with absolute velocity angles ranging from 0° to 90°, which weakens the ability of particles to pass through the flow passage. Furthermore, the forces acting on the particles traveling in the impeller passage are analyzed. Large particles, especially non-spherical ones, suffer from high centrifugal force and therefore move along the suction surface of the impeller blades. Non-spherical particles undergo great drag force as a result of large surface area. The distribution of drag force angles is featured by two peaks, and one vanishes due to blockage.As particle sphericity declines, both magnitude and angle of the pressure gradient force decrease. Variation of the drag force and the pressure gradient force causes clockwise deflection of the centripetal force, resulting in deflection and elongation of particle trajectory, which increases the possibility of blockage.

Two Kinds of Waves Causing the Resuspension of Deep-Sea Sediments:Excitation and Internal Solitary Waves

The resuspension of marine sediments plays a key role in the biogeochemical cycle and marine ecology system.Internal solitary waves are considered to be important driving forces of the resuspension of bottom sediments.In this paper,the movement of turbidity currents,the generation and the effects on the bottom bed of internal solitary waves and excitation waves are studied by flume tests and numerical simulations,and the sediment resuspension are analyzed.The results show that the excitation wave can lead to the resuspension of the bottom sediments under all the conditions,while the internal solitary wave can lead to the resuspension of the sediment only under some special conditions,such as high amplitude or large underwater slope.Under the experimental conditions,the change in the near-bottom velocity caused by the excitation wave is close to three times that of the internal solitary wave.

Dynamic coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical problem for heterogeneous deep-sea sediments under vibration of mining vehicle

Due to the influence of deep-sea environment,deep-sea sediments are usually heterogeneous,and their moduli of elasticity and density change as depth changes.Combined with the characteristics of deep-sea sediments,the thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling dynamic response model of heterogeneous saturated porous sediments can be established to study the influence of elastic modulus,density,frequency,and load amplitude changes on the model.Based on the Green-Lindsay generalized thermoelasticity theory and Darcy’s law,the thermo-hydro-mechanical coupled dynamic response model and governing equations of heterogeneous deep-sea sediments with nonlinear elastic modulus and density are established.The analytical solutions of dimensionless vertical displacement,vertical stress,excess pore water pressure,and temperature are obtained by means of normal modal analysis,which are depicted graphically.The results show that the changes of elastic modulus and density have few effects on vertical displacement,vertical stress,and temperature,but have great effects on excess pore water pressure.When the mining machine vibrates,the heterogeneity of deep-sea sediments has great influence on vertical displacement,vertical stress,and excess pore water pressure,but has few effects on temperature.In addition,the vertical displacement,vertical stress,and excess pore water pressure of heterogeneous deep-sea sediments change more gently.The variation trends of physical quantities for heterogeneous and homogeneous deep-sea sediments with frequency and load amplitude are basically the same.The results can provide theoretical guidance for deep-sea mining engineering construction.

Energy Consumption Analysis and Optimization of Electric Submersible Pump System

Electric submersible pumps account for a considerable proportion in the development of the Bohai Oilfield. Improving the system efficiency of the electric submersible pump wells, ensuring that the units operate in the high-efficiency zone, is essential. Analysis shows that the efficiency of the electric submersible pump system depends on the wear and tear of each component of the submersible pump equipment, the setting of operational parameters, and more importantly, the production status and daily management level of the oil well. Therefore, improving the structural performance of the submersible pump product, optimizing the parameters setting of the oil well, strengthening daily management, establishing a scientific management system, and improving the production management process and system can effectively improve the production efficiency and economic benefits of the oil well, and further achieve the goal of energy saving and emission reduction. In addition, it is necessary to actively promote the concept and technology of energy saving and emission reduction, encourage oilfield enterprises to explore effective measures to reduce the energy consumption of the electric submersible pump system by strengthening the scientific management system, and achieve a green, low-carbon, and high-quality development of oilfield production to achieve the unity of economic benefits, social benefits, and environmental benefits. This article applies the above measures in the P oilfield to achieve energy optimization of submersible electric pump systems, reducing the daily power consumption of single well submersible electric pump systems by 371 kWh per day, increasing the submersible electric pump's lifespan by 200 days, generating considerable project benefits.

基于实测数据的半潜式平台贝叶斯模型修正方法研究

随着半潜式平台的长期海上服役,平台的基本设计参数会发生变化,如仍基于原始设计参数对平台进行分析将影响结果的准确性。本文以半潜式平台服役中易发生变化的基本参数(平台排水量、重心高度和三个自由度回转半径)作为修正参数,以平台横摇、纵摇和垂荡自由度的方差和波频功率谱密度构建目标函数,建立可依据实测数据的半潜式平台贝叶斯参数修正方法。以我国某半潜式平台实测数据为例,开展平台的参数修正研究,并基于修正后的参数对平台多年一遇环境荷载下的响应进行对比评估。

地浸采铀注液井小直径潜水泵抽水洗井试验

某地浸采铀试验采区注液井周边含矿层堵塞严重。注液井套管内径仅有80 mm,在常规空压机抽水洗井结束后,在3口注液井中开展了小直径潜水泵抽水洗井试验。初始抽水量均在4.5 m_(3)/h左右,期间最小抽水量为3.4 m_(3)/h,其中2口井的第1股最浑浊洗井水的含砂量分别为4.36、5.19 kg/m_(3)。粒度、电镜扫描和化学组成分析显示,洗井水沉降干渣中的矿物碎屑主要为粉砂、细砂碎屑,少量黏土碎屑;化学沉淀主要是CaCO_(3)、MgCO_(3)和FeCO_(3);潜水泵抽水洗井累计运行约27.5 h,未出现任何故障。试验表明,小直径潜水泵抽水洗井可行且投资少、成本低、安全性高、实施方便。

潜水系统非稳定流抽水试验智能优化配线

精确求解水文地质参数是地下水数值模拟、地下水资源评价与开发的前提。为此,基于抽水试验降深—时间数据,采用随机权重粒子群优化(RandWPSO)算法对考虑给水滞后的博尔顿模型智能优化配线,实现潜水完整井非稳定流水文地质参数反演。结果表明,RandWPSO算法选择的曲线拟合参数精度r/D值为0.1753,较人工选择的0.2精确度更高。该方法显著提高了反演参数精度,可为曲线族标准曲线拟合方法在实际工作中难以应用的问题提供借鉴。

面向任务的载人深潜人机交互信息重要度评估

为更好地识别复杂任务环境下深海载人潜水器驾驶舱人机交互信息重要度差异,提出一种基于复杂网络的人机交互信息重要度评估方法。以悬停采样任务为研究对象,运用决策阶梯模型及任务-网络建模技术识别复杂任务相关人机交互信息元及逻辑关联,构建交互信息复杂网络模型。基于网络拓扑特征参数,从节点间逻辑影响关系的角度提出节点全局及局部影响效应评估指标,结合解释结构模型层级权重指标对交互信息节点重要度综合值进行计算,得出悬停采样任务人机交互信息重要度排序。将排序结果与其他4种算法进行对比,在证明计算有效的基础上,邀请潜航员结合实际任务流程对交互信息进行主观重要度评估。结果显示,研究所得重要度排序结果与潜航员主观排序结果呈强相关,且对重要交互信息元的识别结果与潜航员主观感知相符合,验证了所提方法识别复杂任务人机交互信息重要度差异的有效性。

局部系泊失效下半潜式平台系泊韧性评估方法研究

半潜式平台系泊失效会引发重大安全问题,为研究局部系泊失效下半潜式平台系泊韧性水平,构建系泊失效至恢复全过程的平台性能水平曲线,并将系泊韧性量化为吸收、适应及恢复3部分。基于平台运动响应及恢复操作构建相应的韧性定量评估指标,并利用CRITIC(Criteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation)法进行赋权,进而得到韧性评估3层指标体系。以规则波作用下的南海某半潜式平台为实例,在ANSYS@AQWA TM中建立其数值模型以进行水动力计算,并运用构建的评估指标体系进行系泊韧性评估。结果显示:半潜式平台系泊韧性水平与吸收、适应和恢复能力具有一致相关性,且浪向对角线立柱下两根系缆同时失效时系泊韧性水平最高,同一立柱下两根系缆同时失效时系泊韧性水平最低。