The present invention includes a mining system adapted to change underwater mining by selecting and harvesting only the target ore or gem. It eliminates costly displacement in mass of ore or material to the surface or shore, reduces pollution of the water column, and minimizes disturbance of the env
The present invention includes a mining system adapted to change underwater mining by selecting and harvesting only the target ore or gem. It eliminates costly displacement in mass of ore or material to the surface or shore, reduces pollution of the water column, and minimizes disturbance of the environment. The system includes a trommel fluidly coupled to separators, wherein each separator uses a vortex-like flow pattern to separate high-density sediment from lower density sediment based on flow rate. The present invention is the capable of separating and collecting various sized of desired ore in one pass. Additionally, the system is adapted to be coupled with a ROV dredge to reduce or eliminate diving time and risk of human life.
대표청구항▼
1. A mining system, comprising: a trommel having a trommel inlet and a trommel outlet with a trommel screen disposed between the trommel inlet and trommel outlet;a trommel trough located beneath the trommel for collecting material that filters through the trommel screen;the trommel trough attached t
1. A mining system, comprising: a trommel having a trommel inlet and a trommel outlet with a trommel screen disposed between the trommel inlet and trommel outlet;a trommel trough located beneath the trommel for collecting material that filters through the trommel screen;the trommel trough attached to a first separator through a first separator inlet, such that the material collected in the trommel trough funnels into the first separator inlet;the first separator including: a vortex inlet through which fluid can enter the first separator, the vortex inlet directing fluid towards a tapered vortex member at an angle off center to a longitudinal axis of the tapered vortex member, the tapered vortex member tapering in a direction towards an upper end of the first separator;whereby fluid passing through the vortex inlet passes around an outer surface of the tapered vortex member creating an inverted vortex fluid flow that imposes a force on the material funneled into the first separator, wherein the force is less than the weight of a desired ore and equal to or greater than the weight of surrounding sediment; anda collection outlet located at a bottom end of the first separator such that the desired ore that overcomes the force imposed by the inverted vortex fluid flow can pass through the collection outlet. 2. The mining system of claim 1, further including a deflector cone located near the trommel inlet such that a dredged mixture strikes the deflector cone after passage through the trommel inlet. 3. The mining system of claim 1, further comprising: the trommel screen including a first section and a second section, wherein the first section is near the trommel inlet, the second section is nearer the trommel outlet, and the second section has greater porosity than the first section such that larger material filters through the second section than the first section;the trommel trough including a first section and a second, wherein the first section of the trommel trough is positioned beneath the first section of the trommel screen and the second section of the trommel trough is positioned beneath the second section of the trommel screen; andthe first separator fluidly coupled to the first section of the trommel trough and a second separator fluidly coupled to the second section of the trommel trough. 4. The mining system of claim 1, wherein the first separator further comprises: an initial separation chamber having a fluid counter-flow imposing a force on the material funneled into the first separator, wherein the force is less than the weight of a desired ore and greater than the weight of surrounding sediment that is common in a location where the mining system is operating;a first separator outlet fluidly coupled to the initial separation chamber such that the first separator outlet receives the surrounding sediment that is forced upwards by the fluid counter-flowa secondary separation chamber fluidly coupled to the initial separation chamber to receive any material that passes through the initial separation chamber, and the vortex inlet fluidly coupled to the secondary separation chamber;the tapered vortex member being a plunger valve, wherein the plunger valve can transition between an open position and a closed position;the open position allowing the desired ore to pass into a final separation chamber fluidly coupled to the secondary separation chamber and the closed position preventing passage of the desired ore into the final separation chamber; andthe final separation chamber including a bottom valve having an open position and a closed position, wherein the bottom valve allows the desired ore to pass through the collection outlet when the bottom valve is in the open position and prevent the desired ore from passing through the collection outlet when the bottom valve is in the closed position. 5. The mining system of claim 4, further comprising the secondary separation chamber residing below the first separation chamber. 6. The mining system of claim 4, wherein the tapered vortex member has a conical shape with a tip extending upwards into the secondary separation chamber. 7. The mining system of claim 4, further comprising a grate between the initial separation chamber and the secondary separation chamber, wherein the grate is adapted to reduce the vortex fluid flow from the secondary separation chamber when the flow passes from the secondary separation chamber into the initial separation chamber. 8. The mining system of claim 4, wherein the vortex inlet further includes a valve adapted to adjust flow rate. 9. The mining system of claim 4, further comprising a flush assembly fluidly connected to the final separation chamber with a valve between the flush assembly and the final separation chamber, the flush assembly adapted to force sediment in the separator upwards and out of the separator outlet. 10. The mining system of claim 4, further including a collection tube fluidly coupled to the first and second separators. 11. The mining system of claim 1, further comprising a nugget trap near the trommel outlet, wherein the nugget trap includes a floor opening leading to a gate valve, the gate valve adapted to open upon detection of a nugget to secure the nugget in a nugget housing. 12. The mining system of claim 10, wherein the nugget trap includes a fluid inlet between the floor opening and the gate valve, adapted to create a vortex-like flow pattern. 13. The mining system of claim 1, wherein the trommel outlet includes a trommel valve adapted to adjust the flow rate through the trommel. 14. A mining system, comprising: a trommel having a trommel screen and a trommel trough located beneath the trommel for collecting material that filters through the trommel screen;the trommel trough attached to a first separator through a first separator inlet, such that the material collected in the trough funnels into the first separator inlet;the first separator further including: an initial separation chamber and a secondary separation chamber, the initial separation chamber fluidly coupled to the first separator inlet and the secondary separation chamber;a vortex inlet fluidly coupled to the secondary separation chamber, wherein the vortex inlet creates a vortex fluid flow in the secondary separation chamber that imposes a force on the any material in the secondary separation chamber to collect undesired sediment in the vortex fluid flow while allowing the desired ore to escape the vortex fluid flow based on the weight of the desired ore and the weight of surrounding sediment;a grate between the initial separation chamber and the secondary separation chamber, wherein the grate is adapted to convert the vortex fluid flow into a more linear fluid flow when the flow passes from the secondary separation chamber into the initial separation chamber;whereby the linear fluid flow imposes a force on the material funneled into the first separator, wherein the force is less than the weight of a desired ore and greater than the weight of surrounding sediment;a first separator outlet fluidly coupled to the initial separation chamber such that the first separator outlet receives the surrounding sediment that is forced upwards by the fluid counter-flow;a secondary separation chamber fluidly coupled to the bottom of the initial separation chamber to receive any material that overcomes the force of the linear fluid flow; anda collection outlet located at a bottom end of the first separator and fluidly coupled to the secondary separation chamber such that the collection outlet receives the desired ore that overcomes the force imposed by the vortex fluid flow and sinks to the bottom end of the first separator. 15. The mining system of claim 14, further comprising a tapered vortex member proximate the vortex inlet, the vortex inlet directing fluid towards the tapered vortex member at an angle off center to a longitudinal axis of the tapered vortex member, the tapered vortex member tapering in a direction towards an upper end of the first separator; andwhereby fluid passing through the vortex inlet passes around an outer surface of the tapered vortex member creating an inverted vortex fluid flow. 16. The mining system of claim 14, wherein the vortex inlet further includes a valve adapted to adjust flow rate. 17. The mining system of claim 14, further comprising a flush assembly fluidly connected to the first separation chamber with a valve between the flush assembly and the first separation chamber, the flush assembly adapted to force sediment in the separator upwards and out of the separator outlet. 18. A mining system, comprising: a trommel having a trommel inlet and a trommel outlet with a trommel screen disposed between the trommel inlet and trommel outlet;a trommel trough located beneath the trommel for collecting material that filters through the trommel screen;the trommel trough attached to a first separator through a first separator inlet, such that the material collected in the trommel trough funnels into the first separator inlet;the first separator including: an initial separation chamber and a secondary separation chamber, the initial separation chamber fluidly coupled to the first separator inlet and the secondary separation chamber;the initial separation chamber having a fluid counter-flow imposing a force on the material funneled into the first separator, wherein the force is less than the weight of a desired ore and greater than the weight of surrounding sediment that is common in a location where the mining system is operating;a separator outlet fluidly coupled to the initial separation chamber such that the separator outlet receives the surrounding sediment that is forced upwards by the fluid counter-flow;the secondary separation chamber residing below the initial separation chamber, such that the secondary separation chamber receives the desired ore having a weight greater than the force imposed by the fluid counter-flow; anda vortex inlet fluidly coupled to the secondary separation chamber, wherein the vortex inlet creates a vortex fluid flow in the secondary separation chamber that imposes a force on the any material in the secondary separation chamber to collect undesired sediment in the vortex fluid flow while allowing the desired ore to escape the vortex fluid flow based on the weight of the desired ore and the weight of surrounding sediment.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (7)
Baglione, Daniel; Semedard, Jean-Claude; Gauville, Pierre; Morin, Jean-Xavier; Flores, Emmanuel, Centrifugal separator in particular for fluidized bed reactor device.
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