In order to achieve the complex dynamic analysis of the self-propelled seafloor pilot miner moving on the seafloor of extremely cohesive soft soil and further to make it possible to integrate the miner system with some subsystems to form the complete integrated deep ocean mining pilot system and perform dynamic analysis, a new method for the dynamic modeling and analysis of the miner is proposed and developed in this paper, resulting in a simplified 3D single-body vehicle model with three translational and three rotational degrees of freedom, while the track-terrain interaction model is built by partitioning the track-terrain interface into discrete elements with parameterized force dements built on the theory of terramechanics acting on each discrete dement. To evaluate and verify the correctness and effectiveness of this new modeling and analysis method, typical comparative studies with regard to computational efficiency and solution accuracy are carried out between the traditional modeling method of building the tracked vehicle as a multi-body model and the new modeling method. In full consideration of the particMar structure design of the pilot miner, the special characteristics of the seafioor soil and the hydrodynamic force of near-seafloor currnt, the dynamic simulation analysis of the miner is performed and discussed, which can provide useful guidance and reference for the practical miner system in design and operation. This new method can not only realize the rapid dynamic simulation analysis of the miner but also make possible the integration and rapid dynamic analysis of the complete integrated deep ocean mining pilot system in further researches.
The hydrodynamic problem of a two-dimensional model of seafloor mining tool entering still water vertically at constant speed was analyzed based on the velocity potential theory. For the assumption that the water entry occurs with very short time interval, the viscosity and gravity of fluid were neglected. Considering the characteristic shape of it, the seafloor mining tool was simplified as a flat-bottom body. The governing equations were the Reynolds time-averaged equations and the k-e model. Finite element analysis was undertaken using the CFD software, Fluent. The impact pressures on the bottom of the mining tool were computed based on the improved volume of fuid method （VOF）. The pressure distribution, the maximum impact pressure, and the impact duration time during the water entry of mining tool are presented at various deploying velocities, the two peak pressures in the impact process are observed, and the relationship between the maximum impact pressure and the deploying velocity is obtained. The results are compared with those based on other prediction theories and methods.
The resistance loss of transportation was studied and the influences of buoyancy layout,mineral content and elastic modulus of flexible hose were investigated based on three-dimensional finite element model of fluid-solid interaction by MSC.MARC/MENTAT software.The numerical results show that the resistance losses increase with the increase of mineral content Cv and velocity of internal fluid v and decrease with the increase of elastic modulus E of flexible hose.The buoyancy layout and the velocity of internal fluid have greater impacts on the resistance losses than the elastic modulus of flexible hose.In order to reduce the resistance losses and improve the efficiency of the deep-ocean mining,Cv and v must be restricted in a suitable range (e.g.10%-25% and 2.5-4 m/s).Effective buoyancy layout (such as Scheme C and D) should be adopted and the suitable material of moderate E should be used for the flexible hose in deep-ocean mining.
