Experimental investigation and optimization of polymetallic nodule mining by mechanical pick-up device on deep-sea using RSM

Abstract

Deep-sea mineral resources are the replacement of land-based minerals on future demands of modern civilization. Polymetallic nodules are in abundant quantity on the ocean floor and technology is developed to recover them from a remote place. This research aims to develop efficient nodule picking through a mechanical pick-up device by optimizing the input parameters with the help of response surface methodology (RSM). We studied the effect of three independent variables such as soil depths of cut (50 to 100 mm), picking device angle (28˚ to 30˚), and haulage velocity (0.15 to 0.3 m/s) for the various dependent responses of haulage force, nodule picking efficiency, peak power drawn, and specific energy consumption of nodule mining. The statistical models describe the experimental sets and analysis of variance used to assess the model fit with the experimental results. A second-order quadratic model has been proposed correlating the input variables to maximize the nodule picking efficiency at optimum operating conditions using the RSM-based Box–Behnken design technique. Based on the higher desirability approach, the achieved optimum parameter sets were 50 mm soil depth of cut, 30˚ pick-up device angle and 0.15 m/s haulage velocity for maximum nodule picking efficiency of pick-up device.