Developing Subsea Harvesting equipment and technology

The first step of the mining process is the harvesting of the poly metallic nodules.
This step influences to a great extend the total efficiency of the total mining operation.
Initially the design requirements and design parameters of the subsea harvesting equipment has been set.
These requirement and parameters will be monitored throughout the duration of the project.
In this first phase of the project the full scale design of the Nodules collectors, propulsion system,  umbilical and jumper hose have developed.
The laboratory test work for validation of the collectors has already been started.

Example of Bulldozer Test                                             Small scale hydraulic collector tests

The laboratory work for the remaining of the components will follow shortly.
The test campaign will give insight is the key mechanisms for the working of the components and will give input for the environmental pressure characterisation.
The field tests will be performed in a dedicated task.
The main goal of these test will be the determination of the environmental pressures of the deep sea mining operation.

CFD analysis of a hydraulic collector concept.