Research on Heave Compensation Systems and Control Methods for Deep-Sea Mining
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Overview of Heave Compensation in Ocean Engineering and Characteristics and Requirements of Heave Compensation for Deep-Sea Mining
2.1. Development of Heave Compensation Systems and Control Methods in Ocean Engineering
2.2. Characteristics and Requirements of Heave Compensation Control in Deep-Sea Mining Systems
2.3. Research and Development of Heave Compensation Systems in Deep-Sea Mining
3. Research and Proposal of Heave Compensation System for Deep-Sea Mining
3.1. Proposal for Pitch and Roll Motion Compensation of the Lift Pipe System
3.2. Proposal for Heave Motion Compensation and Heave Compensation System Design
4. Research and Proposal of Heave Compensation Control Methods for Deep-Sea Mining
4.1. Construction of a Dynamic Model for the Proposed Heave Compensation System
4.2. Design of the Fuzzy PID Control System for Heave Motion Compensation
4.3. Analysis of Heave Motion Compensation Performance Based on Fuzzy PID Control
- The amplitude of changes in is much larger than that of and , indicating that the fuzzy PID controller primarily adjusts the proportional control parameter to alter the controller’s output signal;
- In the same sea state, increases linearly with the heave velocity of the lift pipe system, with a generally consistent trend, but, when the heave velocity approaches zero, it takes a smaller value within a certain range and remains relatively constant;
- Under different sea conditions, increases more significantly in higher sea states.
5. Conclusions
- (1)
- The characteristics of heave compensation for deep-sea mining were analyzed in this paper. Since the underwater load is a multi-kilometer-long lift pipe system suspended beneath the mining vessel, heave compensation for deep-sea mining is not typically performed by controlling cables. Instead, it is generally executed using long-stroke hydraulic (or pneumatic) cylinders, and a specialized mechanism is required for compensating pitch and roll motions.
- (2)
- A heave compensation system for deep-sea mining is proposed. This system replaces traditional gimbal mechanisms with flexible joints to compensate for pitch and roll motions, increasing the compensation angles from less than ±10° to ±15° without occupying the deck area of the mining vessel. A single-chamber, valve-controlled compensation cylinder with a high-pressure accumulator is employed for heave motion compensation. This configuration is compact and capable of generating a large compensation force. The flexible joint and high-pressure hydraulic control system have been successfully implemented in the offshore oil and gas industry, demonstrating strong economic viability and engineering feasibility. The proposed solutions have completed conceptual design and obtained Approval in Principle (AIP) certification from the China Classification Society.
- (3)
- The fuzzy PID control method for the heave compensation system in deep-sea mining and its application effects are studied. Using commercial deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining operations as the research background, a dynamic model is established for the proposed heave motion compensation system, and the control system is designed based on the fuzzy PID control method. Subsequently, an analysis of heave compensation performance under different sea conditions is conducted. The results indicate that the fuzzy PID control system dynamically adjusts the PID controller parameters, particularly the proportional control gain, according to the heave velocity and acceleration of the lifting pipeline: when the heave velocity and acceleration are high, a larger proportional gain is applied to enhance compensation; when they are low, a smaller gain is used to conserve compensatory energy. Therefore, compared to conventional PID control, fuzzy PID control achieves a superior heave compensation performance under disturbances of varying magnitudes and frequencies, improving the mining system’s capability to compensate for heave motion across diverse sea conditions.
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Sea State | 4 | 5 | 6 |
---|---|---|---|
Heave Amplitude & Period | 0.36 m, 5.8 s | 0.6 m, 7.2 s | 0.9 m, 8.8 s |
Pitch Amplitude | ±4° | ±8° | ±15° |
Roll Amplitude | ±4° | ±15° | ±22° |
Sea State | PID Control | Fuzzy PID Control | Compensation Improvement Rate |
---|---|---|---|
4 | 47.72% | 74.12% | 26.4% |
5 | 25.75% | 58.93% | 33.18% |
6 | 17.16% | 50.78% | 33.62% |
36% | 69% |
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Kang, Y.; Fang, H.; Wang, C.; Liu, S. Research on Heave Compensation Systems and Control Methods for Deep-Sea Mining. J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13, 652. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13040652
Kang Y, Fang H, Wang C, Liu S. Research on Heave Compensation Systems and Control Methods for Deep-Sea Mining. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 2025; 13(4):652. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13040652
Chicago/Turabian StyleKang, Yajuan, Hongtao Fang, Changwei Wang, and Shaojun Liu. 2025. "Research on Heave Compensation Systems and Control Methods for Deep-Sea Mining" Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 13, no. 4: 652. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13040652
APA StyleKang, Y., Fang, H., Wang, C., & Liu, S. (2025). Research on Heave Compensation Systems and Control Methods for Deep-Sea Mining. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 13(4), 652. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13040652