Hydro excavation vacuum apparatus that process spoil material onboard the apparatus by separating water from the cut earthen material are disclosed.

Hydro excavation vacuum apparatus that process spoil material onboard the apparatus by separating water from the cut earthen material are disclosed.

A method for deep sea mining includes generating an upward flow of valuable matter in a riser line from the bottom of a body of water to a matter processing platform; processing the matter at the processing platform; generating a return flow in a return pipe of a mixture of seawater and a non-valuable part of the matter from the processing platform towards the bottom of the body of water; and controlling the pressure in the return pipe for avoiding collapse of the return pipe and/or cavitation of the return pipe, in particular for avoiding collapse of or cavitation in an upper part of the return pipe.

A method for deep sea mining includes generating an upward flow of valuable matter in a riser line from the bottom of a body of water to a matter processing platform; processing the matter at the processing platform; generating a return flow in a return pipe of a mixture of seawater and a non-valuable part of the matter from the processing platform towards the bottom of the body of water; and controlling the pressure in the return pipe for avoiding collapse of the return pipe and/or cavitation of the return pipe, in particular for avoiding collapse of or cavitation in an upper part of the return pipe.

A cutterhead for dredging water-bed material from a body of water. The cutterhead comprises a shroud presenting a front margin for receiving water-bed material into an interior space of the shroud. The shroud additionally includes a port from which water-bed material can be removed from the interior space of the shroud. The cutterhead additionally comprises a rotatable cutterbar at least partially received within the interior space of the shroud. The cutterhead further comprises a debris guard positioned between the cutterbar and the port. The debris guard is operable to filter the water-bed material removed from the shroud through the port. At least a portion of the debris guard that faces the cutterbar includes a concave shape.

A cutterhead for dredging water-bed material from a body of water. The cutterhead comprises a shroud presenting a front margin for receiving water-bed material into an interior space of the shroud. The shroud additionally includes a port from which water-bed material can be removed from the interior space of the shroud. The cutterhead additionally comprises a rotatable cutterbar at least partially received within the interior space of the shroud. The cutterhead further comprises a debris guard positioned between the cutterbar and the port. The debris guard is operable to filter the water-bed material removed from the shroud through the port. At least a portion of the debris guard that faces the cutterbar includes a concave shape.

A suction excavator includes a suction hose with a suction opening for pneumatically receiving solid or liquid suction material using a fast-flowing air stream. The suction excavator has a separator for separating the suction material from the air stream, a filter unit for cleaning the air stream, a fan unit for generating the air stream, and a recirculation channel that is connected to the pressure side of the fan unit via a volume-controllable recirculation opening. A volume-controllable secondary air opening allows secondary air from the surroundings to be supplied to the suction side of the fan unit, downstream from the filter unit in the flow direction. The recirculation channel is fluidically coupleable to the suction hose to generate a positive pressure in the recirculation channel to blow out recirculation air through the suction hose.

A suction excavator includes a suction hose with a suction opening for pneumatically receiving solid or liquid suction material using a fast-flowing air stream. The suction excavator has a separator for separating the suction material from the air stream, a filter unit for cleaning the air stream, a fan unit for generating the air stream, and a recirculation channel that is connected to the pressure side of the fan unit via a volume-controllable recirculation opening. A volume-controllable secondary air opening allows secondary air from the surroundings to be supplied to the suction side of the fan unit, downstream from the filter unit in the flow direction. The recirculation channel is fluidically coupleable to the suction hose to generate a positive pressure in the recirculation channel to blow out recirculation air through the suction hose.

A fluidized aggregation separation system including an intake assembly having a first and a second end, and a separation assembly configured to separate material larger than a predetermined size from material smaller than the predetermined size. The separation assembly includes a screen assembly configured to prevent the material larger than the predetermined size from passing through the screen assembly and to allow the material smaller than the predetermined size to pass through the screen assembly. The fluidized aggregation separation system also includes an exit assembly configured to direct the material smaller than the predetermined size towards a restoration area.

A cutterhead for dredging water-bed material from a body of water. The cutterhead comprises a shroud presenting a front margin for receiving water-bed material into an interior space of the shroud. The shroud additionally includes a port from which water-bed material can be removed from the interior space of the shroud. The cutterhead additionally comprises a rotatable cutterbar at least partially received within the interior space of the shroud. The cutterhead further comprises a debris guard positioned between the cutterbar and the port. The debris guard is operable to filter the water-bed material removed from the shroud through the port. At least a portion of the debris guard that faces the cutterbar includes a concave shape.