IHC Looks to Boost Power for Subsea Mining Ops

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04 August 2017

IHC Mining is working to bring sustainable marine mining a step closer to reality.

The company is looking to maximise the efficiency of its electric motor used to power the booster station pumps of the vertical transport system required to lift ore from significant water depths..

Awarded the ‘New Environments Award’ at the DPC Innovation Awards last year, a 100% oil-free permanent magnet (PM) motor is open to the surrounding environment and filled with seawater.

"We tried to keep the motor as small as possible to make implementation much simpler. We also designed the motor in such a way that we can directly mount the dredge pump impeller to the motor shaft. This reduces the weight and makes it more compact.

"To limit the amount of external systems, a small centrifugal pump was integrated in the design at the back of the motor. This pump forces ambient water through the motor for cooling purposes,” says Wiebe Boomsma, R&D Manager Mining.

IHC is said to be looking into other future implications of the motor, not only for deep-sea mining, but also for other environmentally sensitive areas.