Indian Deep Sea Exploration program

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Locomotion demonstration at 5270m water depth

The mining machine was tested for locomotion and maneuverability at the central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) at the depths of 5270m. The primary objective of the trials was to test seabed locomotion/ traction capability on soft soil and the functionality of the various systems, viz. mechanical moving parts, hydraulic power unit, electrical systems and the instrumentation, at the extreme ambient hydrostatic pressures and very low temperatures of 1 - 4 deg C.The machine was operated extensively, covering a cumulative distance of over 120 m with 2.5 hours of operation on the sea bed at depths of 5270m. This achievement records the first tethered sea bed moving machine to operate at this depth.

 

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NIOT’s Varaha-1 | Technology | News

National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) designed and developed a self-propelled seabed mining machine for the collection of polymetallic nodules.

oceanminingintel.com

NIOT’s Varaha-1

OCEAN MINING INTEL TECHNOLOGY 28 OCTOBER 2022

image credit India Ministry of Earth Science via YouTube

Scientists at the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) designed and developed Varaha-1, a self-propelled seabed mining machine for the collection of polymetallic nodules.


NIOT’s mining system is designed to pick up nodules from the seafloor, crush them in-situ to smaller pieces, and then pump the slurry of crushed nodules and seawater through a flexible hose, first to an intermediate pump station, suspended in the water column, close to the seabed miner. From this intermediate pump station, the slurry would be transferred vertically to the ship through a riser system of flexible hoses.
By early 2023, NIOT plans to conduct trials to demonstrate Varaha-1 capabilities in collecting, crushing, and transporting these nodules to an intermediate pump station. This project is a pilot demonstration of nodule collection and vertical transfer. Scientists at NIOT plan to successfully demonstrate nodule collection from the seabed floor to the surface ship by 2025-2026.
In increase in electric vehicles (EVs) is expected over the next two decades which would require a significant increase of raw materials like nickel, copper, and cobalt—key components in the batteries of EVs— which are not adequate available on land. This explains the need for alternate supply sources. Developing technology for deep-sea mining is an important project under the Indian Government Deep Ocean Mission.

 

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Samudrayaan: Indian submersible to go beyond Oceangate's Titan

The Samudrayaan project, India's first manned ocean mission, is a groundbreaking initiative under the Deep Ocean Mission.

Launched by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), the project aims to send three explorers to a depth of 6000 meters in an indigenously built submersible vehicle, MATSYA 6000. The mission is designed to explore deep-sea resources and conduct biodiversity assessments without disturbing the ecosystem.

The project is expected to be realized by 2026. The Samudrayaan project aligns with the Central government's vision of 'New India', emphasising the Blue Economy as a core dimension of growth.

With this mission, India joins the elite group of countries with specialist technology for conducting subsea missions, including the United States, Russia, France, Japan, and China.

 

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Next is "Samudrayaan" This is 'MATSYA 6000' submersible under construction at National Institute of Ocean Technology at Chennai. India’s first manned Deep Ocean Mission ‘Samudrayaan’ plans to send 3 humans in 6-km ocean depth in a submersible, to study the deep sea resources and biodiversity assessment. The project will not disturb the ocean ecosystem. The Deep Ocean Mission supports the 'Blue Economy' vision of PM
@narendramodi
ji, and envisages sustainable utilization of ocean resources for economic growth of the country, improve livelihoods and jobs, and preserve ocean ecosystem health.

https://x.com/KirenRijiju/status/1701175948673269772?s=20

 

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Two test

 

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Samudrayaan (Photo | Express)
Karnataka: Harbour trial for ‘Samudrayaan’ likely in Mar-Apr

BENGALURU: Preparations are on board to realise India’s flagship manned deep sea exploration in 2025 in a homemade, world-class, submersible ‘Matsya 6000.’

“The harbour trial for ‘Samudrayaan,’ a three-member deep sea mission that is scheduled for 2025 will be conducted sometime in March-April this year in Chennai,” National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) director GA Ramadass told this paper.

‘Samudrayaan’ is an ambitious project of the Ministry of Earth Sciences and is being implemented as part of the Rs 4800 crore ‘Deep Ocean Mission’. NIOT is an autonomous society under the ministry.

“Following the harbour trial, the NIOT will plan shallow water exploration at a depth of 500 metres under the ocean this year before the final deep sea mission at 6,000 metres some time next year,” Ramadass said. The shallow water exploration is being planned in the Bay of Bengal in a steel submersible.

“The NIOT has recruited a former naval officer to pilot the Samudrayaan exploration. It is training some ocean scientists at the institute as pilots who will conduct deep sea explorations, subject to approval. In the latter half of the year, we expect the delivery of a titanium alloy human sphere, which will seat the three ocean explorers from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO),” said the NIOT director.

Titanium is lighter but stronger than steel, and enables the weight of deep-diving vehicles as low as possible. It requires minimum maintenance; has an extended life cycle, and has incomparable anti-corrosive properties, he explained.

Ramadass added that the other components for ‘Matsya 6000’ like the syntactic foam for the manned chamber are being imported and delivery is expected later this year. Syntactic foams, a mixture of billions of microscopic hollow glass or ceramic spheres in epoxy or plastic resin, are widely used in submarines because of their remarkable buoyancy and strength.

“Matsya 6000 will be tested and certified by DNV (world class Norwegian classification society and a recognised advisor for the maritime industry) to go down 6,000 metres inside the ocean,” he said.

‘Matsya’ will go down 6,000 metres inside the sea in the Indian Ocean for a duration of 12 hours, though it is being developed and will be tested for 96 hour endurance in case of an emergency. The vehicle will have an oxygen supply and carbon dioxide scrubbing system for 96 hours. “The submersible is being developed to withstand the sea pressure, which at 6,000 metres, is 600 bar, that is, 600 times more than the atmospheric pressure,” explained Ramadass, adding that in future, the submersible will be available to ocean scientists for research purposes.

‘Matsya’ will take three hours to go down 6,000 metres and three hours to come up, with six hours for scientific exploration of the sea.

The ‘Samudrayaan’ mission will bring India on the world map of manned deep sea explorations in indigenous vehicles after the US, Russia, France, Japan and China.

 

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Notable Global DSVs for a perspective (Matsya 6000's max dive will be 6000 meters)