# US 2025/0145263 A1 · Method and Apparatus for Priming a Dynamic Buoyancy System for a Deep-Sea Mining Vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0145263 A1 - Document ID: US20250145263A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/352,038 - Filed: 2023-07-13 - Published: 2025-05-08 - Earliest claimed: 2023-07-13 - Assignees: Impossible Metals Inc. - Applicants: Impossible Metals Inc. - Inventors: Eric PEARSON; Adam KOLB; Jason GILLHAM - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250145263A1 ## CPC - B63G 8/22: Adjustment of buoyancy by water ballasting; Emptying equipment for ballast tanks ({conduits for emptying or ballasting on vessels in general B63B13/00;} stabilising vessels using ballast tanks B63B43/06) - B63G 8/001: {Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations (self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42)} - E21C 50/00: Obtaining minerals from underwater, not otherwise provided for (suction dredgers or component parts thereof E02F3/88; equipment for conveying or separating excavated material E02F7/00; dippers G01N1/12) - B63G 2008/002: {unmanned} - B63G 2008/004: {autonomously operating} - E21C 2200/00: Mining robots - B63G: OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS (means of attack or defence in general, e.g. turrets F41H) - E21C: MINING OR QUARRYING ## Abstract A buoyancy system for an underwater autonomous vehicle is provided. The buoyancy system includes one or more spherical pressure vessels with each vessel comprising two hemispherical pieces mechanically or adhesively connected together at a seam joint. Further, each vessel includes one or more bulkhead feedthroughs for connecting the vessels to external components and sensors of the buoyancy system. The buoyancy system also includes: (i) a primary pump connected to at least one of the one or more vessels to pump sea water from the one or more vessels; (ii) a pressure sensor connected to at least one of the one or more vessels; and (iii) a level sensor extending through all or a first subgroup of the one or more spherical pressure vessels to detect the level of sea water inside the one or more vessels. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A buoyancy system for an underwater autonomous vehicle, the buoyancy system comprising: one or more spherical pressure vessels each comprising two hemispherical pieces mechanically or adhesively connected together at a seam joint, wherein each of the one or more spherical pressure vessels comprises one or more bulkhead feedthroughs for connecting the one or more spherical pressure vessels to external components, valves, and sensors of the buoyancy system; a sea water intake valve connected to at least one of the one or more spherical pressure vessels for introducing sea water into the one or more spherical pressure vessels; a primary pump connected to at least one of the one or more spherical pressure vessels, wherein the primary pump is configured to pump sea water from the one or more spherical pressure vessels; a pressure sensor connected to at least one of the one or more spherical pressure vessels; and a level sensor extending through all or a first subgroup of the one or more spherical pressure vessels, the level sensor configured to detect a level of sea water inside the one or more spherical pressure vessels between a first limit and a second limit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The buoyancy system of claim 1, wherein the first subgroup of the one or more spherical pressure vessels is vertically stacked on top of each other and interconnected via the level sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The buoyancy system of claim 2, wherein a second subgroup of the one or more spherical vessels is positioned on a first side of the first subgroup. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The buoyancy system of claim 3, wherein a third subgroup of the one or more spherical vessels is positioned on a second side of the first subgroup opposite to the second subgroup. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The buoyancy system of claim 4, wherein each of the second and third subgroups of the one or more spherical pressure vessels is connected to an outmost top and an outmost bottom spherical pressure vessel of the first subgroup. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The buoyancy system of claim 1, wherein a volume of the sea water within each of the one or more spherical pressure vessels is independently controlled via the operation of the primary pump. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The buoyancy system of claim 1, wherein the first limit represents a maximum level of sea water allowable and the second limit represents a minimum level of sea water allowable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The buoyancy system of claim 1, wherein the one or more spherical pressure vessels contain a volume of sea water and a volume of a gas. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The buoyancy system of claim 8, wherein the gas is at least one of air or filtered air. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The buoyancy system of claim 1, wherein the one or more spherical pressure vessels are configured to operate up to a sea depth of about 5 km to 6 km. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The buoyancy system of claim 1, wherein the one or more spherical pressure vessels are configured to withstand an external pressure of about 600 bar. ### Claim 12 A deep-sea mining system, the system comprising: a dynamic buoyancy system comprising one or more spherical pressure vessels each comprising two hemispherical pieces mechanically or adhesively connected together at a seam joint, wherein each of the one or more spherical pressure vessels comprises one or more bulkhead feedthroughs for connecting the one or more spherical pressure vessels to external components, valves, and sensors of the dynamic buoyancy system; an autonomous underwater vehicle; and an ore collection system; wherein the dynamic buoyancy system is configured to dynamically control a buoyancy of the deep-sea mining system while the deep-sea mining system descends, ascends, and remains at a pre-determined sea depth during an ore collection process. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the dynamic buoyancy system dynamically controls the buoyancy of the deep-sea mining system by independently adjusting a liquid volume within each of the one or more spherical pressure vessels. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the pre-determined sea depth is between 5 km and 6 km. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the dynamic buoyancy system is further configured to adjust the buoyancy of the deep-sea mining system to compensate for weight changes in the deep-sea mining system caused during the ore collection process by decreasing the volume of liquid within the one or more spherical pressure vessels. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, further comprising a level sensor extending through all or a first subgroup of the one or more spherical pressure vessels, the level sensor configured to detect a level of the liquid inside the one or more spherical pressure vessels between a first limit and a second limit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the first subgroup of the one or more spherical pressure vessels are vertically stacked on top of each other and interconnected via the level sensor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein a second subgroup of the one or more spherical vessels is positioned on a first side of the first subgroup. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein a third subgroup of the one or more spherical vessels is positioned on a second side of the first subgroup opposite to the second subgroup. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein each of the second and third subgroups of the one or more spherical pressure vessels is connected to an outmost top and an outmost bottom spherical pressure vessel of the first subgroup.