Design and performance investigation of an underwater ultrasonic percussive drill for seabed mineral exploration

• DOI: 10.1088/1361-665x/adb18c
• Publication Date: 2025-02-03T22:54:51Z
• Authors: He Li; Zhanpeng Zhang; Bo Yu; Minyu Wei; Yi Shen; Zhaoyang Chen; Qingliang Zeng

Abstract To address the limitations of traditional drilling equipment, such as large size, high power consumption, and difficulties with waterproofing, an underwater ultrasonic percussive drill (UUPD) based on piezoelectric drive is proposed. The structure size parameters actuator are designed its performance experimentally verified. maximum output amplitude 78.6 μm in air 52.3 water. Additionally, dynamic characteristics UUPD calculated theoretically analyzed by simulation, influence system vibration revealed. A prototype developed, a testing platform established, comparison experiments consumption test carried out to evaluate UUPD. Experimental results demonstrate that capable breaking rocks varying hardness (5 MPa–50 MPa) under small pressure (around 6 N) low (approximately 57 W). proposed this paper offers advantages, including pressure, light weight compact structure, showing good application prospect providing effective technical means for deep-sea hard mineral rock sampling.