Patent Grant
10654046
The present invention is directed to: treatment of aggregate particles; to processing of used aggregate particles and, e.g., to a device for treating used fracturing (“fraccing” or “fracking”) sand to produce usable fracturing sand; to systems and methods for producing, from aggregate material, cleaned, separated and polished natural aggregates; to a processing of aggregate particles and, e.g., to a device for cleaning, separating and polishing of natural aggregate such as stone, sand, rocks, and gravel; to systems and methods for treating aggregate such as, e.g., gravel, sand, rocks, stones, and proppants, and in certain particular applications and embodiments, to treatment systems and methods directed to treating sand recovered from a wellbore which has been used in an earth fracturing operation.
There are a wide variety of known aggregate and sand treatment systems and methods, including such for treating used fraccing sand.
Aggregates include granular materials, either naturally obtained or manufactured, and constitute an important component of infrastructure. Some natural aggregate resources are sand, gravel and crushed stone. Secondary aggregates include by products from industrial processes like blast, electric furnace slags or china clay residues. Development and extraction of natural aggregates can be significantly influenced by constraints such as urbanization, zonal regulations, increased costs and environmental concerns.
Natural aggregates include fragments, e.g. of stone, rock or sand, that are used in their natural state, or are used after mechanical processing such as crushing, washing, and sizing. Crushed stone and sand, and gravel are two sources of natural aggregate, which are used directly in construction or as a raw material for construction products such as concrete and bituminous road materials. Natural aggregate materials also serve as a major source for fracturing sand.
‘Fracturing sand’ or ‘Frac sand’ is typically a high-purity sand with very durable and round grains. They are of a specific size and are highly specialized for the oil industry. Primarily it is used in the hydraulic fracturing process known as “fracking” to assist in producing or extraction of petroleum fluids such as oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids from rock units that lack adequate pore space for these fluids to flow to a well. Based on the trend of increasing oil prices coupled with natural gas and oil exploration in the Western and Eastern United States, demand for frac sand had increased in the recent years. Methods for mining and preparing frac sand may vary slightly based on deposit location and quality of deposit.
Frac sand is often produced in a range of sizes from as small as 0.1 millimeter in diameter to over 2 millimeters in diameter depending on usage requirements. The characteristics of a high quality frac sand which can be used as a petroleum industry proppant include high-purity silica sand, standard grain size, spherical shape, turbidity, acid solubility and durability to resist crushing forces of closing fractures. Traditionally, the aggregate materials are processed into frac sand by running the cleaned aggregate particles across a large shaker screen of approximately 250 sq ft size, the shaker screens are operated using large electric motors, which resulted in space consumption and increased operation costs.
From the prior art, there exists numerous patents relating to aggregate and to frac sand processing apparatus and methods. For example: US patent publication no. 20140037962A shows an apparatus and a process for producing frac sand having a predetermined size range and sphericity from a feedstock material. US patent publication no. 20130233545 shows a manufacturing process of self-suspending proppants for hydraulic fracturing. U.S. Pat. No. 8,235,313 B2 discloses a method of making spherical proppant having a selected grade from naturally occurring, mined granular minerals. US patent publication no. 20140044967 shows a system for producing and processing an aggregate. US patent publication 20120068381 shows a mobile factory for stone making and concrete processing from natural aggregates. U.S. Pat. No. 7,380,674 discloses a method of processing and sorting aggregate material using a processing device. U.S. Pat. No. 2,146,405 shows an aggregate processing apparatus. However, certain existing aggregate processing devices also comprises limitations including infrastructure, apparatus size, operational complexity, inner plate wearing, complex machinery and the like; and certain existing frac sand processing or production devices comprises limitations including large screen size, operational complexity, high operational costs, complex machinery involving electric and/or mechanical parts, and the like.
Various processes for mining aggregate materials involve an old and known rough and abrasive process. Whether the reclamation of aggregate material is carried out via a dry mining process or a wet mining process, there still exists a need to separate dust, silt, clay or finely divided organic and inorganic material from the aggregate material. In addition, for certain applications, rounding or smoothing of the aggregate material edges is desired for providing aggregate material with uniform particulate size.
Accordingly, there exists needs for: effective and efficient systems and methods for treating aggregate materials, and, in there is a particular need for such systems and methods for treating used fraccing sand so that it is re-usable; a need for an improved device for efficient separation of aggregate material from dust, silt, clay and other unwanted materials and also polishing or smoothing the aggregate material surface to achieve a uniform particle size; and a need for an improved device and method for efficient processing of aggregate material into frac sand with uniform grain size, at high throughput.
The present invention, in certain aspects and embodiments, discloses a device for processing an aggregate material into fracturing sand, the device including, in certain embodiments: a screen box comprising an upper compartment adapted to receive an aggregate material from a hydro tube device; a plurality of induction jets connected to the steel box for supplying pressurized water, via spray nozzle heads, to wash the aggregate material through a series of grading screens. Such a device may further comprise a lower compartment to receive a washed aggregate from the upper compartment, and comprises a plurality of screen panels with a predefined size for screening out particles by washing down the particles of a predetermined size via a pipe to a sand screw for stacking a finished cut fracturing sand, and particles larger than the predetermined size are conveyed as waste to a hopper for disposal.
A device of the present invention, in certain aspects, improves the cut of the fracturing sand, without involving mechanical or electrical moving parts but utilizing the gravity of pressurized water and grading screens with predetermined mesh size for separation of particles according to different sizes from the aggregate material.
The present invention, in certain aspects, discloses a device for processing an aggregate material, the device, in certain embodiments, comprising: a gravity feed hopper to receive an aggregate material, e.g. but not limited to sand, and a conveyor tube with a proximal end adapted to receive the aggregate material from the hopper. The conveyor tube further connected to multiple induction jets to receive a supply of pressurized water from a water pump to form a slurry mix of aggregate material and a plurality of wear plates mounted on an inner surface of the conveyor tube, to allow the slurry mix to travel cylindrically around and down the tube towards a discharge outlet at a distal end of the conveyor tube.
In certain embodiments, the present invention discloses a device for processing an aggregate material into fracturing sand, the device comprising: a screen box comprising an upper compartment adapted to receive an aggregate material from a hydro tube device; a plurality of induction jets operatively connected to the screen box for supplying pressurized water, via spray nozzle heads, to wash the aggregate material through a series of grading screens; a lower compartment, adapted to receive a washed aggregate from the upper compartment, further comprises a plurality of screen panels with a predefined size for screening out particles of a predetermined size and convey to a sand screw adapted to receive a finished cut fracturing sand and washing down remaining particles to a hopper via a conveyor.
Such a device of the previous paragraph may have one, two, three, four, five or some of the following features and/or elements and/or aspects in any possible combination: wherein the aggregate material comprises stone, sand and gravel; a water manifold with a plurality of pressure gauges in fluid connection with the spray nozzle heads; wherein the plurality of induction jets are adapted to supply pressurized water at 55 psi pressure; wherein the plurality of induction jets are adapted to supply pressurized water at a rate of 500 gallons of water per minute; wherein the screen box and its compartments are gravity fed and comprise no mechanical moving parts; wherein the plurality of screen panels are set on an oblique angle of 60 degrees allowing gravity movement of the aggregate material with assistance of the water from spray nozzles; wherein the plurality of screen panels are located at a distal end of the device; wherein the plurality of screen panels are removable or replaceable, allowing fine tuning of the fracturing sand size; wherein the plurality of screen panels are selectable with pores of different shapes and sizes; wherein the plurality of screen panels comprises 64 square feet area; wherein the plurality of screen panels comprises 1.2 millimeter mesh size; wherein the aggregate material received from the hydro tube device comprises cleaned, separated and polished natural aggregate; and/or wherein the finished cut fracturing sand comprises a 20/70 fracturing sand.
The present invention, in certain aspects, discloses a device for processing an aggregate material, the device comprising: a) a conveyor tube with a proximal end adapted to receive an aggregate material from a hopper; b) a plurality of induction jets connected to the conveyor tube, to supply pressurized water received from a water pump to form a slurry mix of aggregate material; and c) a plurality of wear plates mounted on an inner surface of the conveyor tube, to allow the slurry mix to travel cylindrically around and down the conveyor tube towards a discharge outlet; and wherein the plurality of wear plates are overlapped with each other.
Such a device as in the previous paragraph may further include one, two, three, four or some of the following, in any possible combination: a water manifold comprising a plurality of pressure gauges in fluid connection with the induction jets; wherein the hopper comprises a gravity fed hopper; wherein the conveyor tube is at an oblique angle allowing gravity movement of the slurry mix through the conveyor tube; wherein the discharge outlet is present at the distal end of the conveyor tube; wherein the wear plates are removable and replaceable; wherein the conveyor tube is connected to a plurality of induction jets from above; wherein the conveyor tube is connected to a plurality of induction jets from below; and/or wherein the pressure gauges are connected to induction jets via water induction hoses.
Accordingly, the present invention includes features and advantages which are believed to advance aggregate treatment technology and frac sand treatment technology. Characteristics and advantages of the present invention described above and additional features and benefits will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and referring to the accompanying drawings. What follows are some of, but not all, the objects of this invention. In addition to the specific objects stated below for at least certain embodiments of the invention, there are other objects and purposes which will be readily apparent to one of skill in this art who has the benefit of this invention's creative and inventive teachings and disclosures.
Certain embodiments of this invention are not limited to any particular individual feature disclosed here, but include combinations of them distinguished from the prior art in their structures, functions, and/or results achieved. Features of the invention have been broadly described so that the detailed descriptions that follow may be better understood, and in order that the contributions of this invention to the arts may be better appreciated.
There are, of course, additional aspects of the invention described below and which may be included in the subject matter of the claims to this invention. Those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this invention, its teachings, and suggestions will appreciate that the conceptions of this disclosure may be used as a creative basis for designing other structures, methods and systems for carrying out and practicing the present invention.
The claims of this invention are to be read to include any legally equivalent devices or methods which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The present invention and its diverse embodiments recognize and address the long-felt needs and provides a solution to problems and a satisfactory meeting of those needs in its various possible embodiments and equivalents thereof. To one of skill in this art who has the benefits of this invention's realizations, teachings, disclosures, and suggestions, other purposes and advantages will be appreciated from the following description of certain preferred embodiments, given for the purpose of disclosure, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detail in these descriptions is not intended to thwart this patent's object to claim this invention no matter how others may later disguise it by variations in form, changes, or additions of further improvements.
It will be understood that the various embodiments of the present invention may include one, some, or any possible combination of the disclosed, described, and/or enumerated features, aspects, and/or improvements and/or technical advantages and/or elements in claims to this invention.
The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements. These drawings illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention and are not to be used to improperly limit the scope of the invention which may have other equally effective or legally equivalent embodiments. In the appended figures, similar components and/or features may have the same numerical reference label. Various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label by a letter that distinguishes among the similar components and/or features. If only the first numerical reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components and/or features having the same first numerical reference label irrespective of the letter suffix.
Referring to
The screen panels 108 comprises a plurality of grading screens which are set on an oblique angle, preferably around 60 degrees, thereby allowing gravity movement of the aggregate material with assistance of the water from spray nozzles. In an embodiment, the plurality of screen panels are located at a distal end of the device and are replaceable with grading screens with desired mesh size.
The water manifold 106 is adapted to receive pressurized water from a water pump through a plurality of induction hoses. The pressure of the supplied water can be controlled by a pressure gauge. In general, natural aggregate material comprises of stone, sand and gravel. In an embodiment, the aggregate material received from the hydro tube device cleaned, separated and polished aggregate.
Further, the screen panels are selectable with pores of different shapes and sizes which enables fine tuning of the required fracturing sand size. In an embodiment, the screen panels comprises preferable size of about 64 square feet area and a mesh size of 1.2 millimeter. However, the mesh size differs according to the preferred cut of finished fracturing sand.
The screen box further comprises a water manifold adapted to supply pressurized water through induction jets for screening aggregate particles based on size, for example: a predetermined size of and less than 1.2 millimeter is washed through the screens 108 into a bend/hopper and 12″ pipe 140 which directs the finished frac sand to a sand screw to stack the finished frac sand.
In an embodiment, wherein the plurality of induction jets supplying pressurized water via induction jets attached to the water manifold is configured to supply water at a preferable pressure range around 55 psi and at a rate of 500 gallons of water per minute.
The device of the present invention can be constructed with any suitable material. By way of non-limiting example, the parts of the device can be manufactured using a variety of standard steel alloys which are able to withstand stress and dynamic load associated with the present invention. The water pump and water induction hoses can be selected based on the desired volume and pressure of water to be introduced into the manifold. Similarly, the pressure gauges can be selected based on the hydraulic pressure deployed through the water manifold and induction hoses.
Advantages of the device of present invention include, but are not limited to, usage of screen panels of only 64 sq. ft. in size for separating aggregate particles, whereas some traditional screening involves a large shaker screen of 250 sq. ft. Another advantage of the device of present invention includes absence of mechanical or electrical moving parts, instead the current device utilizes the gravity of pressurized water for grading and separation of aggregate material.
In an exemplary embodiment, the device is capable of removing 95% of other materials and exhibits cost effectiveness due to high productivity. For example, the device in one aspect produces 140 tons of 20/70 cut sand per hour. The merits of the current device may also decrease the cost of the end product, fracturing sand.
Referring to
The device can be mounted firmly on a stand comprising a plurality of legs 4 and a base support 8 connecting at least two legs 4 parallel to each other. In an embodiment, the induction jets 3 are serially distributed from below the conveyor tube 2 in order to supply pressurized stream of water into the conveyor tube 2 to form a slurry mixture of water and aggregate material. The wear plates 5 can be removable attached to the inner surface of the conveyor tube and can be replaced whenever needed.
The wear plates 5 may further comprise channels which connect the induction jets 3 to inner area of conveyor tube 2. The wear plates 5 may also be configured to fit together in an overlapped fashion forming a smooth surface for the slurry mix to travel around, which leads to polishing or smoothing of the surface texture resulting in processed aggregate with uniform particle size or desired particle size.
In an embodiment, the wear plates are mounted onto the inner surface of the conveyor tube via a bolting or a similar means of attachment.
The wear plate may also comprise a bolt mold or a counter bore to receive the bolt structure so as to form a smooth continuous surface on the inner circumference of the conveyor tube, thereby prevent wearing of the exposed bolt head.
In an exemplary embodiment, the aggregate material is introduced into the hopper and the aggregate is delivered to the conveyor tube via gravity. The aggregate is mixed with water at high pressure and volume, received via induction jet from the water pump, to create a slurry. The slurry of water and aggregate travel by tumbling cylindrically against the wear plates inside the conveyor tube and pass through the length of the tube to exit at the outlet due to gravity. The finish of processed aggregate material can be customized using the variables including alloy material, thickness and travel length of the wear plates, slanting angle of the conveyor tube, volume and pressure of induction jets.
The device of the present invention can be constructed with any suitable material. By way of non-limiting example, the parts of the device can be manufactured using a variety of standard steel alloys which are able to withstand stress and dynamic load associated with the present invention. The water pump and water induction hoses can be selected based on the desired volume and pressure of water to be introduced into the conveyor tube. Similarly, the pressure gauges can be selected based on the hydraulic pressure deployed through the water manifold and induction hoses. The wear plates can be constructed from a material that allows for surface molding of wear plates to create a riffling or tumbling effect on the slurry mix.
Advantages of the present invention include, but are not limited to, polishing or smoothing a variety of different aggregate materials in a larger volume and separation of clay, dust and silt from the targeted aggregate material.
To enhance particles, to smooth them, for polishing effects and/or cleaning and/or to increase sphericity of the final product, e.g. but not limited to sand, an enhancing material such as pea gravel may be added to the output of the apparatus 312 in a stream 314. In one particular embodiment, the material is input at about 450 tons per hour, with about 1200 gallons of water per minute, and about 40 tons per minute of pea gravel. Instead of the pea gravel any suitable small size particulate of suitable hardness, real or artificial, natural or synthetic, may be used; e.g., but not limited to rock gravel, glass beads, ceramic beads, composite beads, or plastic beads. The resulting stream 316 is put into a hopper 318 from which it flows to a feed belt 319 (horizontal, or as shown, inclined) which moves the material for introduction into a stream 317 into treatment tube (or tubes) 322 of a treatment subsystem 320. The tube(s) 322 (also called “cylinders”) may be as any disclosed herein.
A plurality of jets 324 with fluid exit nozzles within the tube(s) 322, shown schematically by circles, provide water jetted under pressure pumped from a pump system 321. The jetted water facilitates the “working” of the particles, i.e. it: impacts the particulate material; moves the material cylindrically within the tube rather than down the tube, although water will flow down the tube by gravity carrying material; separates agglomerated particles; washes particles; forces particles to interact with each other and/or with pea gravel and/or with larger particles (e.g. in one aspect larger than sand desired to be recovered) in the input material and/or with interior conduit and equipment part surfaces, in some instances to smooth particle surfaces and/or to enhance particle shape, i.e. so that prominent, protruding, uneven, spiky, and/or jagged parts are smoothed, worn off or broken off to enhance particle surfaces and/or to increase their sphericity; helps maintain them within the tube for a desired time period; and provides some water flow for the jet-treated material to exit by gravity flow from the tube(s) in an exit stream 329.
The jetted water also impels the particles against the interior surfaces of the tube(s) 322 and, if present, against wear plates and/or interior surfaces to both break up agglomerations of particles and to polish, smooth, and enhance the shape of particles. Such action by the jetted water can improve particle shape, enhancing shape for easier pumping, enhancing shape so that negative wear and abrasion effects of particles on equipment and conduits through which they flow are decreased, and/or increase particle sphericity. Particles with enhanced shape—due to this or to any other action in any part of a system according to the present invention—create less drag for fluids passing over them than do the surfaces of the unenhanced particles.
Water jetted in the direction shown, e.g., in
The stream 329 is fed to a screening subsystem 330 which includes a screen apparatus 332 (BOX”) (or apparatuses 332; two shown). The stream 329 is fed onto a plate 331 to spread the stream flow into the apparatus 332 and so that the stream is not focused on or delivered to a small area of screening material. The unfocused flow from the plate 331 flows down to screens 334. Water spray devices 336 spray water onto the top of the screens 334, to impact material flowing down on the top surface of the screens 334 (“PUSH UP DEVICES/SPRAYS”). Sand to be recovered flows through the screens 334 and exits the apparatus 332 in an exit stream 339. Material that is screened out by the screens 334 flows off the tops of the screens in streams 337 (HEAVIES”).
The devices 336 provide water under pressure to move solids back upward on the surfaces of the screens 334, to wash screen openings, and to enhance “working” of solids on the screens. These solids include some desirable sand that has not passed through the screens. By pushing this material back up on the screens 334, this sand has a chance to pass through the screens, although it did not previously do so. The devices 336, in addition to moving material, may also break agglomerations of material and cause pieces of material, including sand, to impact each other, improving their shape, enhancing their shape for easier pumping, enhancing their shape so that their negative effects on equipment and conduits through which they flow are decreased, and/or increasing their sphericity. The jetted water, in one aspect, is provided in sufficient amount and with a sufficient area of application that it assists in clearing the screen openings (in some cases, the majority of the screen openings and in some cases substantially all of the screen openings) and in maintaining them clear and open for the passage of sand therethrough; and/or in moving desired particles to and/or through the screen openings.
Any desired number of devices 336 may be used. Devices 336 may be on bars, supports, or tubes positioned adjacent the screens, with such bars etc. at various levels of the screens. In one aspect, sufficient devices 336 are used to provide sprayed water therefrom to the majority of or to substantially all of the surface of the screens 334; and/or to substantially all of the screen openings or to a majority of them. In other aspects, at least 80% or about 90% of the surfaces (and/or screen openings) are sprayed. Devices 336 may be provided for any surface of any screen used in any system of the present invention. The devices 336 may be in tiers or in or on different levels of the screens.
The screens 334 are at an angle from the vertical and their surfaces may be flat or they may be concave (see e.g., screens 335a,
Material will be on the surface of a concave screen a relatively longer period of time than it will be on a similar flat screen, other things being equal. The combination of concave screens and sprayed water will maintain material on a screen surface relatively longer than it would be on a flat surface. The devices 336 may be used with flat screens or with concave screens.
In certain aspects, water from the devices 336 moves sand to and through openings of the screens and moves larger particles, like pea gravel and/or rocks or stones or debris or earth (that will not pass through the screen openings as do the sand particles) back up onto the screen where they can impact, contact, and or roll or move over sand particles, pushing the sand particles through the screen openings, facilitating their passage through the openings, and/or providing a momentary barrier at an opening preventing a sand particle from flowing down the top of the screen surface and enhancing its entry into an opening for passage through the screen. To accomplish this, the devices 336 are adjusted to that their sprays can move particles larger than the sand particles.
Material in the stream 339 flows down to another plate 331 from which it is spread into a lower apparatus 332, which is like the upper apparatus 332, and like numerals indicate like parts. The lower apparatus 332 has two concave screens 335a, 335b.
An exit stream 338, which is primarily made up of sand (e.g., in certain aspects, at least 90% sand by volume and in other aspects at least 96% sand by volume) flows from the lower apparatus 332 to a screw conveyor 340 (“SCREWS”) which moves the material in a stream 341 to a feed belt conveyor 342 which moves the sand to a mass of re-usable sand 346. In one particular aspect, the sand 346 is about 2% to 3% water by weight, with the remainder sand.
It is within the scope of the present invention to use water sprayed onto the screens of a screening apparatus of a system according to the present invention (e.g. but not limited to screens 334, 335a, 335b and the screens in
As shown in
For any of the functions and effects described for the methods of
For enhancing particle shape as described above, it is within the scope of this invention to use as or on a surface to be impacted by particles flowing with respect to an item, any suitable material to enhance an impact or contact of particles against the surface. This includes using suitable hard or wear-resistant material to make the item, any material of suitable hardness, suitable abrasiveness, and/or wearability. It also includes covering, lining, or facing a surface with any desired material of suitable hardness and/or abrasion resistance and wearability.
Processed material flowing through the screens of the apparatus 332a flows down and into the apparatus 332b. Processed material flowing through the screens of the apparatus 332b flows down to be part of the output stream 352. Processed material flowing through the screens of the apparatus 332c flows down and into the apparatus 332d. Processed material flowing through the screens of the apparatus 332d flows down to be part of the output stream 352. In one aspect, the amount of water flowing to the top box from the parts of the system before the top box is 2400 gallons per minute and also, therefore, 2400 flows to and then from the bottom box or boxes.
In one embodiment, there are a total of eight apparatuses 332, with four as those shown in
In one particular aspect, a system according to the present invention with screening apparatus as in
It is within the scope of the present invention to line a tube, like any of the tubes 322 or any tube (also called “cylinder”) according to the present invention with a multi-piece liner. The pieces can be of any desired length and made of any desired material, including, but not limited to, those already mentioned herein for lining, covering, or facing a surface or for making a liner.
Dotted lines 365a and 365b around the parts 361 and 362 indicate that the liner parts can be any desired length. Dotted line 365c indicates that at a liner exit end 365d, a length at the end of a liner or part of a liner can be treated with material or made of material like any of the lining or covering or facing material mentioned herein.
In one aspect, the part 361 is intended for the material-introduction end of a tube where relatively more turbulence, abrasion and wear is expected and is made of relatively tougher material such as a hard metal or metal alloy, composite, carbide, carbide alloy, chromium alloy or nickel alloy. In such a case, the other part 362 may be made of a less tough material, e.g. but not limited to polyvinyl chloride (“PVC”) material or some similar material. Optionally only the part 361 is used. Optionally, liners as in
In one particular aspect, a screening apparatus according to the present invention has one, two, three, or more bars with water spray devices for jetting water at high pressure onto the material flowing on the surface of a screen and onto the screen surface. In one embodiment, water is sprayed from these devices so that substantially all the surface of the screen is sprayed and so that water under pressure is directed to each (or a majority of) screen opening through which particles of a desired size (e.g. sand of a desired cut) may pass. Each bar may have multiple sprayers, jets, or nozzles for spraying water into the flow of sand and onto the screens to facilitate the downward flow of sand, to move sand and material upward on the screen surface, to work the sand, and/or to enhance the passage of sand through the screen openings. Water under pressure supplied to these sprayers may be pumped at any desired pressure, e.g., but not limited to, at 45 psi or at 60 psi. “Work” includes facilitating particle-particle contact and interaction, and particle-to-surface interaction and contact.
It is within the scope of the present invention to use any known suitable screen or screen assembly for the screens of any embodiment of the present invention. The screens may be flat, 3D, or concave. When material with sand in it is being screened to collect sand that passes through the screens, any suitable known sand screen can be used, including, but not limited to, those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,819,809; 4,100,248; 8,783,349; 9,254,454; 5,088,554; 4,062,769; 4,222,865; 6,684,951; 9,403,192; 4,383,919; 3,483,974 and 4,100,248 (it being understood that any tubular screen in any of these patents will be used in flat or curved form for systems according to the present invention). It is within the scope of the prevent invention for a screen for use with an embodiment of the present invention to be made of any suitable material, including, but not limited to, metals, steel, rubber, stainless steel, composite, urethane, plastics, fiberglass, cermets, polyurethane and ceramics and/or combinations of these materials and/or any material for a screen mentioned in any patent cited herein; and similarly, if screen mesh, wire cloth, perforated plate, or wire mesh is used, it may be of any of these materials.
It is within the scope of the present invention to use holes, slots, or openings for a screen which are of any desired shape, configuration, largest dimension, diameter, size, width and length and to use any desired number of such holes, etc; and in one particular aspect to use openings as in FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,809 and/or to have about one thousand slots per thirty square centimeters of screen surface area. In certain aspects, the screen openings are slots or elongated holes that are: 2.0 mm wide and between 10 to 35 mm long; between 10 mm to 35 mm wide; 0.78 mm wide; about 1.5 mm wide and approximately 25 mm long; between 2 to 3 mm wide; or between 0.25 and 1.0 mm wide. The screens may be of any desired thickness, which will correspond to the depth or the length (through the screen) of the openings, slots, or holes.
As shown by the dotted lines in
A shown in
In one embodiment, the screens of
It is within the scope of the present invention to use a screen like the screens disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,919 (shown in
It is within the scope of the present invention to use a screen like the screens disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,809 (shown in
It is within the scope of the present invention to use a screen like the screens disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,865 (shown in
In certain embodiments, screens as in
In one particular aspect, systems according to the present invention, e.g. a system as in
It is within the scope of the present invention to process any flowable aggregated material through a system according to the present invention; including, but not limited to, flowable material in streams with particles of different sizes, frac sand slurries, drilled cuttings slurries, any wellbore fluid or drilling fluid with solids therein, and lost circulation material streams.
As can be seen from the foregoing, the aspects, concepts and elements of the present invention may be embodied in a variety of ways. It involves both structures, method steps, and techniques as well as devices to accomplish the appropriate ends. Techniques and method steps according to the present invention are disclosed as part of the results shown to be achieved by the various devices and structures and described and as steps which for utilization of the devices and structures as intended and described. In addition, while some devices and structures are disclosed, it should be understood that these not only accomplish certain methods but also can be varied in a number of ways within the scope of the present invention. As to all of the foregoing, all of these facets should be understood as encompassed by this disclosure.
The discussion herein is intended to serve as a basic description. The specific discussion may not explicitly describe all embodiments possible; many alternatives are implicit and are within the scope of the present invention.
Where the invention is described in device-oriented or apparatus-oriented terminology, each element of the device or apparatus implicitly performs a function. Apparatus claims may not only be included for the device or apparatus described, but also method or process claims may be included to address the functions the invention and each element performs. Neither the description nor the terminology is intended to limit the scope of the claims that will be included in any subsequent patent application.
It should also be understood that a variety of changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Such changes are also implicitly included in the description. They still fall within the scope of this invention. A broad disclosure encompassing both the explicit embodiment(s) shown, the great variety of implicit alternative embodiments, and the broad methods or processes within the scope of the invention, and the like, are encompassed by this disclosure and may be relied upon when drafting the claims for any subsequent patent application.
It should be understood that such language changes and broader or more detailed claiming may be accomplished at a later date (such as by any required deadline) or in the event the applicant subsequently seeks a patent filing based on this filing. With this understanding, the reader should be aware that this disclosure is to be understood to support any subsequently filed patent application that may seek examination of as broad a base of claims as deemed within the applicant's right and may be designed to yield a patent covering numerous aspects of the invention both independently and as an overall system.
Further, each of the various elements of the invention and claims may also be achieved in a variety of manners. Additionally, when used or implied, an element is to be understood as encompassing individual as well as plural structures that may or may not be physically connected. This disclosure should be understood to encompass each such variation, be it a variation of an embodiment of any apparatus embodiment, a method or process embodiment, or even merely a variation of any element of these. Particularly, it should be understood that as the disclosure relates to elements of the invention, the words for each element may be expressed by equivalent apparatus terms or method terms-even if only the function or result is the same. Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action.
Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this invention is entitled. As but one example, it should be understood that all actions may be expressed as a means for taking that action or as an element which causes that action. Similarly, each physical element disclosed should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element effects or facilitates. Regarding this last aspect, as but one example, the disclosure of a “support” should be understood to encompass disclosure of the act of “supporting”—whether explicitly discussed or not—and, conversely, were there is effectively the disclosure of the act of “supporting”, such a disclosure should be understood to encompass disclosure of a “support”. Such changes and alternative terms are to be understood to be explicitly included in the description.
Any acts of law, statutes, regulations, or rules mentioned in this application for patent; or patents, publications, or other references mentioned in this application for patent are hereby incorporated fully and for all purposes by reference. In addition, as to each term used it should be understood that unless its utilization in this application is inconsistent with such interpretation, common dictionary definitions should be understood as incorporated for each term and all definitions, alternative terms, and synonyms are hereby incorporated by reference.
The inventors should be understood to have support to claim and make a statement of invention to at least: i) each of the systems and new parts thereof as herein disclosed and described, ii) the related methods disclosed and described, iii) similar, equivalent, and even implicit variations of each of these systems, parts, and methods, iv) those alternative designs which accomplish each of the functions shown as are disclosed and described, v) those alternative designs and methods which accomplish each of the functions shown as are implicit to accomplish that which is disclosed and described, vi) each aspect, feature, component, and step shown as separate and independent inventions, vii) the applications enhanced by the various systems or components disclosed, viii) the resulting products produced by such systems or components, ix) each system, method, and element shown or described as now applied to any specific field or devices mentioned, x) methods and apparatuses substantially as described hereinbefore and with reference to any of the accompanying embodiments and examples, xi) the various combinations and permutations of each of the elements disclosed, and xii) each potentially dependent claim or concept as a dependency on each and every one of the independent claims or concepts presented.
With regard to claims whether now or later presented for examination, it should be understood that for practical reasons and so as to avoid great expansion of the examination burden, the inventors may at any time present only initial claims or perhaps only initial claims with only initial dependencies, to systems only, to methods only, or to both. Support should be understood to exist to the degree required under new matter laws—including but not limited to European Patent Convention Article 123(2) and United States Patent Law 35 USC 132 or other such laws—to permit the addition of any of the various dependencies or other elements presented under one independent claim or concept as dependencies or elements under any other independent claim or concept. In drafting any claims at any time whether in this application or in any subsequent application, it should also be understood that the applicant has intended to capture as full and broad a scope of coverage as legally available.
To the extent that insubstantial substitutes are made, to the extent that the applicant did not in fact draft any claim so as to literally encompass any particular embodiment, and to the extent otherwise applicable, the applicant should not be understood to have in any way intended to or actually waived or relinquished such coverage.
Further, if or when used, the use of the transitional phrase “comprising” is used to maintain the “open-end” claims herein, according to traditional claim interpretation. Thus, unless the context requires otherwise, it should be understood that the term “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, are intended to imply the inclusion of a stated element or step or group of elements or steps but not the exclusion of any other element or step or group of elements or steps. Such terms should be interpreted in their most expansive form so as to afford the applicant the broadest coverage legally permissible. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements.
Any claims set forth at any time during the pendency of the application for this patent or offspring of it are hereby incorporated by reference as part of this description of the invention, and the applicant expressly reserves the right to use all of or a portion of such incorporated content of such claims as additional description to support any of or all of the claims or any element or component thereof, and the applicant further expressly reserves the right to move any portion of or all of the incorporated content of such claims or any element or component thereof from the description into the claims or vice-versa as necessary to define the matter for which protection is sought by this application or by any subsequent continuation, division, or continuation-in-part application thereof, or to obtain any benefit of, reduction in fees pursuant to, or to comply with the patent laws, rules, or regulations of any country or treaty, and such content incorporated by reference shall survive during the entire pendency of this application including any subsequent continuation, division, or continuation-in-part application thereof or any reissue or extension thereon.
Certain changes can be made in the subject matter without departing from the spirit and the scope of this invention. It is realized that changes are possible within the scope of this invention and it is further intended that each element or step recited herein is to be understood as referring to the step literally and/or to all equivalent elements or steps. It is intended to cover the invention as broadly as legally possible in whatever form it may be utilized.
The invention described herein is new and novel in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 102 and satisfies the conditions for patentability in § 102. The invention described herein is not obvious in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 103 and satisfies the conditions for patentability in § 103. The inventors may rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the scope of the invention.
All patents and applications identified herein are incorporated fully herein for all purposes.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.
This is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/530,339 filed Dec. 24, 2016 which is now issued patent U.S. Pat. No. 10,016,763 issued Jul. 10, 2018, which is a continuation-in-part of two Applications, U.S. application Ser. No. 14/645,884 filed Mar. 12, 2015, and U.S. application Ser. No. 14/645,895 filed Mar. 12, 2015. This invention and this application claim the benefits, including the benefit of the filing dates and of priority claim, of prior filed U.S. applications Ser. No. 15/530,339, filed Dec. 24, 2016, and Ser. Nos. 14/645,884 and 14/645,895, both filed Mar. 12, 2015, and all three applications and the issued patent incorporated fully herein for all purposes.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20190351428 A1 | Nov 2019 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15530339 | Dec 2016 | US |
| Child | 15998112 | US |
