Rotary kinetic fluid motors or pumps – With cutter or comminutor for debris in working fluid
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-06
2002-06-18
Look, Edward K. (Department: 3745)
Rotary kinetic fluid motors or pumps
With cutter or comminutor for debris in working fluid
C416S183000, C416S237000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06406255
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The discharge of waste, particularly from the drilling of an oil and gas well for ultimate production, presents many environmental problems. For instance, when a well bore is drilled into the earth, the well may extend for many thousands of feet. During the drilling process, the well bore will be filled with a drilling fluid. The drilling fluid is necessary for several reasons including pressure control, and lubrication of the drill string.
Thus, the drilling fluid is an essential component of the drilling process. The physical and chemical composition of the drilling fluid will vary. However, many times the fluid contains hazardous materials such as oil. Also, the drilling fluid will contain solids which comprise rock and shale cuttings. The volumes thus discharged, coupled with the weight of the cuttings, is very significant.
An important number of environmental regulations pertaining to the removal, handling and treatment of this fluid has been promulgated over the years. The transferring of the drilling fluid from on-site holding tanks (also known as pits) to vehicles capable of hauling the waste creates the significant possibility of spillage. Thus, the handling of the drilling fluid so that the drilling fluid is disposed properly is a major issue for companies. Many types of prior art systems have been attempted to cure this problem, all with limited success. The invention herein disclosed solves these problems by disclosing a system and method of handling environmental waste in a safe and economical process. It should be noted that the invention herein disclosed is also applicable to other industries wherein the handling of waste for transportation to and from sites is necessary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An apparatus for handling a waste material is disclosed. Generally, the apparatus comprises a container having disposed thereon a rail member. The apparatus also contains a car mounted on the rail. The car will have extending therefrom a first wiper that extends into the container. The apparatus may also contain an auger means, operatively mounted on the container, for removing the waste from the container.
In one embodiment, the wiper (also referred to as a shovel) comprises an elongated member having a first end and a second end, with the second end being pivotally mounted to the car. The apparatus may further comprise an oscillating means for oscillating the wiper. Also included will be transporting means for transporting the car via the rail from one end of the container to the other.
Generally, the waste contained within said container consist of a slurry comprising: a fluid; solids suspended in the fluid; and solids. The waste may be a discharged drilling fluid from a well bore. It should be noted, however, that the invention herein disclosed is applicable to other types of waste which contains fluids, solids suspended in fluid, and solids. The apparatus may further comprise pump means, operatively associated with the wiper, for pumping the fluid and solids suspended in the fluid from the container.
In another embodiment, the shovel comprises a first blade member attached to the elongated member at the first end, and a second blade member also attached to the elongated member at the first end. In this embodiment, the first blade member is positioned in a first direction relative to the container and the second blade member is positioned in a second direction relative to the container. Thus, waste can be shifted to one end of the container by the first blade member; alternatively, movement in the opposite direction will shift the waste to the opposite end of the container by the second blade.
A process for handling a discharged waste slurry is also disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, the waste slurry is a drilling fluid discharged from a drilled bore hole. The process includes placing the discharged waste slurry into a container. In this embodiment, the container contains: a rail; a trolley positioned on the rail; a pump means for pumping the discharged waste slurry from the container; a shovel means, operatively associated with the trolley, for shoveling the discharged waste slurry from a first position within said container to a second position within the container.
The process further includes transporting the trolley from a first position to a second position. The pump means can pump the discharged waste slurry from the container. In one embodiment, the shovel means contains an elongated member capable of pivoting. The process further comprises pivoting the shovel means in a swinging fashion, and thereafter, stirring the discharged waste slurry. The pump means can withdraw the waste slurry from the container so that the container is emptied.
The process may further comprise the steps of terminating the pumping, and thereby allowing the waste to separate into a mostly fluid phase and a solid phase. Thereafter, the operator would adjust the physical level of the pump means so that the pump coincides with the level of the fluid phase. Next, the operator would pump the waste from the container.
The process may also include transporting the trolley from a first position to a second position on the rail. Thus, the shovel means would push the solids to the second position within the container. The container may further include an auger positioned at the second position. Therefore, the process further comprises the steps of removing the solids from the container with the aid of the auger.
A second embodiment of the present invention, which is the preferred embodiment of this application, is also disclosed. This second embodiment includes a system for handling waste material comprising a tank containing the waste material and a reciprocating carriage operatively associated with the tank. The reciprocating carriage will have a handling member adapted thereto, with a pump means, operatively associated with the handling member, for pumping the waste material from the tank. The system will also contain an auger, positioned within the tank, that is adapted to convey the waste material from the tank.
In one embodiment, the handling member has a first end pivotally attached to the reciprocating carriage, and the second end has disposed therewith a process device. A reciprocating means is operatively associated with the handling member so that the elongated member may be pivoted within the tank. Generally, the process device is a vertically oriented auger attached to the handling member. Also, the system may include a slurry gate operatively associated with the pump means and adapted to receive the waste material discharged from the process device. In the preferred embodiment, the process device contains a vertically oriented spiral blade.
Also disclosed is an impeller means, operatively associated with the pump means, for loading the pump means. The impeller means may comprise a series of rotor blades rotatably mounted beneath the pump. The rotor blades may contain a vertically oriented plate member, with the plate member having a concave surface formed therewith that aids in channeling the waste into the pump. Additionally, the process device may contain a plurality of teeth adapted to the spiral blade of the process device. The process device may be detachably constructed with the handling member for selective detachment.
The second embodiment also discloses a process for handling waste materials. Generally, the process comprises placing the waste material within a system. The system will comprise a tank containing the waste material; a reciprocating carriage having a handling member adapted thereto; a pump means for pumping the waste material from the tank; a first auger, positioned within the tank, adapted to convey the waste material from the tank, and wherein the first end of the handling member is pivotally attached to the reciprocating carriage.
Next, the process includes transporting the carriage from a first position to a second position, and the drilling fluid waste is pumped from the tank. The operator will terminate the pumping and
Domingue & Waddell PLC
Look Edward K.
McAleenan James M
Tuboscope I/P Inc.
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