Classifying – separating – and assorting solids – Plural – diverse separating operations – Aqueous suspension and sifting
Reissue Patent
2002-01-31
2003-12-30
Nguyen, Tuan H. (Department: 3653)
Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
Plural, diverse separating operations
Aqueous suspension and sifting
C209S173000, C209S314000, C209S725000, C175S206000, C037S195000
Reissue Patent
active
RE038367
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a recovery apparatus for drilling and excavation applications comprising a recovery tank, at least one pump and at least one motor. The invention also relates to a continuous recovery system for recycling solid particulate materials and related methods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
During the drilling of a well, it is commonplace to process the drilling mud returns to remove undesired drilled cuttings or solids utilizing a shale shaker or the like. The shale shaker is the primary piece of equipment which separates the drilling solids from the mud. It is also desirable to produce a mud with a low drilled solids content. By recycling the large drilled solids in the shale shaker, thin sizes of drilled solids are produced and thereby build up the solids content of the mud. As the solids content increases, the mud must be thinned by adding additional water which necessitates the addition of more weighting material to maintain the mud at its desired weight.
In addition to removing undesired large drilled solids and producing a mud with a low drilled solids content, it is also desirable to recover and recycle drilling fluids and solid particulate material such as copolymer spheres or beads. The beads are usually circulated through the system once and then discarded. It is economically beneficial to recycle these potentially costly beads during the drilling process. It is conventional to screen the mud in a shale shaker having screens ranging in size from 10 to 200 mesh. Thus, any solid particulate materials having a particle size larger than the shale shaker screen would be removed from the system with the drilled solids.
Efforts have been made to deposit the drilled solids and copolymer beads into a tank containing a liquid which has a specific gravity less than that of the drilled solids but greater than that of the copolymer beads or spheres. As a result, the copolymer beads or particulate materials migrate or float to the top of the liquid and can then be skimmed from the upper portion of the vessel and then returned to the well for recirculation. In these systems, the flotation liquid in the tank requires an aqueous solution of sodium carbonate or any number of soluble salts such as sodium chloride or calcium chloride to induce the separation of the beads, liquid and drilled solids. The introduction of the more efficient shale shakers that produce finer solids has made this flotation system ineffective. This flotation system did not anticipate the problem of fine solids building up in the separating fluid zone. As these solids continue to build up, the separating liquid becomes extremely viscous or thick and will not allow the copolymer spheres to be effectively separated from the drilled cuttings. Furthermore, the sodium carbonate on the surface of the copolymer spheres which are returned to the drilling fluid will create a problem for the drilling fluid known as carbonate contamination. Carbonate contamination produces carbonic acid which reacts with the alkaline products in the drilling fluid which in turn reduce the effectiveness of drilling fluid thinners such as lignosulfonates and allow the drilling fluids to become increasingly thick and unacceptable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a recovery apparatus for drilling and excavation applications. The apparatus comprises a recovery tank, at least one pump and at least one motor. The recovery tank has an inlet and outlet for allowing the entrance and exit of drilled solids, drilling fluids, solid particulate materials and mixtures thereof. For purposes of this invention, drilled solids are pieces of formation that are the result of the chipping and/or crushing action of the drill bit during the drilling and excavation process. Drilling fluids are circulating fluid used in rotary drilling to perform various functions during drilling operations. Solid particulate materials include, but are not limited to, lubricating copolymer beads. The recovery tank of the present invention has a cavity and a base presenting an inclined surface to the cavity. The base expedites the separation of the components of the mixture. The pump is used for pumping drilled solids, drilling fluids, solid particulate materials and mixtures thereof into the inlet of the tank, through the cavity and out of the outlet of the tank. The pump also creates the centrifugal force that allows the separation of the components in the mixture. The motor provides power to operate the pump and recovery apparatus.
In one embodiment of the invention, the recovery apparatus is further comprised of a motor control panel, a top portion for enclosing the cavity of the tank and a framework for supporting the tank, the pump and the motor. The motor control panel is an electrical unit used to control and power-up the electrical components of the recovery system of the present invention.
In another embodiment of the invention, the recovery tank has three walls and each of the three walls have upper and lower ends. The upper ends of the well are connected to the top portion of the tank to form the cavity. The lower ends of at least two of the walls are tapered toward one another thereby forming the cavity within the tank.
In still another embodiment, the recovery tank comprises four walls, each of the four walls has upper and lower ends and said lower ends of two walls are tapered toward one another. In yet another embodiment, the recovery tank comprises four walls, each of the four walls has upper and lower ends and the lower ends of the four walls are tapered toward one another.
In a further embodiment, the recovery apparatus has two motors and two pumps, whereby the second motor and second pump function as a backup.
In still a further embodiment, the recovery tank comprises at least one suction manifold and at least one discharge manifold. In yet a further embodiment, the recovery tank comprises a dump valve for disposing of the drilled solids.
The present invention also relates to a continuous recovery system for suspending, separating and collecting solid particulate material from drilled solids, drilling fluid and mixtures thereof during drilling and excavation applications. The system comprises a recovery apparatus, at least one shale shaker and at least one recovery shaker. The shale and recovery shaker is a mechanical separator that utilizes vibratory screens to separate drilled mud and its components. The shale shaker of the recovery system comprises at least one screen sizes and a manifold hydrocyclone system. There are numerous hydrocyclone systems in the market. Numerous hydrocyclone systems can be used with this invention including, but not limited to, the 4 Inch Hydrocyclone manufactured by Harrisburg. The recovery apparatus comprises a recovery tank and at least one agitation system. The recovery tank of the recovery apparatus has an inlet, an outlet, a cavity and a tapered base. The recovery shale shaker comprises at least one screen.
In one embodiment, the recovery system comprises a recovery apparatus comprising a recovery tank having a cavity and a base, recovery tank having at least one inlet and at least one outlet. The recovery apparatus has at least one agitation system for creating force within the tank that assists in the separation of the components of the particulate material/drilled solids mixture. The recovery system also has a manifold hydrocyclone system and at least one recovery shaker having at least one screen. The system can further comprise at least one shale shaker having at least one screen, the manifold hydrocyclone system being situated on the shale shaker.
In a further embodiment, a mixture of solid particulate material, drilling fluids, fine particles of drilled and drilled solids enters the shale shaker where drilled solids are separated from the mixture by the screen of the shale shaker. The remaining mixture then enters the recovery tank and is further separated by the centrifugal force created by the agitation system. The remaining mixture of the particulat
Nguyen Tuan H.
Sun Drilling Products Corporation
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