Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B21/00—Methods or apparatus for flushing boreholes, e.g. by use of exhaust air from motor
  • E21B21/06—Arrangements for treating drilling fluids outside the borehole
  • E21B21/063—Arrangements for treating drilling fluids outside the borehole by separating components
  • E21B21/065—Separating solids from drilling fluids
  • E21B21/066—Separating solids from drilling fluids with further treatment of the solids, e.g. for disposal
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
  • B04B—CENTRIFUGES
  • B04B15/00—Other accessories for centrifuges
  • B04B15/06—Other accessories for centrifuges for cleaning bowls, filters, sieves, inserts, or the like
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B08—CLEANING
  • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
  • B08B9/00—Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto 
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B08—CLEANING
  • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
  • B08B9/00—Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto 
  • B08B9/08—Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks
  • B08B9/093—Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks by the force of jets or sprays
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F26—DRYING
  • F26B—DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
  • F26B5/00—Drying solid materials or objects by processes not involving the application of heat
  • F26B5/08—Drying solid materials or objects by processes not involving the application of heat by centrifugal treatment

Definitions

• Embodiments disclosed here generally relate to a material dryer configured to receive a mixture of solids and liquids and to separate the mixture into a solids phase and a liquid phase.
• embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a material dryer configured to temporarily store the solids phase. More specifically, embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a material dryer having a flushing system.
• Rotary drilling methods employing a drill bit and drill stems have long been used to drill wellbores in subterranean formations.
• Drilling fluids or muds are commonly circulated in the well during such drilling to cool and lubricate the drilling apparatus, lift drilling cuttings out of the wellbore, and counterbalance the subterranean formation pressure encountered.
• Recirculation of the drilling mud requires removal of drilling cuttings and other entrained solids from the drilling mud prior to reuse.
• Shaker separators are commonly used to remove bulk solids from the drilling fluid.
• Bulk solids removed from the drilling fluid by shaker separators often include oil wet or water wet cuttings including hydrocarbons from the drilling fluid, the wellbore, or both. Such oily cuttings are typically not discharged directly into the environment due to environmental concerns relating to hydrocarbons, and because valuable additives that are often entrained in the cuttings can be recovered.
• a drying operation for drill cuttings may be implemented as a secondary operation to the shaker separator to remove residual drilling fluid from the cuttings.
• vertical separators are often used to dry the cuttings before discharge or collection.
• vertical separators or material dryers, include a housing containing a drive mechanism which is connected to both a flight assembly and a screen assembly.
• the separator further includes an inlet to receive the material to be separated. Material directed into the separator is captured by flight and screen assemblies, and separation occurs as the material travels downwardly.
• a liquid component and/or very small particles are forced outwardly by centrifugal force through a fine mesh screen into a space between the screen and the housing. The majority of the liquids are then drawn off and the solids are generally ejected from an outlet assembly having a circumferential outer wall located below the rotor drive assembly.
• 2008/0120864 discloses a centrifugal separator having a plurality of pulse nozzles in fluid communication with an air source.
• the pulse nozzles may be actuated periodically, thereby discharging a burst of air to the solids outlet assembly. Additionally, the pulse nozzles may be positioned to provide an air burst in a radial direction toward the circumferential outer wall, or the pulse nozzles may be positioned to discharge air in an axial direction relative to the circumferential wall.
• the embodiments disclosed herein relate to a flushing system for a dryer, the flushing system including a support ring, a tubing ring fixed to the support ring, wherein the tubing ring comprises an inner diameter and an outer diameter, a fluid source in fluid communication with the inner diameter of the tubing ring, and a plurality of openings disposed around a circumference of the tubing ring configured to expel fluid from the tubing ring.
• the embodiments disclosed herein relate to a method of flushing a solids outlet of a material dryer, the method including introducing a mixture of solids and liquids into the material dryer, separating the mixture of solids and liquids into a solids phase and a liquid phase, and collecting the solids phase in a discharge chamber section, providing a flow of fluid to an inner diameter of a tubing ring, wherein the tubing ring is disposed within the discharge chamber section.
• the method further includes expelling the fluid through a plurality of openings disposed in the tubing ring, and removing accumulated solids from a wall of the discharge chamber section of the material dryer.
• the embodiments disclosed herein relate to a material dryer assembly including an inlet configured to receive a mixture of solids and liquids into the material dryer, a centrifugal separator configured to separate the mixture of solids and liquids into a solids phase and a liquid phase, a solids discharge chamber configured to receive the separated solids phase, and a flushing system.
• the flushing system includes a tubing ring fixed to the support ring, wherein the tubing ring comprises an inner diameter and an outer diameter, a fluid source in fluid communication with the inner diameter of the tubing ring, and a plurality of openings disposed around a circumference of the tubing ring configured to expel fluid from the tubing ring.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flushing system in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein.
• FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a flushing system in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein.
• FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a material dryer in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein.
• FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a flushing system in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• embodiments disclosed herein relate to a material dryer configured to receive a mixture of solids and liquids and to separate the mixture into a solids phase and a liquid phase.
• embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a material dryer configured to prevent material build up in a discharge chamber of the material dryer.
• Flushing system 100 may include a support ring 102 made of a material configured to withstand water temperatures of between approximately 25 and approximately 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
• support ring 102 may be formed by rolling a flat bar of metal, such as, for example, steel or stainless steel, into a hoop having an outer diameter 104, and two ends of the flat bar may be welded or otherwise fastened together.
• a tubing ring 106 having an inner diameter 108 slightly larger than or approximately equal to outer diameter 104 of support ring 102 may be mounted on an outer surface 1 10 of support ring 102.
• tubing ring 106 may be mounted to support ring 102 using welds, adhesives, or mechanical fixtures such as, for example, brackets.
• brackets 1 12 a plurality of holes 114 may be drilled in support ring 102 having any desirable spacing therebetween, and holes 1 14 may then be tapped.
• Tubing ring 106 may be fixed to support ring 102 by aligning brackets 112 with holes 1 14 and attaching brackets 112 securely to support ring 102 by, for example, bolts, screws, rivets, or any other fastener known in the art.
• tubing ring 106 may include an inner diameter 116 and an outer diameter 1 18.
• Tubing ring 106 may be formed by rolling a section of plastic hose or metal tubing into a hoop, and two ends of the tubing section may be connected using, for example, threaded pipe fittings or welding.
• the threaded pipe fittings may be formed from a corrosion resistant material such as, for example, stainless steel.
• a union fitting 120 may be coupled to each end of the rolled tubing section of tubing ring 106, and a tee fitting 122 having three openings may be connected therebetween.
• a first opening of tee fitting 122 may be coupled to a first union fitting 120 and a second opening of tee fitting 122 may be coupled to a second union fitting 120.
• a third opening on tee fitting 122 may be connected to a fluid supply line (not shown), and the fluid supply line may be configured to provide a flow of fluid to flushing system 100.
• water from a storage tank (not shown) may be provided to flushing system 100.
• a salt water line (not shown) of an oil rig may provide a flow of salt water to flushing system 110.
• Material dryer 300 may include an inlet 302 configured to receive a mixture of solids and liquids, and may further include a separator assembly 304 to separate the mixture into a solids phase and a liquid phase.
• separator assembly 304 may include, for example, a flight and screen assembly (not shown), as discussed above.
• the separated solids phase may be collected in a solids discharge chamber 306 having an outer circumferential wall 308.
• Flushing system 100 may be disposed within material dryer 300 and may be mounted on a top surface 310 of solids discharge chamber 306.
• flushing system 100 may be fixed to top surface 310 using welds, adhesives, or mechanical fasteners.
• support ring 102 may be welded to top surface 310 of solids discharge chamber 306.
• tubing ring 106 may be directly attached to top surface 310 of solids discharge chamber 306 using, for example, brackets, welding, or adhesives.
• Top surface 310 of solids discharge chamber 306 may be disposed below a rotor (not shown) in separator assembly 304.
• a fluid supply line (not shown) may be connected to tubing ring 106 through an outer housing 312 of material dryer 300 such that the fluid supply line may be in fluid communication with inner diameter 116 of tubing ring 106.
• a control valve (not shown) may be disposed in the fluid supply line such that the fluid flow rate may be controlled.
• FIG. 4 a perspective view of flushing system 100 assembled within material dryer 300 is shown.
• fluid may be received into an inner diameter (not shown) of tubing ring 106 and may be expelled through a plurality of openings 402 disposed in tubing ring 106.
• Openings 402 may be disposed lengthwise around tubing ring 106 and, in certain embodiments, openings 402 may be disposed end to end with approximately 1 inch of separation therebetween.
• At least one of the openings 402 may include a straight or an arched slot cut into tubing ring 106 such that fluid may be expelled over the length of the slot, thereby expelling fluid in the form of a fluid wall.
• opening 402 may have a length of approximately 5 inches and a width of approximately 1/16 inch.
• design variables such as, for example, shape, length, and width of opening 402 may be used to determine an amount of fluid expelled from tubing ring 106 and to create a desired expelled fluid profile, such as, for example, a spray, stream, or wall.
• the number of openings 402 in addition to flow rate of fluid through the system may also be factors in determining the amount of fluid injected into the solids discharge chamber.
• the pressure at which fluid exits openings 402 may be related to the flow rate of fluid through flushing system 100. In certain embodiments, it may be desirable to expel fluid from openings 402 at a high pressure such that the fluid may contact accumulated solids (not shown) that may be disposed on outer circumferential wall 308 at a high pressure, and may thereby remove the accumulated solids. Pressure at which fluid contacts the accumulated solids and or outer circumferential wall 308 may be determined by the design variables discussed above in addition to the flow rate of fluid through flushing system 100.
• fluid may be pumped using, for example, a diaphragm pump (not shown), through flushing system 100 at a flow rate between approximately 40 gallons per minute (gpm) and approximately 75 gpm.
• a diaphragm pump not shown
• fluid may be pumped using, for example, a diaphragm pump (not shown), through flushing system 100 at a flow rate between approximately 40 gallons per minute (gpm) and approximately 75 gpm.
• gpm gallons per minute
• a larger material dryer may require a larger flushing system having a higher fluid flow rate
• a smaller material dryer may require a smaller system having a lower fluid flow rate.
• Trajectory of the fluid expelled from tubing ring 108 may be determined by the design variables discussed above, namely, shape, length, width, and number of openings 402, and flow rate of fluid to flushing system 100, in addition to the position of openings 402 on tubing ring 108.
• openings 402 may be disposed on a lower portion or an outer portion of tubing ring 108 that faces outer circumferential wall 308 such that fluid is expelled toward outer circumferential wall 308.
• the fluid may contact and runs off of outer circumferential wall 308.
• the initial contact of the fluid on outer circumferential wall 308 and/or on accumulated solids may remove accumulated solids from outer circumferential wall 308 of solids discharge chamber 306.
• the fluid run off over outer circumferential wall 308 may prevent further accumulation of solids thereon.
• Fluid flow to flushing system 100 may be continuous or may be pumped in intervals.
• Flushing system 100 may be configured to perform a flushing operation at predetermined time intervals or may be configured to flush solids discharge chamber 306 after a certain volume of material has accumulated therein.
• flushing may be performed while the material dryer is operating, or alternatively, flushing may be performed between material dryer operations.
• flushing system 100 may be activated manually or may be automated to provide flushing at particular times.
• Flushing system 100 may prevent solids accumulation on outer circumferential wall 308; however, a solid volume may continue to build up within solids discharge chamber 306 as material dryer 300 continues to operate. Once solids accumulate to a certain height or volume within solids discharge chamber 306, a cleaning operation may be performed to remove the accumulated solids leaving solids discharge chamber 306 substantially empty.
• embodiments disclosed herein may provide for cleaning accumulated solids off of an outer circumferential wall disposed in a solids discharge chamber of a material dryer. Additionally, embodiments disclosed herein may prevent the accumulation of solids on the outer circumferential wall.
• a flushing system and method in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein may advantageously decrease the frequency at which the solids discharge chamber must be manually cleaned, and further, embodiments disclosed herein may decrease the amount of time and labor that each manual solids discharge chamber cleaning requires. Removing and/or preventing the accumulation of solids on the outer circumferential wall may keep accumulated solids from building up and damaging a rotor disposed in the material dryer.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Centrifugal Separators (AREA)
• Drying Of Solid Materials (AREA)

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• 2011
  • 2011-02-24 EP EP11748056.6A patent/EP2539658A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2011-02-24 EA EA201290829A patent/EA024214B1/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2011-02-24 WO PCT/US2011/026059 patent/WO2011106514A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2011-02-24 CA CA2789955A patent/CA2789955C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2011-02-24 MX MX2012009848A patent/MX2012009848A/es unknown
  • 2011-02-24 BR BR112012021517-5A patent/BR112012021517B1/pt not_active IP Right Cessation

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