Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
  • B07B—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL
  • B07B1/00—Sieving, screening, sifting, or sorting solid materials using networks, gratings, grids, or the like
  • B07B1/46—Constructional details of screens in general; Cleaning or heating of screens

Definitions

• the drilling mud contains expensive synthetic oil-based lubricants and it is normal therefore to recover and re-use the used drilling mud, but this requires the solids to be removed from the drilling mud.
• the first part of the process is to separate the solids from the solids laden drilling mud. This is at least partly achieved with a vibratory separator, such as those shale shakers disclosed in US 5,265,730, WO 96/33792 and WO 98/16328.
• Shale shakers generally comprise an open bottomed basket having one open discharge end and a solid walled feed end.
• the semi rigid support is not sufficiently rigid on its own for use in a standard vibratory separator, such as a VSM 100TM or VSM 300TM or CobraTM shale shakers sold by the Brandt, a Varco Company, but requires additional support using one or two intermediate supports over which the semi-rigid support can be deflected to provide additional support, which do not impinge on screening area or affect the flow of material over the screening surface of the screen assembly.
• the intermediate support can be arranged in a removable rigid tray or fixed to the shale shaker.
• the semi-rigid support is lighter than a rigid support for a standard pre-tensioned screen assembly, such as those disclosed in WO 01/76719 and thus can be handled more easily and transportation costs reduced.
• Shale shakers are generally in the order of 5ft wide and 10ft long.
• a screen of dimensions 4ft wide by 10ft long is difficult to handle, replace and transport. It is known to use two, three, four or more screens in a single shale shaker.
• a standard size of screen currently used is of the order of 4ft by 3ft.
• GB-A-2,176,425 discloses a vibratory separator having a basket and channels arranged on internal faces of the basket for receiving a screen assembly.
• the screen assembly comprises screening mesh laid over and fixed to a frame.
• the channels have an inflatable stocking therein for clamping the frame of the screen assembly in the channels .
• Frame members and other solid cross support members can block fluid flow and adversely affect screen performance.
• Many of the frames or supports for screen mesh used in screen assemblies are made of metal or other relatively heavy material. Handling of such heavy members can be difficult and fatiguing.
• the plurality of spaced-apart crossmembers is two crossmembers generally parallel to the third side and the fourth side.
• the plurality of spaced-apart crossmembers is five crossmembers generally parallel to the first direction.
• the first side and the second side are each made of material less rigid than material of the third side and the fourth side.
• the first side has at least a portion thereof made of material less rigid than material of the third side and the fourth side.
• the method further comprises connecting a seal member at a first location of an exterior of at least one of the first side or the second side to remedy ineffective sealing at said first location.
• the seal member has at least a portion thereof within a recess at the first location.
• the screen mounting structure has a body with at least one upwardly projecting member projecting upwardly from the body member, said at least one upwardly projecting member sized and configured so it is receivable in a corresponding hole in the support, the method further comprising positioning the screen assembly on the screen mounting structure so that the at least one upwardly projecting member is received in the corresponding hole of the support.
• the at least one upwardly projecting member is a plurality of spaced-apart upwardly projecting members and wherein the at least one hole in the support is a plurality of spaced-apart holes, each for receiving a corresponding upwardly projecting member.
• the corresponding hole in the support is in a crossmember of the support.
• the vibratory separator is a shale shaker for separating components of drilling material introduced thereto, the drilling material including drilling fluid and drilled cuttings, the shale shaker having a basket, the screen mounting structure on the basket, the support having a plurality of spaced apart support holes therethrough, each hole of the plurality of spaced apart support holes for receiving part of a fastener used for releasably connecting the screen assembly to the screen mounting structure, the screen mounting structure having a plurality of spaced-apart deck holes corresponding to the plurality of spaced-apart support holes through the support, and fasteners connecting the screen assembly to the screen mounting structure, each fastener passing through the screening material , through a support hole, and into a deck hole, the method further comprising connecting the support to the screen mounting structure with the fasteners.
• the fasteners are from the group consisting of threaded fasteners, screens, bolts, locking fasteners, finger expansion fasteners, air injection fasteners, and friction-fit fasteners.
• the fasteners are adhesively secured in place.
• the screening material comprises a plurality of layers of screen mesh.
• the screen assembly has on the support a perforated plate.
• the sides of the support comprise hollow tubular members.
• all of the crossmembers are generally transverse to the first direction, the material introduced to the vibratory separator containing solids not passable through the screening material, the solids movable on a top of the screening assembly by the vibratory separator, the method further comprising moving the solids uniformly on the top of the screening assembly.
• the material is drilling material and the solids include drilled solids.
• the solids are moved on the top of the screen assembly without the formation of significant dead zones on the top of the screen assembly.
• the invention also provides a screen assembly suitable for carrying out the method.
• the invention also relates to a screen assembly comprising at least one layer of screening material and a screen support, said screen support comprising a frame comprising four members arranged in a rectangle and at least one cross member, at least one of said member is less rigid than the remaining members .
• a second aspect of the invention relates to a screening apparatus for separating solids from a solids laden drilling fluid, said screening apparatus comprising a vibratory separator and a screen assembly, the vibratory separator comprising a bed, deck or tray having at least one upstanding member and the screen assembly comprising a screen support and at least one layer of screening material characterised in that said screen support comprises channels therein for receiving said at least one.
• said channels in said screen assembly is C-shaped. i.e.
• said vibratory separator comprises side rails into which said screen assembly can be fitted.
• said side rails have inflatable bladders Upon inflation, the screen assembly is preferably deflected over said upstanding member, although the deflection may be forced by the orientation and the position of acting of the inflatable bladders, see US-A- 4,582,597.
• said upstanding member is a pin.
• a plurality thereof, and most advantageously the upstanding members are located in said rail.
• said tray is removable from said vibratory separator.
• by sliding the tray f om rails in the basket of the separator is in the VSM 100 (RTM) shale shaker sold by the applicant.
• the second aspect of the invention also provides a screen assembly of the screening apparatus of the invention.
• the second aspect of the invention also provides a method to separate components of a fluid material with a screen assembly on a vibratory separator apparatus, the vibratory separator apparatus comprising a screen assembly mounting structure, at least one screen assembly positioned on the mounting structure for introduction thereon of said fluid material, at least one vibrator connected to the mounting structure for vibrating the at least one screen assembly, the mounting structure comprising a body, said fluid material to be treated by the vibratory separator flowable through the body, at least one upwardly projecting member projecting upwardly from the body, said at least one upwardly projecting member sized and configured so it is receivable in a corresponding channel part in the at least one screen assembly, the method comprising introducing the fluid material onto the at least one screen assembly, the at least one screen assembly comprising a support, screening material on the support, at least one channel part in the support, said at least one channel part sized, configured, and located for receiving said at least one upwardly projecting member of the body of the mounting structure, and separating components of said fluid material with the at least
• the second aspect of the invention also provides a method for mounting a screen assembly to a vibratory separator apparatus, the vibratory separator apparatus comprising a screen assembly mounting structure, the screen assembly having a screen support, the mounting structure comprising a body, at least one upwardly projecting member projecting upwardly from the body, said at least one upwardly projecting member sized and configured so it is receivable in a corresponding at least one C-shaped channel part of the screen support, the method comprising positioning the at least one C- shaped channel part of the screen support over the at least one upwardly projecting member, and placing the at least one screen assembly on the mounting structure with at least part of the at least one upwardly projecting member positioned within the at least one C-shaped channel part.
• Figure 14F is an end view (end opposite the end shown in
• Figure 1 shows a prior art screen assembly.
• crossmembers shown in Figure 1 that extend in one of two general directions between one or the other pair of two spaced-apart sides thereof, so that the remaining longitudinal members are all positioned so that they lie generally in the direction of material flow on the screen assembly when it is in use on a vibratory separator or are all transverse to such flow direction; i.e., longitudinal members are present in certain of the methods in accordance with the present invention in only one direction, not both; and, in certain aspects, there are two, three, four, five, six or more of such longitudinal members which, in one aspect, are equally spaced-apart across the screen assembly and from the sides thereof.
• the support 800 has two spaced-apart sides 801, 802 and two spaced-apart sides 803, 804 (sides 801 and 802 identical; sides 803 and 804 identical) . Extending from the ends 801 to the side 802 are two longitudinal members 805, 806. There are no crossmembers extending between the sides 803, 804. In one particular aspect all of the sides and crossmembers of the screen assembly are made from pieces of hollow mild steel with a square cross-section, a wall thickness of about 3.2mm (one- eighth inch) with a side about 19mm (three-quarters of an inch) long. In another aspect these pieces are solid (as may be the case with any support disclosed herein) .
• the pieces are, in certain aspects, connected together by any known method, including but not limited to with fasteners, adhesives, and/or welding (e.g., " ig,” "tig,” or resistance welding) (as may be the case with any support and/or member disclosed herein) .
• the screen assembly 800 is made of plastic, polymer and/or composite with or without strengthening metal rods and/or fibers therein (as may be the case with any support disclosed herein) .
• Figures 3A and 3B show alternative designs 800a and 800b of the support 800 of Figure 2A.
• the support 800a like numerals indicate like parts; but instead of the longitudinal members 805, 806, there is one longitudinal member 807 and it is closer to the side 804 than to the side 803 so that, in one aspect, in use the support when in a screen assembly may be positioned so that the side 803 is at a material exit end of a vibratory separator or at a material exit side of this particular screen assembly, while in another aspect this positioning is reversed and the side 804 is at the material exit end or side.
• the support 800b, Figure 3B has no longitudinal members 805, 806, but has two longitudinal members 809, 810 each closer to a respective side 804, 803 than to a centre of the screen assembly.
• Figure 3C shows a screen assembly 816 (like the screen assembly 800 and like numerals indicate like parts) without longitudinal members 805, 806; but with a single longitudinal member 817 which may, in accordance with the present invention, be located equidistant between the sides 803, 804.
• the support 840 Figure 3D, is like the support 800 (like numerals indicate like parts) , but the longitudinal members 805 and 806 are deleted and a crossmember 819 extends from the end 801 to the end 802 diagonally. It is also within the scope of the present invention for one end of the longitudinal member 819 to be connected to the side 803 or to the side 804, or for one end to be connected to the side 803 and one end connected to the side 804.
• FIGS. 6A and 6B show, respectively, supports 840 and 841 in accordance with the present invention which have ends 801, 802 and a side 804 as in the screen assembly 800, Figure 83; but which have, instead of the side 803, a side 803a ( Figure 6A) or a side 803b ( Figure 6B) .
• the side 803a is made of less rigid material than the side 803 and, in one aspect, of material less rigid than the other sides.
• the side 803a is made of mild steel, aluminum, fiberglass, plastic, polymer and/or composite with the same dimensions and shape but less rigid than the other sides, or, in one aspect, with the same outer measurements, but with a wall thickness sufficient to increase the side 803a' s flexibility, and in particular aspect with a wall thickness of about 2.5mm (one-tenth of an inch) or less, and, in one aspect it may be made of aluminum with a wall thickness of about 2mm (0.080 inches) .
• a screen assembly 830 in accordance with the present invention shown in Figure 7 is like the screen assemblies of Figures 3A, and 5 (like numerals indicate like parts) ; but the screen assembly 830 has two diagonal members 831, 832 that each have one end connected to the side 803 and one end connected to a longitudinal member 809a (like the longitudinal member 809, Figure 54A) .
• FIGS 14A to 14F show a support 880 for use in a screen assembly in accordance with the present invention for a screen assembly in accordance with the present invention (which may have on it any screening material, plate, and/or cloth or mesh referred to or disclosed herein).
• the support 880 has two spaced-apart ends 881, 882 and two spaced-apart sides 883, 884 (like the ends 801 and 802 and the sides 803, 804). Extending from the ends 881 to the end 882 are two spaced-apart longitudinal members 885, 886 (like the longitudinal members 805, 806, Figure 3A) . There are two transverse crossmembers 887, 888 extending between the two crossmembers 885, 886.
• the C-shaped channel opening in the screen assembly sides slides over the upwardly projecting members in the vibratory separator, or advantageously, side over the upwardly projecting members and fall over the upwardly projecting members when the screen assembly assumes the correct mounting position, whereupon the screen assembly falls over the upwardly projecting members.
• This ensures correct placement of the screen assembly, correct orientation and inhibits the screen assembly from moving out of correct positioning during use, thereby ensuring an excellent seal between the vibratory separator and adjacent screen assemblies.
• FIGS 17A to 17C disclose a screen assembly 920 in accordance with the present invention which has a frame 922 (like the frame 902, Figure 52A) with an optional support 929 (like the support 909, Figure 16A) supporting screening material 921 (like the screening material 902, Figure 16A) .
• a pair of frame sides 923, 924 is spaced- apart from a pair of frame sides 925, 926.
• Frame sides 923, 924 have sections 923a, 924a, respectively which are C-shaped channel members (like the C-shaped channel members of the sides 903, 904 in cross- sectional shape) which can accommodate upwardly projecting member (s) and/or pin(s) as do the sides 803, 804 along their- entire length.
• C-shape channels 405 in the screen assembly 400 allow the screen assembly to be slid into clamping rails 408, 408a arranged on each side of a basket 413 of a shale shaker 409, over upwardly projecting members, such as round or square section pins 404 spaced along the length of the clamping rails 408, 408a.
• the screen assembly 400 is slid into clamping rails 408, 408a.
• the clamping rails 408, 409 comprise a C-shape rails each having a bottom surface on which the support structure 402 of the screen assembly rests.
• Each of the C-shape rails also has a pneumatically inflatable bladder 414 fixed to an upper part 334 of the C-shape rail 330.

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• Combined Means For Separation Of Solids (AREA)
• Separation Of Solids By Using Liquids Or Pneumatic Power (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (2)

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• 2005
  • 2005-01-21 CA CA2551620A patent/CA2551620C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2005-01-21 EP EP05702153A patent/EP1708826B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2005-01-21 WO PCT/GB2005/050008 patent/WO2005070565A2/en not_active Ceased
• 2006
  • 2006-06-23 NO NO20062959A patent/NO20062959L/no not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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