METHODS AND SYSTEMS TO TRANSFER PROPPANT FOR FRACKING WITH REDUCED RISK OF PRODUCTION AND RELEASE OF SILICA DUST AT A WELL SITE
First Claim
1. A method of transferring proppant for fracking to reduce risk of production and release of silica dust at a well site, the method comprising:
- positioning a plurality of containers each having proppant for fracking contained therein onto a conveyor at a well site, the conveyor having a plurality of conveyor hoppers and each of the plurality of conveyor hoppers overlaying a conveyor belt, each respective container having a sealed top to reduce the risk of release of silica dust associated with proppant into the air;
downwardly discharging proppant from each respective container of the plurality of containers, each respective container further having inclined lower inner portions and one or more outlets positioned at a bottom of each respective container, such that as proppant flows by gravity feed along the inclined lower inner portions to and through the one or more outlets, risk of production and release of silica dust into the air is thereby reduced, and the respective container is substantially emptied of proppant;
funneling proppant from the one or more outlets of each of the plurality of containers through the plurality of conveyor hoppers, each respective conveyor hopper having a plurality of inclined side portions and one or more controllable openings positioned adjacent and overlying the conveyor belt, such that as proppant flows by gravity feed along the plurality of inclined side portions of each of the plurality of conveyor hoppers through the one or more controllable openings to the conveyor belt, risk of production and release of silica dust into the air through the one or more controllable openings is thereby reduced;
receiving proppant onto the conveyor belt, the conveyor belt having a plurality of partitions associated therewith, such that the plurality of partitions are positioned to reduce the risk of production and release of silica dust into the air as the proppant contacts and is carried by the conveyor belt;
conveying proppant on the conveyor to a chute, the conveyor belt having a first end portion and a second end portion, the second end portion of the conveyor belt including a shrouded portion that has a shroud substantially enclosing the conveyor belt and positioned to substantially reduce the risk of release of silica dust associated with proppant into the air as the proppant is conveyed through the shrouded portion; and
depositing the proppant from the second end portion of the conveyor into the chute.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of methods and systems of transferring proppant for fracking to reduce risk of production and release of silica dust at a well site are provided. An embodiment of a method can include positioning a plurality of containers each having proppant for fracking contained therein onto a conveyor at a well site, downwardly discharging proppant from each respective container of the plurality of containers, funneling proppant from the one or more outlets of each of the plurality of containers through a plurality of conveyor hoppers, receiving proppant onto the conveyor belt, conveying proppant on the conveyor to a chute, and depositing the proppant into the chute for use in a blender or other location at the well site.
42 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of transferring proppant for fracking to reduce risk of production and release of silica dust at a well site, the method comprising:
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positioning a plurality of containers each having proppant for fracking contained therein onto a conveyor at a well site, the conveyor having a plurality of conveyor hoppers and each of the plurality of conveyor hoppers overlaying a conveyor belt, each respective container having a sealed top to reduce the risk of release of silica dust associated with proppant into the air; downwardly discharging proppant from each respective container of the plurality of containers, each respective container further having inclined lower inner portions and one or more outlets positioned at a bottom of each respective container, such that as proppant flows by gravity feed along the inclined lower inner portions to and through the one or more outlets, risk of production and release of silica dust into the air is thereby reduced, and the respective container is substantially emptied of proppant; funneling proppant from the one or more outlets of each of the plurality of containers through the plurality of conveyor hoppers, each respective conveyor hopper having a plurality of inclined side portions and one or more controllable openings positioned adjacent and overlying the conveyor belt, such that as proppant flows by gravity feed along the plurality of inclined side portions of each of the plurality of conveyor hoppers through the one or more controllable openings to the conveyor belt, risk of production and release of silica dust into the air through the one or more controllable openings is thereby reduced; receiving proppant onto the conveyor belt, the conveyor belt having a plurality of partitions associated therewith, such that the plurality of partitions are positioned to reduce the risk of production and release of silica dust into the air as the proppant contacts and is carried by the conveyor belt; conveying proppant on the conveyor to a chute, the conveyor belt having a first end portion and a second end portion, the second end portion of the conveyor belt including a shrouded portion that has a shroud substantially enclosing the conveyor belt and positioned to substantially reduce the risk of release of silica dust associated with proppant into the air as the proppant is conveyed through the shrouded portion; and depositing the proppant from the second end portion of the conveyor into the chute. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 31)
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7. (canceled)
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10. A method for reducing risk of production and release of silica dust at a well site during, the transport of proppant for fracking, the method comprising:
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utilizing a plurality of containers having proppant for fracking contained therein, each respective container having an outlet and a sealed top, the sealed top positioned to reduce risk of release of silica dust associated with proppant from the sealed top of each respective container; positioning each respective container on a conveyor at the well site, the conveyor having a plurality of hoppers and each of the plurality of hoppers having an opening that is in fluid communication with a conveyor belt that underlies the conveyor to reduce risk of production and release of silica dust associated with proppant as the proppant flows from each respective container; downwardly discharging the proppant from each respective container through each respective opening of each respective hopper onto the conveyor belt, the conveyor belt having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a plurality of partitions associated therewith, the plurality of partitions of the conveyor belt positioned to reduce risk of production and release of silica dust as the proppant contacts and is carried by the conveyor belt; conveying the proppant to a blender hopper; and depositing the proppant into the blender hopper by gravity feed. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system to convey proppant for fracking from a plurality of containers to a chute thereby to reduce risk of production and release of silica dust at a well site, the system comprising:
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the plurality of containers each adapted to have proppant for fracking contained therein, each respective container having a sealed top to reduce risk of release of silica dust associated with proppant into the air when positioned therein, each respective container further having interior portions inclined toward an outlet at a bottom of each respective container to reduce risk of production and release of silica dust associated with proppant as the proppant flows from each respective container until each respective container is substantially empty; a conveyor positioned at the well site and to receive each respective container of the plurality of containers, the conveyor having one or more conveyor hoppers that align closely with each respective outlet of the plurality of containers to reduce risk of production and release of silica dust into the air, each of the one or more respective conveyor hoppers having a lower portion including an opening, such that when proppant downwardly flows through each respective outlet of each respective container of the plurality of containers when positioned therein, the proppant passes to and through the opening of each of the one or more respective conveyor hoppers; a conveyor belt positioned to underlie the one or more conveyor hoppers to receive proppant as the proppant passes to and through the opening of each of the one or more respective conveyor hoppers, the conveyor belt having a first end, a second end, and a plurality of partitions associated therewith, such that the plurality of partitions are positioned to reduce risk of production and release of silica dust as proppant contacts and is carried by the conveyor belt; a shroud positioned to overlie a portion of the second end of the conveyor belt thereby to define a shrouded portion of the conveyor belt, the shroud substantially enclosing the shrouded portion as the conveyor belt conveys proppant when positioned thereon from the plurality of containers to reduce risk of release of silica dust associated with proppant into the air from the portion; and the chute having an inlet positioned to receive the second end of the conveyor belt conveying proppant and one or more outlets positioned such that as proppant is deposited into the chute by gravity feed, proppant flows out of the one or more outlets to one or more blenders or other location at the well site. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A system to convey proppant for fracking from a plurality of containers to one or more blender hoppers thereby to reduce risk of production and release of silica dust at a well site, the system comprising:
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the plurality of containers each adapted to have proppant for fracking contained therein, each respective container having a sealed top to reduce risk of release of silica dust associated with proppant into the air when positioned therein, each respective container further having interior portions inclined toward an outlet at a bottom of each respective container to reduce risk of production and release of silica dust associated with proppant as the proppant flows from each respective container until each respective container is substantially empty; a conveyor positioned at the well site and to receive each respective container of the plurality of containers;
the conveyor having one or more conveyor hoppers that align closely with each respective outlet of the plurality of containers to reduce risk of production and release of silica dust into the air, each of the one or more respective conveyor hoppers having a lower portion including an opening, such that when proppant downwardly flows through each respective outlet of each respective container of the plurality of containers when positioned therein, the proppant passes to and through the opening of each of the one or more respective conveyor hoppers;a conveyor belt positioned to underlie the one or more conveyor hoppers to receive proppant as the proppant passes to and through the opening of each of the one or more respective conveyor hoppers, the conveyor belt having a first end, a second end, and a plurality of partitions associated therewith, such that the plurality of partitions are positioned to reduce risk of production and release of silica dust as proppant contacts and is carried by the conveyor belt; the one or more blender hoppers having an inlet positioned to receive the second end of the conveyor belt conveying proppant such that proppant is deposited into the one or more blender hoppers by gravity feed. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification