Adjustable basket vibratory separator

• US 7,278,540 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2004
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varco I/P Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Varco I/P Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Scott, Eric, McClung, Guy L. III, Stone, Lyndon, Padolino, Norman, Seyffert, Kenneth W., McDonough, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Mackey; Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hageman; Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/949,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20050242002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,109 Days
• Field of Search: 209/412, 209/413, 209/404, 209/319, 209/405, 209/365.4
• US Class Current: 209/309
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 33/0376 supported
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 33/37 in parallel connection
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 33/807 by level measuring
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/42 Drive mechanisms, regulating or controlling devices, or balancing devices, specially adapted for screens
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/4609 constructional details of screening surfaces or meshes
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 2230/01 Wet separation

Abstract

A vibratory separator having a base, a basket movably mounted on the base and for supporting screen apparatus for treating material introduced into the vibratory separator, the basket on a base and pivotable with respect thereto, vibratory apparatus connected to the basket for vibrating the basket, screen apparatus supported by the basket, the material flowing onto the screen apparatus for treatment, angle adjustment apparatus connected to the basket for adjusting angle of the basket, sensor apparatus for sensing a parameter indicative of basket angle and for providing a signal corresponding to said basket angle, control apparatus for receiving signals from the sensor apparatus and for controlling basket angle based on said signals, the angle adjustment apparatus, in one particular aspect, including a rocker arm assembly with a first pivotable end.

Claims

1. A vibratory separator comprising

a base,

a basket movably mounted on the base and for supporting screen apparatus for treating material introduced into the vibratory separator, the basket on the base and pivotable with respect thereto,

vibratory apparatus connected to the basket for vibrating the basket,

screen apparatus supported by the basket, the material flowing onto the screen apparatus for treatment,

angle adjustment apparatus connected to the basket for adjusting angle of the basket,

sensor apparatus connected to the vibratory separator for sensing a parameter indicative of basket angle and for providing a signal corresponding to said basket angle,

control apparatus for receiving signals from the sensor apparatus and for controlling basket angle based on said signals,

the angle adjustment apparatus including a rocker arm assembly with a first end and a second end, the first end pivotably mounted to the base adjacent and beneath a material input area of the vibratory separator and the second end adjacent and beneath a material exit end of the vibratory separator,

the angle adjustment apparatus including movement apparatus with a part thereof in contact with the second end of the rocker arm assembly for moving the second end up and down to change basket angle, the movement apparatus controlled by the control apparatus,

wherein the movement apparatus of the angle adjustment apparatus includes inflatable bladder apparatus which is selectively inflatable to raise and lower the rocker arm assembly,

a plate projecting from the second end of the rocker arm assembly, the plate having a lower surface, and

the inflatable bladder apparatus contacting the lower surface of the plate to move the rocker arm assembly to raise and lower the basket.

2. The vibratory separator of claim 1 wherein the vibratory separator is a shale shaker and the material is drilling fluid with drilled cuttings therein.

3. The vibratory separator of claim 2 wherein the vibratory apparatus comprises two motors for vibrating the basket, the two motors providing dual motion capability.

4. The vibratory separator of claim 1

wherein the screen apparatus includes at least an exit screen with an exit end from which material separated by the screen apparatus flows off the screen apparatus for discharge from the vibratory separator,

wherein the basket is at an angle such that a beach is formed adjacent an edge of a pool of material adjacent said exit end, and

wherein the control system controls extent of a beach.

5. The vibratory separator of claim 1 wherein the sensor apparatus is an ultrasonic sensor apparatus.

6. The vibratory separator of claim 5 wherein the ultrasonic sensor apparatus is at least one ultrasonic sensor apparatus.

7. The vibratory separator of claim 1 wherein the sensor apparatus comprises a plurality of sensor apparatuses.

8. The vibratory separator of claim 1 wherein the measurement sensor apparatus is from the group consisting of electrical, optical, electromagnetic, ultrasonic, acoustic, and pulse-echo apparatus.

9. The vibratory separator of claim 1 further comprising

flow sensor apparatus connected to the vibratory separator for sensing the flow of material onto the screen apparatus,

the flow sensor apparatus controlled by and in communication with the control apparatus, and

the control apparatus for adjusting basket angle in response to signals from the flow sensor apparatus.

10. The vibratory separator of claim 1 wherein the sensor apparatus includes an angle sensor for sensing basket angle.

11. The vibratory separator of claim 1 wherein the angle adjustment apparatus is powered by power apparatus from the group consisting of pneumatic power apparatuses, hydraulic power apparatuses and electric power apparatuses.

12. The vibratory separator of claim 1 further comprising

computer apparatus for controlling the vibratory separator.

13. The vibratory separator of claim 1 further comprising

boost push button apparatus for manually changing forces applied by the vibratory apparatus.

14. A method for treating material introduced to a vibratory separator, the method comprising

introducing material to a vibratory separator, the vibratory separator comprising a base, a basket movably mounted on the base and for supporting screen apparatus for treating material introduced into the vibratory separator, the basket on the base and pivotable with respect thereto, vibratory apparatus connected to the basket for vibrating the basket, screen apparatus supported by the basket, the material flowing onto the screen apparatus for treatment, angle adjustment apparatus connected to the basket for adjusting angle of the basket, sensor apparatus connected to the vibratory separator for sensing a parameter indicative of basket angle and for providing a signal corresponding to said basket angle, control apparatus for receiving signals from the sensor apparatus and for controlling basket angle based on said signals, the angle adjustment apparatus including a rocker arm assembly with a first end and a second end, the first end pivotably mounted to the base adjacent and beneath a material input area of the vibratory separator and the second end adjacent and beneath a material exit end of the vibratory separator, the angle adjustment apparatus including movement apparatus with a part thereof in contact with the second end of the rocker arm assembly for moving the second end up and down to change basket angle, the movement apparatus controlled by the control apparatus, wherein the movement apparatus of the angle adjustment apparatus includes inflatable bladder apparatus which is selectively inflatable to raise and lower the rocker arm assembly, a plate projecting from the second end of the rocker arm assembly, the plate having a lower surface, and the inflatable bladder apparatus contacting the lower surface of the plate to move the rocker arm assembly to raise and lower the basket,

treating the material in the vibratory separator, and

adjusting the angle of the basket with the angle adjustment apparatus.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the vibratory separator is a shale shaker and the material is drilling fluid with drilled cuttings therein.

16. Beach adjustment apparatus for adjusting extent of a beach on a screen of a vibratory separator, the screen mounted to a vibratable basket of the vibratory separator, the beach adjustment apparatus comprising

an end-pivotable basket support for supporting the basket, the end-pivotable basket support pivotable at a pivot end thereof, the end pivotable basket support having a second end spaced-apart from the pivot end, the second end positionable near an exit end of a vibratory separator,

means for pivoting the end-pivotable basket support at its pivot end,

the means for pivoting the end-pivotable basket support including movement apparatus having a part thereof for contacting the second end of the end-pivotable basket support for facilitating pivoting movement of the end-pivotable basket support to raise and lower the second end to adjust the extent of the beach,

wherein the movement apparatus of the angle adjustment apparatus includes inflatable bladder apparatus which is selectively inflatable to raise and lower the end-pivotable basket support,

a plate projecting from the second end of the end-pivotable basket support, the plate having a lower surface, and

the inflatable bladder apparatus contacting the lower surface of the plate to move the end-pivotable basket support to raise and lower the basket.

17. A shale shaker comprising

a base,

a basket movably mounted on the base for supporting screen apparatus for treating drilling fluid material introduced into the shale shaker, the basket on the base and pivotable with respect thereto, the drilling fluid material including drilling fluid and solids,

vibratory apparatus connected to the basket for vibrating the basket,

screen apparatus supported by the basket, the drilling fluid material flowing onto the screen apparatus for treatment, so that drilling fluid flows down through the screen apparatus,

angle adjustment apparatus connected to the basket for adjusting angle of the basket,

sensor apparatus connected to the vibratory separator for sensing a parameter indicative of basket angle and for providing a signal corresponding to said basket angle,

control apparatus for receiving signals from the sensor apparatus and for controlling basket angle based on said signals,

the angle adjustment apparatus including a rocker arm assembly with a first end and a second end, the first end pivotably mounted to the base adjacent and beneath a material input area of the vibratory separator and the second end adjacent and beneath a material exit end of the vibratory separator,

the angle adjustment apparatus including movement apparatus with a part thereof in contact with the second end of the rocker arm assembly for moving the second end up and down to change basket angle, the movement apparatus controlled by the control apparatus,

wherein the movement apparatus of the angle adjustment apparatus includes inflatable bladder apparatus which is selectively inflatable to raise and lower the rocker arm assembly,

a plate projecting from the second end of the rocker arm assembly, the plate having a lower surface, and

the inflatable bladder appartus contacting the lower surface of the plate to move the rocker arm assembly to raise and lower the basket.