Automatic vibratory separator

• US 8,561,805 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2011
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Scott, Eric Landon, Smith, George Edward, Stone, Lyndon Ray, Padalino, Norman Frank, McDonough, Kevin Thomas, Seyffert, Kenneth Wayne, Koederitz, William Leo, Guggari, Mallapa Ishwarappa, McClung, Guy LaMonte III
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Joseph C
• Assistant Examiner(s): KUMAR, KALYANAVENKA K
• Application Number:
  US13/305,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20120118798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 209/319, 209/356.4, 209/404, 209/405, 209/412, 209/413, 209/552, 209/555, 700/28, 700 32- 35
• US Class Current: 209/555
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 33/0315 arranged for inward flow filtration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 33/0376 supported
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 33/37 in parallel connection
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 33/722 containing fixed liquid displacement elements or cores
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 33/76 for discharging the filter cake, e.g. chutes
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 13/18 Control
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 2230/01 Wet separation
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/065 Separating solids from drilling fluids

Abstract

Methods for automatically controlling a vibratory separator, e.g., but not limited to a shale shaker for processing drilling fluid, the methods in certain aspects including: introducing material to a vibratory separator; sensing with sensor apparatus a state parameter indicative of operation of the vibratory separator; providing a signal indicative of a value of said state parameter to control apparatus; and, with the control apparatus, automatically controlling the vibratory separator based on the level of the state parameter. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. A vibratory separator, comprising:

a basket assembly comprising a screen apparatus, wherein said basket assembly is adapted to be vibrated so as to facilitate separation of a material to be separated that is introduced to said screen apparatus;

a vibratory apparatus operatively coupled to said basket assembly, wherein said vibratory apparatus is adapted to vibrate said basket assembly;

at least one sensor apparatus that is adapted to sense a state of said material that has been introduced to said screen apparatus; and

a control apparatus, wherein said control apparatus is adapted to adjust said vibratory separator to vibrate said basket assembly at a first vibratory separator setting when said sensed state of said material is at a first sensed state by adjusting an acceleration of said basket assembly to a first preselected acceleration level based on said first sensed state, wherein said control apparatus is further adapted to adjust said vibratory separator to vibrate said basket assembly at a second vibratory separator setting when said sensed state of said material is at a second sensed state that is different than said first sensed state by adjusting said acceleration of said basket assembly to a second preselected acceleration level based on said second sensed state, and wherein said second vibratory separator setting is different than said first vibratory separator setting and said second preselected acceleration level is different than said first preselected acceleration.

2. The vibratory apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor apparatus is adapted to send a signal representing said sensed state of said material to said control apparatus.

3. The vibratory apparatus of claim 2, wherein said vibratory apparatus comprises a motor apparatus that is adapted to control an excitation force used to accelerate said basket assembly, and wherein said control apparatus is adapted to control an operation of said motor apparatus based on said signal that is received by said control apparatus from said at least one sensor apparatus.

4. The vibratory apparatus of claim 3, wherein said vibratory apparatus comprises a variable frequency drive operatively coupled to said motor apparatus, and wherein said control apparatus is adapted to control a speed of said variable frequency drive.

5. The vibratory apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control apparatus is adapted to substantially maintain said acceleration of said basket assembly at said first preselected acceleration level until said sensed state of said material is at said second sensed state.

6. The vibratory apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an accelerometer operatively coupled to said basket assembly, wherein said control apparatus is adapted to substantially maintain said acceleration of said basket assembly by continuously sensing an actual acceleration of said basket assembly with said accelerometer and continuously automatically adjusting an excitation force applied to said basket assembly based on said continuously sensed actual acceleration.

7. The vibratory apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor apparatus is adapted to sense at least one of a flow rate of said material onto said screen apparatus and a level of said material above said screen apparatus.

8. The vibratory apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor apparatus is adapted to sense at least one of a viscosity of said material, a specific gravity of said material, a solids content of said material, and a stickiness of solids present in said material.

9. The vibratory apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control apparatus is adapted to continuously vary an acceleration of said basket assembly between said first preselected acceleration level and said second preselected acceleration level in response to a change in said sensed state of said material.

10. The vibratory apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control apparatus is adapted to automatically adjust at least one of a motion profile, a basket angle, and a vibration frequency of said basket assembly.

11. The vibratory apparatus of claim 10, wherein said control apparatus is adapted to vibrate said basket assembly using at least one of a linear, a circular, and an elliptical motion.

12. The vibratory apparatus of claim 11, wherein said control apparatus is adapted to vibrate a feed end of said basket assembly using at least one of said linear, circular, and elliptical motions and to vibrate a discharge end of said basket assembly using a different one of said linear, circular, and elliptical motions.

13. The vibratory apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control apparatus is further adapted to automatically adjust said vibratory separator to vibrate said basket assembly at a third vibratory separator setting when said sensed state of said material is at a third sensed state that is different than said first and second sensed states by adjusting an acceleration of said basket assembly to a third preselected acceleration level based on said third sensed state, and wherein said third vibratory separator setting is different than said first and second settings and said third preselected acceleration level is different than said first and second preselected acceleration levels.

14. The vibratory apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control apparatus is further adapted to automatically boost said acceleration of said basket assembly to a preselected boost acceleration level that is greater than said first and second preselected acceleration levels when at least one of a flow rate of said material onto said screen apparatus or a level of said material on said screen apparatus exceeds a predetermined magnitude.

15. A vibratory separator, comprising:

a basket assembly comprising a screen apparatus, wherein said basket assembly is adapted to be vibrated so as to facilitate separation of a mixture comprising drilling fluid and solids that is introduced to said screen apparatus;

a vibratory apparatus operatively coupled to said basket assembly, wherein said vibratory apparatus is adapted to vibrate said basket assembly;

at least one sensor apparatus that is adapted to sense a state of said mixture that has been introduced to said screen apparatus; and

a control apparatus, wherein said control apparatus is adapted to operate said vibratory separator at a first separator setting so as to separate said drilling fluid from said solids by vibrating said basket assembly at a first acceleration level and automatically adjusting an excitation force applied to said basket assembly to substantially maintain said first acceleration level based on said sensed state of said mixture, and wherein said control apparatus is further adapted to automatically adjust said operation of said vibratory separator to a second separator setting that is different than said first separator setting when said sensed state of said mixture exceeds a predetermined state by automatically increasing said acceleration of said basket assembly to a predetermined second acceleration level that is greater than said first acceleration level.

16. The vibratory separator of claim 15, wherein said control apparatus is further adapted to automatically adjust an excitation force applied to said basket assembly so as to maintain said predetermined second acceleration level and to automatically reduce said acceleration of said basket assembly from said predetermined second acceleration level to a third acceleration level when said sensed state of said material no longer exceeds said predetermined state, wherein said third acceleration level is based on said sensed state of said mixture.

17. The vibratory separator of claim 15, wherein said at least one sensor apparatus is adapted to sense at least one of a flow rate of said mixture onto said screen apparatus and a level of said drilling fluid above said screen apparatus, and wherein said predetermined state comprises at least one of a predetermined flow rate of said mixture onto said screen apparatus and a predetermined level of said drilling fluid above said screen apparatus.

18. The vibratory separator of claim 15, further comprising an accelerometer operatively coupled to said basket assembly, wherein said accelerometer is adapted to continuously sense an actual acceleration of said basket assembly and to continuously send a signal representing said sensed actual acceleration to said control apparatus.

19. The vibratory separator of claim 18, wherein said vibratory apparatus comprises a variable frequency drive operatively coupled to a motor apparatus, wherein said motor apparatus is adapted to apply said excitation force to said basket assembly, and wherein said control apparatus is adapted to substantially maintain said acceleration of said basket assembly based on said signal representing said continuously sensed actual acceleration by controlling a speed of said of said variable frequency drive so as to continuously automatically adjust an excitation force applied to said basket assembly by said motor apparatus.

20. The vibratory separator of claim 15, wherein said control apparatus is adapted to control at least one of a motion profile, a basket angle, and a vibration frequency of said basket assembly.