Shale shaker
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A shale shaker for separating solids from solids laden drilling fluid, the shale shaker comprising:
- a basket;
a first screen deck mounted in said basket;
a second screen deck mounted in said basket and positioned below said first screen deck;
a flow manifold comprising a plurality of first flow ducts and a plurality of second flow ducts interleaved with said first flow ducts, wherein said flow manifold is adapted to receive an unchanneled flow of solids laden drilling fluid, said plurality of first flow ducts being adapted to receive a first portion of said unchanneled flow and channel said first portion to said first screen deck, and said plurality of second flow ducts being adapted to receive a second portion of said unchanneled flow and channel said second portion to said second screen deck; and
a non-channeled flow tray mounted in said basket and positioned above said first screen deck, wherein said non-channeled flow tray is adapted to feed said unchanneled flow to said flow manifold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A shale shaker for separating solids from solids laden drilling fluid is disclosed as having a basket with a scalping screen deck, at least one first screen deck and at least one second screen deck. The basket further may have a flow tray arranged between said scalping screen deck and at least one first screen deck, and a plurality of first ducts and a plurality of second ducts, the plurality of first ducts for directing solids laden drilling fluid to the at least one first screen deck. The second plurality of second ducts are for directing solids laden drilling fluid to said second screen deck.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A shale shaker for separating solids from solids laden drilling fluid, the shale shaker comprising:
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a basket; a first screen deck mounted in said basket; a second screen deck mounted in said basket and positioned below said first screen deck; a flow manifold comprising a plurality of first flow ducts and a plurality of second flow ducts interleaved with said first flow ducts, wherein said flow manifold is adapted to receive an unchanneled flow of solids laden drilling fluid, said plurality of first flow ducts being adapted to receive a first portion of said unchanneled flow and channel said first portion to said first screen deck, and said plurality of second flow ducts being adapted to receive a second portion of said unchanneled flow and channel said second portion to said second screen deck; and a non-channeled flow tray mounted in said basket and positioned above said first screen deck, wherein said non-channeled flow tray is adapted to feed said unchanneled flow to said flow manifold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for separating solids from solids laden drilling fluid, the method comprising:
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directing an unchanneled flow of solids laden drilling fluid in a flow direction along a non-channeled flow tray, wherein said non-channeled flow tray is mounted in a basket of a shale shaker; feeding said unchanneled flow of solids laden drilling fluid to a flow manifold of said shale shaker, said flow manifold comprising a plurality of first flow ducts and a plurality of second flow ducts interleaved with said first flow ducts; receiving a first portion of said unchanneled flow with said plurality of first flow ducts, and channeling said first portion with said plurality of first flow ducts to a first screen deck mounted in said basket below said non-channeled flow tray; and receiving a second portion of said unchanneled flow with said plurality of second flow ducts, and channeling said second portion with said plurality of second flow ducts to a second screen deck mounted in said basket below said first screen deck.
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30. A shale shaker for separating solids from solids laden drilling fluid, the shale shaker comprising:
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a basket; a scalping screen mounted in said basket; a non-channeled flow tray mounted in said basket and positioned below said scalping screen; a first screen deck mounted in said basket and positioned below said non-channeled flow tray; a second screen deck mounted in said basket and positioned below said first screen deck; and a flow manifold comprising a plurality of first flow ducts and a plurality of second flow ducts interleaved with said first flow ducts, wherein said flow manifold is adapted to receive an unchanneled flow of solids laden drilling fluid from said non-channeled flow tray, said plurality of first flow ducts being adapted to receive a first portion of said unchanneled flow and channel said first portion to said first screen deck, and said plurality of second flow ducts being adapted to receive a second portion of said unchanneled flow and channel said second portion to said second screen deck. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. A method for separating solids laden drilling fluid with a shale shaker, the method comprising:
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feeding a flow of solids laden drilling fluid to a scalping deck that is mounted in a basket of said shale shaker; separating at least a first portion of solids material from said flow of solids laden drilling fluid by passing said at least said first portion of solids material over a scalping screen of said scalping deck to a discharge end of said scalping deck; passing a flow of a first unseparated portion of said solids laden drilling fluid through said scalping screen to a first screen deck that is mounted in said basket and positioned below said scalping deck; separating at least a second portion of solids material from said flow of said first unseparated portion of said solids laden drilling fluid by passing said at least said second portion of solids material over a first screen assembly of said first screen deck to a discharge end of said first screen deck; and guiding a flow of said at least said second portion of solids material into a trough that is mounted in said basket and positioned adjacent to said discharge end of said first screen deck, wherein guiding said flow comprises guiding said flow with a diverter plate that is operatively coupled to said trough. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A shale shaker for separating solids from solids laden drilling fluid, the shale shaker comprising:
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a basket; a first screen deck mounted in said basket, wherein said first screen deck is adapted to receive a flow of said solids laden drilling fluid and separate said flow of said solids laden drilling fluid into a flow of a first solids portion and a flow of a first solids laden drilling fluid portion; a second screen deck mounted in said basket below said first screen deck, wherein said second screen deck is adapted to receive at least part of said flow of said first solids laden drilling fluid portion and separate said at least said part of said flow of said first solids laden drilling fluid portion into a flow of a second solids portion and a flow of a second solids laden drilling fluid portion; a sump positioned below said basket, wherein said sump is adapted to receive said flow of said first solids portion and said flow of said second solids laden drilling fluid portion; a trough arranged in said basket at a solids discharge end of said first screen deck, wherein said trough is adapted to receive said flow of said first solids portion discharged from said first screen deck and direct said flow of said first solids portion to said sump for mixing with said flow of said second solids laden drilling fluid portion; and a diverter plate that is adapted to selectively allow said flow of said first solids portion discharged from said first screen deck to flow into said trough. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method for separating solids from solids laden drilling fluid, the method comprising:
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directing a flow of said solids laden drilling fluid to a first screen deck mounted in a basket of a shale shaker; separating said flow of said solids laden drilling fluid with said first screen deck into a flow of a first solids portion and a flow of a first solids laden drilling fluid portion; discharging said flow of said first solids portion from a discharge end of said first screen deck; directing at least part of said flow of said first solids laden drilling fluid portion to a second screen deck mounted in said basket below said first screen deck; separating said at least said part of said flow of said first solids laden drilling fluid with said second screen deck into a flow of a second solids portion and a flow of a second solids laden drilling fluid portion; discharging said flow of said second solids portion from a discharge end of said second screen deck; directing said flow of said second solids laden drilling fluid portion to a sump positioned below said second screen deck; selectively directing said flow of said first solids portion discharged from said discharge end of said first screen deck to said sump; and mixing said flow of said first solids portion with said flow of said second solids laden drilling fluid portion.
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Specification