Apparatus and method for separating solids from a solids laden drilling fluid
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for operating a shale shaker to separate solids from a solids laden drilling fluid, the method comprising:
- introducing a flow of solids laden drilling fluid to a basket of said shale shaker;
controlling operation of a vibratory mechanism of said shale shaker so as to control an acceleration induced in said basket along a stepped non-linear basket acceleration operating curve based on a magnitude of a load of said solids laden drilling fluid in said basket, wherein controlling said basket acceleration along said stepped non-linear basket acceleration operating curve comprises varying said basket acceleration at least between a substantially constant first acceleration and a substantially constant second acceleration that is greater than said substantially constant first acceleration, said basket acceleration being maintained at said substantially constant first acceleration over a first operating load range wherein said magnitude of said load of solids laden drilling fluid in said basket is between a substantially zero load and a first load threshold.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for operating a shale shaker to separate solids from a solids laden fluid, the shale shaker comprising a basket for holding at least one screen and a vibratory mechanism for vibrating the basket to an acceleration value, the method comprising the steps of monitoring the magnitude of the load of solids laden fluid in the basket and adjusting the acceleration value induced in the basket according to the magnitude of the load, wherein the acceleration is stepped down to a low acceleration value below a low load threshold.
7 Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A method for operating a shale shaker to separate solids from a solids laden drilling fluid, the method comprising:
-
introducing a flow of solids laden drilling fluid to a basket of said shale shaker; controlling operation of a vibratory mechanism of said shale shaker so as to control an acceleration induced in said basket along a stepped non-linear basket acceleration operating curve based on a magnitude of a load of said solids laden drilling fluid in said basket, wherein controlling said basket acceleration along said stepped non-linear basket acceleration operating curve comprises varying said basket acceleration at least between a substantially constant first acceleration and a substantially constant second acceleration that is greater than said substantially constant first acceleration, said basket acceleration being maintained at said substantially constant first acceleration over a first operating load range wherein said magnitude of said load of solids laden drilling fluid in said basket is between a substantially zero load and a first load threshold. - 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. A method for operating a shale shaker to separate solids from a solids laden drilling fluid, the method comprising:
-
introducing a flow of solids laden drilling fluid to a basket of said shale shaker; controlling operation of a vibratory mechanism of said shale shaker with a control apparatus by varying a speed of a drive motor of said vibratory mechanism so as to vary an acceleration induced in said basket along a stepped non-linear basket acceleration operating curve based on a magnitude of a load of said solids laden drilling fluid in said basket, wherein varying said basket acceleration along said stepped non-linear basket acceleration operating curve comprises; maintaining said basket acceleration at a substantially constant first acceleration over a first operating load range wherein said magnitude of said load of solids laden drilling fluid in said basket is between a substantially zero load and a first load threshold, said substantially constant first acceleration being less than first and second pre-determined basket accelerations corresponding to a basket acceleration at said zero load and a basket acceleration at said first load threshold, respectively, on a substantially linear basket acceleration operating curve of said shale shaker that is based on operating said vibratory mechanism at a substantially constant vibrational frequency; inducing a first step-change in said basket acceleration so as to step up said basket acceleration from said substantially constant first acceleration to a substantially constant second acceleration that is greater than said substantially constant first acceleration when said magnitude of said load of solids laden drilling fluid in said basket exceeds said first load threshold; maintaining said basket acceleration at said substantially constant second acceleration over a second operating load range wherein said magnitude of said load of solids laden drilling fluid in said basket is between said first load threshold and a second load threshold, said substantially constant second acceleration being less than at least one of said second pre-determined basket acceleration and a third pre-determined basket acceleration corresponding to a basket acceleration at said second load threshold on said substantially linear basket acceleration operating curve; and inducing a second step-change in said basket acceleration so as to step down said basket acceleration from said substantially constant second acceleration to said substantially constant first acceleration when said magnitude of said load of solids laden drilling fluid in said basket drops below said first load threshold.
-
-
24. A control system that is adapted to control operation of a shale shaker, said control system comprising:
-
a control apparatus that is adapted to control an acceleration that is induced in a basket of said shale shaker along a non-linear basket acceleration operating curve based on a magnitude of a load of solids laden drilling fluid in said basket, wherein said non-linear basket acceleration operating curve defines at least a substantially constant first acceleration over a first operating load range, a substantially constant second acceleration over a second operating load range, and a variation between said substantially constant first and second accelerations; and an inverter that is operatively coupled to said control apparatus and to a drive motor of a vibratory mechanism of said shale shaker, wherein said inverter is adapted to receive a control signal from said control apparatus and to adjust a motor speed of said drive motor based on said control signal so as to control said basket acceleration, said control apparatus being adapted to control said motor speed of said drive motor with said inverter so as to maintain said basket acceleration at said substantially constant first acceleration over said first operating load range, to induce a first step-change in said basket acceleration so as to step up said basket acceleration from said substantially constant first acceleration to said substantially constant second acceleration when said magnitude of said load of solids laden drilling fluid in said basket exceeds a first load threshold, to maintain said basket acceleration at said substantially constant second acceleration over said second operating load range, and to induce a second step-change in said basket acceleration so as to step down said basket acceleration from said substantially constant second acceleration to said substantially constant first acceleration when said magnitude of said load of solids laden drilling fluid in said basket drops below said first load threshold, wherein at least one of said substantially constant first and second accelerations is less than a pre-determined basket acceleration corresponding to a basket acceleration at said first load threshold on a substantially linear basket acceleration operating curve of said shale shaker that is based on controlling said drive motor at a substantially constant motor speed. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
-
Specification