Shale shakers with selective series/parallel flow path conversion

• US 9,677,353 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2013
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Burnett, George Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Joseph C
• Assistant Examiner(s): KUMAR, KALYANAVENKA K
• Application Number:
  US14/019,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20140021120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 209311, 209314, 209315, 209360, 209240-266
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 33/0376 supported
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 33/41 in series connection
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/28 Moving screens not otherwise provided for, e.g. swinging, reciprocating, rocking, tilting or wobbling screens
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/46 Constructional details of screens in general; Cleaning or heating of screens
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 13/16 Feed or discharge arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 13/18 Control
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 2201/04 Multiple deck screening devices comprising one or more superimposed screens
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 2230/01 Wet separation
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/065 Separating solids from drilling fluids

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed employing a shale shaker for processing a mixture of drilling fluid and solids with multiple screen assemblies and conversion apparatus for switching flow to the screen assemblies between series flow and parallel flow; and in one aspect, a screen or screens for screening lost circulation material.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a vibratable basket that is adapted to receive a flow of material comprising a mixture of drilling fluid and solids material;

a first screen assembly and a second screen assembly positioned below said first screen assembly, wherein said first and second screen assemblies are mounted in and vibratable with said vibratable basket, and wherein said first and second screen assemblies are adapted to allow a flow of at least a portion of said drilling fluid to pass therethrough; and

a flow conversion apparatus that is adapted to selectively control said flow of said material passing through said system so as to generate one of a series flow and a parallel flow to said first and second screen assemblies, wherein said flow conversion apparatus comprises a first removable insert.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first removable insert is adapted to be positioned adjacent to a feed end of said first screen assembly.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said first removable insert is adapted to be positioned between said first and second screen assemblies.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said flow conversion apparatus further comprises a weir adjacent to said first screen assembly, said weir being adapted to maintain a pool of said mixture of drilling fluid and solids material on said first screen assembly.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said first removable insert is a reversible insert that is adapted to be positioned in a first reversible configuration during said series flow of said system and is further adapted to be positioned in a second reversible configuration during said parallel flow of said system.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said reversible insert comprises a first flow channel and a second flow channel, and wherein, in said first reversible configuration, said first reversible insert it adapted to allow material passing through said first screen assembly to flow through said first flow channel to said second screen assembly and, in said second reversible configuration, said first reversible insert is adapted to allow at least a portion of said mixture of drilling fluid and solids material to flow through said first flow channel so as to bypass said first screen assembly and to allow material passing through said first screen assembly to flow through said second flow channel so as to bypass said second screen assembly.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said first removable insert comprises a blocking portion and a flow channel portion.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said first removable insert is adapted to generate said series flow through said system, said blocking portion being adapted to block material passing through said first screen assembly from bypassing said second screen assembly, and said flow channel portion being adapted to allow material passing through said first screen assembly to flow to said second screen assembly.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said first removable insert is adapted to generate said parallel flow through said system, said blocking portion being adapted to cause at least a portion of said mixture of drilling fluid and solids material to bypass said first screen assembly, and said flow channel portion being adapted to allow material passing through said first screen assembly to bypass said second screen assembly.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said blocking portion comprises a flow channel that is adapted to redirect said at least said portion of said mixture of drilling fluid and solids material to said second screen assembly.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said flow conversion apparatus further comprises a second removable insert that is adapted to be positioned adjacent to a feed end of said second screen assembly.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said second removable insert comprises a blocking insert that is adapted to block material passing through said first screen assembly from bypassing said second screen assembly during said series flow of said system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said first removable insert is adapted to be removed from said system during said series flow of said system.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said second removable insert comprises a flow channel insert that is adapted to allow material passing through said first screen assembly to bypass said second screen assembly during said parallel flow of said system.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said first removable insert comprises a blocking insert that is adapted to cause at least a portion of said mixture of drilling fluid and solids material to bypass said first screen assembly during said parallel flow of said system.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said first removable insert comprises a flow channel insert that is adapted to allow at least a portion of said mixture of drilling fluid and solids material to bypass said first screen assembly during said parallel flow of said system.

17. A system, comprising:

a vibratable basket that is adapted to receive a flow of material comprising a mixture of drilling fluid and solids material;

a first screen assembly and a second screen assembly positioned below said first screen assembly, wherein said first and second screen assemblies are mounted in and vibratable with said vibratable basket, and wherein said first and second screen assemblies are adapted to allow a flow of at least a portion of said drilling fluid to pass therethrough;

a weir that is adapted to be positioned adjacent to a feed end of said first screen assembly, said weir being adapted to maintain a pool of said material on said first screen assembly; and

a removable flow insert that is reversibly positionable between said first and second screen assemblies, wherein said removable flow insert is adapted to generate a parallel flow of said material through said system when positioned in a first reversible configuration and to generate a series flow of said material through said system when positioned in a second reversible configuration.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said removable flow insert comprises a first flow channel that is adapted to allow at least a portion of said material to flow therethrough so as to generate at least one of said series flow and said parallel flow.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said removable flow insert further comprises a second flow channel that is adapted to allow material passing through said first screen assembly to bypass said second screen assembly when said removable flow insert is positioned in second reversible configuration, said first flow channel being adapted to allow material passing through said first screen assembly to flow to said second screen assembly when said removable flow insert is positioned in first reversible configuration.

20. A system, comprising:

a vibratable basket that is adapted to receive a flow of material comprising a mixture of drilling fluid and solids material;

a first screen assembly and a second screen assembly positioned below said first screen assembly, wherein said first and second screen assemblies are mounted in and vibratable with said vibratable basket, and wherein said first and second screen assemblies are adapted to allow a flow of at least a portion of said drilling fluid to pass therethrough;

a weir that is adapted to be positioned adjacent to a feed end of said first screen assembly, said weir being adapted to maintain a pool of said material on said first screen assembly;

a first removable flow insert positioned adjacent to a feed end of said first screen assembly; and

a second removable flow insert positioned adjacent to a feed end of said second screen assembly, wherein said first and second removable flow inserts comprise a flow conversion apparatus that is adapted to generate one of a series flow and a parallel flow of said material to said first and second screen assemblies.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said first removable flow insert is adapted to be removed and said first screen assembly is adapted to be repositioned when said flow conversion apparatus is configured to generate said series flow of said material.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein said first removable flow insert is adapted cause a portion of said material in said pool of material to bypass said first screen assembly by overflowing said weir and flowing through a flow channel to said second screen assembly when said flow conversion apparatus is configured to generate said series flow of said material.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein said first removable flow insert comprises a flow channel portion that is adapted allow a portion of said material in said pool of material to bypass said first screen assembly and flow to said second screen assembly when said flow conversion apparatus is configured to generate said parallel flow of said material.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein said second removable flow insert is a flow channel apparatus that is adapted to allow material passing through said first screen assembly to bypass said second screen assembly when said flow conversion apparatus is configured to generate said parallel flow of said material.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein said second removable flow insert is a blocking plate that is adapted to prevent material passing through said first screen assembly from bypassing said second screen assembly when said flow conversion apparatus is configured to generate said series flow of said material.