Conveyor with integrated dust collector system

• US 9,963,308 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2017
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SandBox Enterprises LLC (U.S. Silica Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Oren Technologies LLC (U.S. Silica Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Oren, Joshua, Boros, Marty, Berveiler, Pete, Hansen, Dave, Campbell, Colin, Edwards, Mike, Massalone, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): DILLON JR, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US15/463,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20170190526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 406113, 406117, 406118, 406151, 406152, 406153, 414291, 414332, 198637, 454 56
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/5021 the vehicle being self-propelled, e.g. truck mounted, provided with a motor, driven by tracks B01F33/5022 - B01F33/5027 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 11/00 Manually-controlled or manually-operable label dispensers, e.g. modified for the application of labels to articles special furniture, fittings, or accessories for shops, storehouses, bars, or the like A47F; for paper napkins, for toilet paper A47K; for playing cards A63F; movable-strip writing or reading apparatus B42D19/00; adhesive tape dispensers B65H35/002; dispensers for tickets G07B; coin-operated dispensers for stamps G07F ; dispensing devices for pamphlets from vehicles G09F21/22
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 11/00 Chutes used as storage devices B65G1/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 15/00 Conveyors having endless load-conveying surfaces, i.e. belts and like continuous members, to which tractive effort is transmitted by means other than endless driving elements of similar configuration having load-conveying surfaces formed by interconnected longitudinal links B65G17/06
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/24 Gas suction systems
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/26 operating with fluidisation of the materials
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 65/42 using belt or chain conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 69/181 by means of sealed systems
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 69/182 with aspiration means
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2607 Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/267 reinforcing fractures by propping

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure a system for capturing proppant dust particles when positioned at a fracking operation site including a proppant delivery assembly to receive one or more containers having proppant stored therein. The system dispenses the proppant from the one or more containers and delivers the proppant to other fracking operation equipment. Moreover, the system includes a dust collection assembly positioned proximate and associated with the proppant delivery assembly to capture dust particles released by movement and settling of the proppant when being dispensed and delivered by the proppant delivery assembly. The dust collection assembly is positioned to direct an air flow in a flow path overlying the dust particles to capture the dust particles and move the dust particles away from the proppant thereby reducing risk of dust exposure to fracking operation site personnel.

Claims

1. A catch box arranged beneath and proximate a lower surface of a proppant mover and adjacent a mover outlet to discharge proppant therefrom to catch settling residual proppant and dust particles when the proppant is transferred from the proppant mover in a direction away from the catch box to a desired location outside the catch box, the catch box comprising:

an inlet positioned below the proppant mover to catch residual proppant and dust particles after the proppant mover has deposited proppant into a chute that directs the proppant to the desired location;

an interior volume to store the residual proppant and dust; and

an outlet positioned adjacent an upper section having a conduit connection configured and operable to enable removal of the settled residual proppant and dust particles via suction at the outlet; and

an inclined surface adjacent the mover to direct residual proppant toward a lower section.

2. The catch box of claim 1, wherein the proppant mover comprises an endless conveyor that deposits the proppant into the chute at a conveyor location where the conveyor flips over, and the catch box is positioned at the conveyor location to catch the residual proppant remaining on the conveyor when the conveyor flips over.

3. The catch box of claim 1, wherein the outlet is positioned at a lower section of the catch box such that the residual proppant and dust particles will settle near the outlet to enable removal of the residual proppant and dust particles using suction pressure.

4. The catch box of claim 1, wherein the catch box further comprises the inclined surface being positioned the conveyor to direct the residual proppant and the dust particles toward a lower section of the catch box.

5. The catch box of claim 1, wherein the desired location is a proppant container.