Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
81801111
HYDRATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Cross-Reference to Related Applications
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Application No. 61/991,685
entitled
"Continuous Gel Mixing Apparatus and Method ," filed May 12, 2014.
Background of the Disclosure
[0002] High viscosity fluid mixtures or gels comprising hydratable material
and/or additives
mixed with water and/or other hydrating fluid are utilized in fracturing and
other subterranean
well treatment operations. These high viscosity fluid mixtures are formulated
at the wellsite or
transported to the wellsite from a remote location. Hydration is a process by
which the
hydratable material solvates, absorbs, and/or otherwise reacts with hydrating
fluid to create the
high viscosity fluid mixture. The level of hydration of the hydratable
material may be increased
by maintaining the hydratable material in the hydrating fluid during a process
step referred to as
residence time, such as may take place in one or more hydration tanks.
[0003] Hydration and the associated increase in viscosity take place over a
time span
corresponding to the residence time of the hydratable material in the
hydrating fluid. Hence, the
rate of hydration of the hydratable material is a factor in the hydration
operations, and
particularly scrutinized in continuous hydration operations by which the high
viscosity fluid
mixture is continuously produced at the job site during the course of wellsite
operations. To
achieve sufficient hydration and/or viscosity, long tanks or a series of large
tanks are utilized to
provide the hydratable material with sufficient volume and, thus, residence
time in the hydrating
fluid. Such tanks are transported to or near the wellsite. For example, the
hydratable material
may be mixed with the hydrating fluid before being introduced into a series of
tanks and, as the
fluid mixture passes through the series of tanks, the hydratable material may
hydrate to a
sufficient degree.
[0004] A typical gravity-flow hydration tank cannot handle high
concentration fluid mixture.
Therefore, other tanks having large volumes are utilized to sufficiently
dilute the fluid mixture to
a sufficiently low viscosity to permit the fluid mixture to pass through the
gravity-flow hydration
tank. Hydration tanks having large volumes comprise large footprints, are
difficult to transport,
and/or may not be transportable.
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Summary of the Disclosure
[0005] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that
are further
described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to
identify
indispensable features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for
use as an aid in
limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0006] The present disclosure introduces a method that includes
communicating a
substantially continuous stream of gel having a first concentration,
communicating a
substantially continuous stream of aqueous fluid, and combining the
substantially continuous
streams of gel having the first concentration and aqueous fluid to form a
substantially continuous
stream of gel having a second concentration. The second concentration is
substantially lower
than the first concentration. The method may also include utilizing the gel
having the second
concentration in a well fracturing operation.
[0007] The present disclosure also introduces a method that includes
substantially
continuously feeding hydratable material and hydrating fluid into a mixer, and
substantially
continuously operating the mixer to mix the hydratable material and the
hydrating fluid to form a
first substantially continuous stream. The first substantially continuous
stream includes gel
having a first concentration of hydratable material and a first viscosity. The
method also
includes substantially continuously communicating the first substantially
continuous stream
through an enclosed hydrator to form a second substantially continuous stream.
The second
substantially continuous stream includes gel having the first concentration of
hydratable material
and a second viscosity that is substantially greater than the first viscosity.
The method also
includes substantially continuously combining the second substantially
continuous stream and a
third substantially continuous stream to form a fourth substantially
continuous stream. The third
substantially continuous stream substantially includes aqueous fluid. The
fourth substantially
continuous stream includes gel having a second concentration of hydratable
material that is
substantially less than the first concentration. The method also includes
utilizing gel from the
fourth substantially continuous stream in a well fracturing operation.
[0008] The present disclosure also introduces an apparatus that includes a
system operable to
form a substantially continuous supply of gel having a first hydratable
material concentration for
use in a well fracturing operation. The system includes a mixer to receive and
mix hydratable
material and aqueous fluid to form a substantially continuous supply of gel
having a second
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hydratable material concentration. The second hydratable material
concentration is
substantially higher than the first hydratable material concentration. The
system also
includes an enclosed tank having an internal flow path traversed by the
substantially
continuous supply of gel having the second hydratable material concentration
during a
period of time sufficient to permit a viscosity of the substantially
continuous supply of gel
having the second hydratable material concentration to increase to a
predetermined level.
The system also includes a diluter operable to dilute the substantially
continuous supply of
increased viscosity gel having the second hydratable material concentration to
substantially continuously supply gel having the first hydratable material
concentration.
[0008a] The present disclosure also introduces a method, comprising: using a
hydratable material transfer device to meter a hydratable material from a
hydratable
material source to provide a continuous stream of the hydratable material;
mixing the
continuous stream of the hydratable material with a first continuous stream of
aqueous
fluid in a mixer to form a hydrated gel; using a discharge pressure of the
mixer to force a
continuous stream of the hydrated gel through at least one hydration tank to
achieve a first
concentration and a viscosity of the hydrated gel at an outlet of the at least
one hydration
tank; combining, at a diluter, the continuous stream of the hydrated gel
having the first
concentration and a second continuous stream of aqueous fluid to form a
continuous
stream of hydrated gel having a second selected concentration, wherein the
second
selected concentration is lower than the first concentration, wherein the
diluter is operable
to change the second selected concentration by changing a flow rate of at
least one of the
continuous stream of hydrated gel having the first concentration and the
second continuous
stream of aqueous fluid; and utilizing the hydrated gel having the second
selected
concentration in a well fracturing operation.
[0009] These and additional aspects of the present disclosure are set
forth in the
description that follows, and/or may be learned by a person having ordinary
skill in the art
by reading the materials herein and/or practicing the principles described
herein. At least
some aspects of the present disclosure may be achieved via means recited in
the attached
claims.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0010] The present disclosure is understood from the following detailed
description
when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance
with the
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standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In
fact, the
dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for
clarity of
discussion.
[0011] FIG. 1 is a flow-chart diagram of at least a portion of an example
implementation of a method according to one or more aspects of the present
disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of at least a portion of an example
implementation
of apparatus according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 3 is an expanded view of an example implementation of a
portion of the
apparatus shown in FIG. 2 according to one or more aspects of the present
disclosure.
[0014] FIG. 4 is an expanded view of an example implementation of a
portion of the
apparatus shown in FIG. 2 according to one or more aspects of the present
disclosure.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an example implementation of a
portion of the
apparatus shown in FIG. 2 according to one or more aspects of the present
disclosure.
[0016] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of at least a portion of an example
implementation
of apparatus according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.
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[0017] FIG. 7 is a flow-chart diagram of at least a portion of an example
implementation of a
method according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.
[0018] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an example implementation of the
apparatus shown in
FIG. 2 according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.
[0019] FIG. 9 is a schematic view of an example implementation of a portion
of the
apparatus shown in FIG. 8 according to one or more aspects of the present
disclosure.
[0020] FIG. 10 is a flow-chart diagram of at least a portion of an example
implementation of
a method according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.
Detailed Description
[0021] It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many
different
implementations, or examples, for implementing different features of various
implementations.
Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to
simplify the present
disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be
limiting. In
addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters
in the various
examples. This repetition is for simplicity and clarity, and does not in
itself dictate a relationship
between the various implementations and/or configurations discussed. Moreover,
the formation
of a first feature over or on a second feature in the description that follows
may include
implementations in which the first and second features are formed in direct
contact, and may also
include implementations in which additional features may be formed interposing
the first and
second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct
contact.
[0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of at least a portion of an example
implementation of a
method (10) for forming a fluid mixture according to one or more aspects of
the present
disclosure. The resulting fluid mixture may also be referred to herein as a
gel.
[0023] The method (10) comprises mixing (15) a hydratable material with a
hydrating fluid
within a mixer at a predetermined ratio to form the fluid mixture having a
first concentration of
hydratable material within the hydrating fluid. Thereafter, the hydratable
material is hydrated
(20) within a container until a predetermined viscosity or level of hydration
is reached. The
hydration (20) and the associated increase in viscosity take place over a
period of time during
which the hydratable material is in the hydrating fluid. The hydrated (20)
fluid mixture is then
diluted (25) to achieve a second concentration of hydratable material within
the hydrating fluid,
such that the second concentration existing after the dilution (25) is
substantially less than the
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first concentration existing after the mixing (15) and hydrating (20). The
diluted (25) fluid
mixture may then be communicated downstream and further processed, such as to
form a
fracturing fluid.
[0024] Therefore, the method (10) includes forming (via the mixing (15) and
hydrating (20))
a concentrated fluid mixture having a substantially fixed or otherwise
predetermined first
concentration of hydratable material, and then diluting (25) the concentrated
fluid mixture to
form a diluted fluid mixture having a second, lower predetermined
concentration of hydratable
material. The first and second concentrations, and the flow rates of the fluid
mixtures at the first
and second concentrations, may be adjusted to meet the downstream demand.
Moreover,
because the concentrated fluid mixture comprises less volume than the diluted
fluid mixture, the
method (10) may utilize equipment having a relatively smaller volume and/or
footprint than a
hydration process that directly forms the diluted fluid mixture in the mixer.
[0025] The hydratable material may be or comprise a gelling agent, such as
guar, a polymer,
a synthetic polymer, a galactomannan, a polysaccharide, a cellulose, a clay,
and/or a combination
thereof, among other examples, and may be introduced into the mixer in the
form of solid
particles or liquid concentrate. The hydrating fluid may be or comprise water
or an aqueous
fluid or solution comprising water, among other examples. The resulting fluid
mixture may be
or comprise that which is known in the art as a gel or a slurry.
[0026] Although the methods and the apparatuses within the scope of the
present disclosure
describe mixing hydratable material with hydrating fluid to form a gel or
slurry, it is to be
understood that hydratable material may comprise various rheology modifying
materials that are
mixed with hydrating or other fluids to form a gel, a slurry, and/or other
rheology modified
fluids, such as may have high low-shear properties, but that may be shear-
thinning, within the
scope of the present disclosure. Hydratable material may further comprise
rheology modifying
materials such as polyacrylamides, fiber, nanoscale particles, dry friction
reducers, dimeric and
trimeric fatty acids, imidazolines, amides, and/or synthetic polymers, among
other example
materials that provide high viscosity at low shear rates.
[0027] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of at least a portion of an example
implementation of a
hydration system 100 for forming the fluid mixture via the method (10) shown
in FIG. 1 and/or
otherwise according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The
hydration system 100
comprises a mixer 105 operable to receive and mix hydratable material and
hydrating fluid. For
example, the hydratable material may be mixed with the hydrating fluid at a
rate of about 120
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pounds of hydratable material per about 1000 pounds of hydrating fluid, thus
forming a 120-
pound fluid mixture. However, the fluid formed and discharged by the mixer 105
may have
between about 80 and about 300 pounds of hydratable material per 1000 gallons
of hydrating
fluid, among other ratios also within the scope of the present disclosure.
[0028] The mixer 105 receives the hydratable material from a hydratable
material ("HM")
source 110. The hydratable material source 110 may comprise a silo, bin,
hopper, and/or another
container that may permit storage of the hydratable material so as to provide
a substantially
continuous supply of the hydratable material to the mixer 105. A lower portion
of the hydratable
material source 110 may have a tapered configuration terminating with a gate
or other outlet
permitting the hydratable material to be gravity fed and/or otherwise
substantially continuously
transferred into the mixer 105. The hydratable material may be continuously or
intermittently
transported to the hydratable material source 110 from another wellsite
component, such as in
implementations in which the hydratable material is transported to the
hydratable material source
110 from a delivery vehicle via one or more conveyors. The hydratable material
may also or
instead be continuously transported from the delivery vehicle directly to the
mixer 105.
[0029] The hydratable material may be metered and/or otherwise transferred
to the mixer
105 via a transfer device 115. For example, if the hydratable material
substantially comprises a
liquid, the transfer device 115 may comprise a metering pump and/or a metering
valve, such as
may be operable to control the flow rate at which the hydratable material is
introduced into the
mixer 105.
[0030] However, if the hydratable material substantially comprises solid
particles, the
transfer device 115 may comprise a volumetric or mass dry metering device
operable to control
the volumetric or mass flow rate of the hydratable material fed from the
hydratable material
source 110 to the mixer 105. For example, the transfer device 115 may include
a metering
feeder, a screw feeder, an auger, a conveyor, and the like, and may extend
between the
hydratable material source 110 and the mixer 105 such that an inlet of the
transfer device 115 is
positioned generally below the hydratable material source 110 and an outlet is
positioned
generally above the mixer 105. A blade extending along a length of the
transfer device 115, for
example, may be operatively connected with a motor operable to rotate the
blade. As the mixer
105 is operating, the rotating blade may move the hydratable material from the
inlet to the outlet,
whereby the hydratable material may be dropped, fed, or otherwise introduced
into the mixer
105.
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[0031] Although not depicted in FIG. 2, the hydration system 100 may
comprise more than
one hydratable material source 110 and corresponding transfer devices 115. For
example, the
hydration system 100 may comprise a first hydratable material source 110
storing hydratable
material that substantially comprises liquid, and a second hydratable material
source 110 storing
hydratable material that substantially comprises solid particles. In such
implementations, the
transfer device 115 corresponding to the first hydratable material source 110
may comprise a
metering pump and/or a metering valve, and the transfer device 115
corresponding to the second
hydratable material source 110 may comprise a volumetric or mass dry metering
device.
[0032] The hydratable material source 110 may comprise one or more force
sensors 112,
such as load cells or other sensors operable to generate information related
to the mass or
parameter indicative of the quantity of the hydratable material within the
hydratable material
source 110. Such information may be utilized to monitor the actual transfer
rate of the
hydratable material from the hydratable material source 110 into mixer 105, to
monitor the
accuracy of the transfer device 115, and/or to control the transfer rate of
the hydratable material
discharged from the hydratable material source 110 and/or the transfer device
115 for feeding to
the mixer 105.
[0033] The hydrating fluid may be supplied to the mixer 105 from a
hydrating fluid ("HF")
source 120, such as may comprise a receptacle, a storage tank, a reservoir, a
conduit, a manifold,
and/or other component for storing and/or communicating the hydrating fluid to
the mixer 105.
The supplied hydrating fluid may be drawn into the mixer 105 via a suction
force generated by
an impeller and/or other internal component of the mixer 105. The suction
force may be
sufficient to communicate the hydrating fluid from the hydrating fluid source
120 to the mixer
105. However, communication of the hydrating fluid from the hydrating fluid
source 120 to the
mixer 105 may instead or also be facilitated by a pump (not shown), such as
may be operable to
pressurize and/or move the hydrating fluid from the hydrating fluid source 120
to the mixer 105.
[0034] The mixer 105 is operable to mix the hydratable material and the
hydrating fluid, and
to pressurize the resulting fluid mixture sufficiently to pump the fluid
mixture through one or
more first containers 125. FIG. 3 is an expanded view of an example
implementation of at least
a portion of the mixer 105 according to one or more aspects of the present
disclosure. The
following description refers to FIGS. 2 and 3, collectively.
[0035] The mixer 105 may include a housing 202, a fluid inlet 204, and an
additive inlet 206
extending into the housing 202. The fluid inlet 204 may be fluidly connected
with the hydrating
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fluid source 120 for receiving hydrating fluid therefrom. The additive inlet
206 may generally
include an additive-receiving structure 208, which may be or include a cone,
chamber, bowl,
hopper, or the like, having an inner surface 209 configured to receive the
hydratable material
from the hydratable material source 110, via the transfer device 115, and
direct the hydratable
material into the housing 202. It is to be understood that the hydratable
material may be dry,
partially dry, crystalized, fluidic, or pelletized, and/or packaged materials,
perhaps including a
slurry, and/or other materials to be dispersed within and/or otherwise mixed
with the hydrating
fluid using the mixer 105. The hydratable material received through the
additive inlet 206 may
also be pre-wetted, perhaps forming a partial slurry, such as to avoid
fisheyes and/or material
buildup.
[0036] The mixer 105 may further comprise an impeller/slinger assembly 210
driven by a
shaft 212. The housing 202 may define a mixing chamber 214 in communication
with the inlets
204, 206, and the impeller/slinger assembly 210 may be disposed in the mixing
chamber 214.
Rotation of the impeller/slinger assembly 210 may draw the hydrating fluid
from the fluid inlet
204, mix the drawn hydrating fluid with the hydratable material fed from the
additive inlet 206
within the mixing chamber 214, and pump the resulting mixture through the
outlet 216. The
outlet 216 may direct the fluid mixture through one or more fluid conduits
into the first container
125.
[0037] The shaft 212 may extend upward through the inlet 206 and out of the
additive-
receiving structure 208 for connection with an electric motor and/or other
prime mover (not
shown). The shaft 212 may be connected with the impeller/slinger assembly 210
such that
rotation of the shaft 212 rotates the impeller/slinger assembly 210 within the
mixing chamber
214.
[0038] The mixer 105 may also include a stator 218 disposed around the
impeller/stator
assembly 210. The stator 218 may be in the form of a ring or arcuate portion,
example details of
which are described below.
[0039] The mixer 105 may further comprise a flush line 220 fluidly
connected between the
additive-receiving structure 208 and an area of the mixing chamber 214 that is
proximal to the
impeller/slinger assembly 210. The flush line 220 may tap the hydrating fluid
from the mixing
chamber 214 at an area of relatively high pressure and deliver it to the inner
wall of the additive-
receiving structure 208, which may be at a reduced (e.g., ambient) pressure.
In addition to being
at the relatively high pressure, the hydrating fluid tapped by the flush line
220 may be relatively
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"clean" (i.e., relatively low additives content, as will be described below),
such as to pre-wet the
additive-receiving structure 208 and promote the avoidance of clumping of the
hydratable
material being fed into the mixer 105. The flush line 220 may provide the pre-
wetting fluid
without utilizing additional pumping devices (apart from the pumping provided
by the
impeller/slinger assembly 210) or additional sources of hydrating fluid or
lines from the
hydrating fluid source 120. One or more pumps may be provided in addition to
or in lieu of
tapping the hydrating fluid from the mixing chamber 214.
[0040] The housing 202 may comprise an upper housing portion 222 and a
lower housing
portion 224. Connection of the upper and lower housing portions 222, 224 may
define the
mixing chamber 214 therebetween. The lower housing portion 224 may define a
lower mixing
area 226, and the upper housing portion 222 may define an upper mixing area
228 (shown in
phantom lines) that may be substantially aligned with the lower mixing area
226. The mixing
areas 226, 228 may together define the mixing chamber 214 in which the
impeller/slinger
assembly 210 and the stator 218 may be disposed. The lower housing portion 224
may also
include an interior surface 230 defining the bottom of the lower mixing area
226.
[0041] The upper housing portion 222 may be connected with the additive-
receiving
structure 208, and may provide the additive inlet 206. The lower housing
portion 224 may
include the fluid inlet 204, which may extend through the lower housing
portion 224 to a
generally centrally disposed opening 232. The opening 232 may be defined in
the interior
surface 230. The outlet 216 may extend to an opening 234 communicating with
the lower
mixing area 226.
[0042] The impeller/slinger assembly 210 may include a slinger 236 and an
impeller 238.
The slinger 236 and the impeller 238 may have inlet faces 240, 242,
respectively, and backs 244,
246, respectively. The inlet faces 240, 242 may be each be open (as shown) or
at least partially
covered by a shroud (not shown), which may form an inlet in the radial inner
part of the slinger
236 and/or impeller 238. The backs 244, 246 may be disposed proximal to one
another and
connected together, such that, for example, the impeller 238 and the stinger
236 may be disposed
in a "back-to-back" configuration. Thus, the inlet face 240 of the stinger 236
may face the
additive inlet 206, while the inlet face 242 of the impeller 238 may face the
fluid inlet 204.
Accordingly, the inlet face 242 of the impeller 238 may face the interior
surface 230, and the
opening 232 defined on the interior surface 230 may be aligned with a radially
central portion of
the impeller 238.
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[0043] The slinger 236 may substantially define a saucer-shape generally
having a flatter (or
flat) middle portion with arcuate or slanted sides, collectively forming at
least a portion of the
inlet face 240. The sides may be formed, for example, as similar to or as part
of a torus that
extends around the middle of the slinger 236. The slinger 236 may also be bowl-
shaped (e.g.,
generally a portion of a sphere). The slinger 236 includes six slinger blades
248 on the inlet face
240, although other numbers of blades 248 are also within the scope of the
present disclosure.
The blades 248 may extend radially in a substantially straight or curved
manner. As the slinger
236 rotates, the hydratable material received from the inlet 206 is propelled
radially outward, by
interaction with the blades 248, and axially upward, as influenced by the
shape of the inlet face
240.
[0044] Although obscured from view in FIG. 3, the impeller 238 may also
include one or
more blades on the inlet face 242. Rotation of the impeller 238 may draw
hydrating fluid
through the opening 232 and then expel the hydrating fluid axially downward
and radially
outward. Consequently, a region of relatively high pressure may develop
between the lower
housing portion 224 and the impeller 238, which may act to drive the hydrating
fluid around the
mixing chamber 214 and toward the slinger 236.
[0045] The flush line 220 may include an opening 250 defined in the lower
housing portion
224 proximal to this region of high pressure. For example, the opening 250 may
be defined in
the interior surface 230 at a position between the outer radial extent of the
impeller 238 and the
opening 232 of the inlet 206. The flush line 220 may be or comprise a conduit
252 fluidly
connected with an inlet 254 of the additive-receiving structure 208, for
example, such that
hydrating fluid is transported from the opening 250 into the additive-
receiving structure 208 via
the conduit 252. The hydrating fluid may then travel along a generally helical
path along the
inner surface 209 of the additive-receiving structure 208, as a result of the
rotation of the slinger
236 and/or the shaft 212, until it travels through the additive inlet 206 to
the slinger 236. Thus,
the hydrating fluid received through the inlet 254 may generally form a wall
of fluid along the
inner surface 209 of the additive-receiving structure 208.
[0046] During operation, a pressure gradient may develop between the
impeller 238 and the
lower housing portion 224, with the pressure in the fluid increasing radially
outward from the
opening 232. Another gradient related to the concentration of the hydratable
material in the
hydrating fluid may also develop in this region, with the concentration of
hydratable material
increasing radially outward. In some cases, a high pressure head and low
concentration may be
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intended, so as to provide a flow of relatively clean fluid through the flush
line 220, propelled by
the impeller/slinger assembly 210. Accordingly, the opening 250 for the flush
line 220 may be
disposed at a point along this region that realizes an optimal tradeoff
between pressure head of
the hydrating fluid and concentration of the hydratable material in the
hydrating fluid received
into the flush line 220.
[0047] The stator 218 may form a shearing ring extending around the
impeller/slinger
assembly 210 within the mixing chamber 214. For example, the stator 218 may be
held
generally stationary with respect to the rotatable impeller/slinger assembly
210, such as via
fastening with the upper housing portion 222. However, the stator 218 may
instead be supported
by the impeller/slinger assembly 210 and may rotate therewith. In either
example, the stator 218
may ride on the inlet face 240 of the slinger 236, or may be separated
therefrom.
[0048] The stator 218 may include first and second annular portions 256,
258, which may be
formed integrally or as discrete components connected together. The first
annular portion 256
may minimize flow obstruction and may include a shroud 260 and posts 262
defining relatively
wide slots 264, such as to permit relatively free flow of fluid therethrough.
In contrast, the
second annular portion 258 may maximize flow shear, such as to promote
turbulent mixing. For
example, the second annular portion 258 may comprise a series of stator vanes
266 that are
positioned closely together, in contrast to the wide spacing of the posts 262
of the first annular
portion 256. Thus, narrow flowpaths 268 may be defined between the stator
vanes 266, in
contrast to the wide slots 264 of the first annular portion 256.
[0049] The sum of areas of the flowpaths 268 may be less than the sum of
the areas of the
stator vanes 266. The ratio of the collective flow-obstructing area of the
stator vanes 266 to the
collective flow-permitting area of the flowpaths 268 may be about 1.5:1, for
example. However,
the ratio may range between about 1:2 and about 4:1, among other examples
within the scope of
the present disclosure. The flow-obstructing area of each stator vane 266 may
be greater than the
flow-permitting area of each flowpath 268.
[0050] The stator vanes 266 may be disposed at various pitch angles with
respect to the
circumference of the stator 218. For example, the axially extending surfaces
of the stator vanes
266 may be substantially straight (e.g., substantially parallel to the
diameter of the stator 218) or
slanted (e.g., to increase shear), whether in or opposite the direction of
rotation of the
impeller/slinger assembly 210.
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[0051] During mixing operations, the mixer 105 may reject air trapped in
the hydratable
material introduced into the mixing chamber 214, thereby forming and
discharging the
concentrated fluid mixture that is substantially air free or having
substantially less air than the
amount of air introduced into the mixing chamber 214.
[0052] Returning to FIG. 2, the mixer 105 may discharge the fluid mixture,
hereinafter
referred to as a concentrated fluid mixture, under pressure into the first
container 125. The first
container 125 may be or comprise a continuous flow channel or pathway for
communicating or
conveying the concentrated fluid mixture over a period of time sufficient to
permit adequate
hydration to occur, such that the concentrated fluid mixture may reach a
predetermined level of
hydration and/or viscosity. The first container 125 may have a first-in-first-
out mode of
operation, and may comprise a vessel-type outer housing enclosing a receptacle
having an
elongated flow pathway or space operable to store and communicate the
concentrated fluid
mixture therethrough. The first container 125 may be an enclosed container,
tank, or vessel,
such as may permit the concentrated fluid mixture to be pressurized at an
inlet of the first
container and forced through the first container 125 until the concentrated
fluid mixture is
discharged at an outlet of the first container 125.
[0053] The first container 125 may utilize the discharge pressure generated
by the mixer as a
motive force, such as may at least partially move or aid in the movement of
the concentrated
fluid mixture through the first container. In other words, the discharge
pressure from the mixer
105 may push a viscous concentrated fluid mixture through one or more first
containers 125. In
an example implementation, the mixer 105 may cause a concentrated fluid
mixture having about
160 pounds or more of hydratable material per 1000 gallons of hydrating fluid
to move through
the first container 125. The ability to hydrate the hydratable material within
the hydrating fluid
at higher concentrations may accelerate hydration rate of the hydratable
material. For example,
the hydration rate may increase by about 10% or more due to handling of a
higher concentration
gel in the first container 125. For example, the rate of hydration may
increase when handling gel
that has about 80 pounds or more of hydratable material per 1000 gallons of
hydrating fluid.
[0054] FIG. 4 is an expanded view of an example implementation of a portion
of the first
container 125 according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The
first container 125
may comprise a plurality of enclosures 310, 320, 330, 340, which include a
first enclosure 310, a
second enclosure 320, and one or more intermediate enclosures 330, 340. The
first container 125
may further comprise a first port 312 disposed on an outer wall 314 of the
first enclosure 310 and
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operable to receive the concentrated fluid mixture, and a second port 322
disposed on an outer
wall 324 of the second enclosure 320 and operable to discharge the
concentrated fluid mixture.
The ports 312, 322 may be flush with or extend outward from the outer walls
314, 324, including
implementations in which the ports 312, 322 extend outward in a tangential
direction relative to
the outer walls 314, 324.
[0055] The enclosures 310, 320, 330, 340 may comprise separate chambers
through which
the concentrated fluid mixture may travel a distance over a time period
sufficient for adequate
hydration to occur. The enclosures 310, 320, 330, 340 may collectively be in
fluid
communication, such as may permit the concentrated fluid mixture to be
introduced into the first
container 125 via the first port 312, then through the first enclosure 310,
through the intermediate
enclosures 330, 340, through the second enclosure 320, and then discharged
through the second
port 322.
[0056] The first container 125 may further comprise a first plate 350
connected to the first
enclosure 310, such as to confine the concentrated fluid mixture within the
first enclosure 310
while passing through the first enclosure 310. The first plate 350 may be
connected to the first
enclosure 310 by various means, including removable fasteners attaching with a
flange 318 of
the first enclosure 310, welding, and/or other means, or may be formed as an
integrated portion
of the first enclosure 310. The enclosures 310, 320, 330, 340 may be connected
with one another
by same or similar means. For example, each of the enclosures 310, 320, 330,
340 may comprise
a flange 316, 318, 326, 328, 336, 338, 346, 348 extending along the top and
bottom of the outer
walls 314, 324, 334, 344, such as for receiving threaded fasteners and/or
other means for
securing the enclosures 310, 320, 330, 340 with one another.
[0057] Each of the enclosures 310, 320, 330, 340 may comprise an interior
space 360, 370,
380, 390. Each interior space 360, 370, 380, 390, may be or define at least
one continuous fluid
flow channel or other passageway 362, 372, 382, 392, respectively, each having
a length greater
than the circumferential length of the corresponding outer wall 314, 324, 334,
344. For example,
each passageway 362, 372, 382, 392 may be defined within the corresponding
interior space 360,
370, 380, 390 by a spiral or otherwise shaped wall 364. The passageways 362,
372, 382, 392
may be orientated and connected such that the first and second ports 312, 322
are in fluid
communication.
[0058] For example, during hydration operations, the concentrated fluid
mixture may be
introduced into the first port 312, travel through the passageway 362, and
exit or otherwise
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discharge from the first enclosure 310 at a substantially central port 366
(shown in phantom
lines). The concentrated fluid mixture may then flow into the first
intermediate enclosure 330 at
a central end 384 of the passageway 382, travel through the passageway 382,
and exit from the
first intermediate enclosure 330 into the second intermediate enclosure 340
through a port 386
(shown in phantom lines) extending vertically through the first intermediate
enclosure 330. The
concentrated fluid mixture may then travel through the passageway 392 and exit
from the second
intermediate enclosure 340 into the second enclosure 320 through a port 396
(shown in phantom
lines) extending vertically through the second intermediate enclosure 340. The
concentrated
fluid mixture may then flow though the passageway 372 and exit through the
second port 322.
[0059] Although FIG. 4 show four enclosures 310, 320, 330, 340, the first
container 125 may
comprise one, two, three, five, or more enclosures within the scope of the
present disclosure.
Although FIGS. 2 and 4 show a single first container 125, additional first
containers, such as
between two and five containers, may be connected in parallel and/or series
if, for example,
additional flow rates and/or longer hydration times arc intended.
[0060] Furthermore, when multiple first containers 125 are utilized, the
pressure drop across
each first container 125 may be detected and utilized to determine the
concentration, viscosity,
and/or hydration level of the concentrated fluid mixture. When multiple first
containers 125 are
utilized, one or more in-line shearing and/or other mixing devices may be
fluidly connected
between instances of the first containers 125, such as to increase the rate of
hydration within the
first containers 125. The concentration of the concentrated fluid mixture
flowing through the
multiple first containers 125 may also be staged between each first container
125, such as may
permit more efficient sweep and cleanup of the concentrated fluid mixture at
the end of the
hydration operations.
[0061] During operation of the hydration system 100, concentration slugs
may be
intentionally formed within the concentrated fluid mixture such that the slugs
may produce
pulsing of concentration in the concentrated fluid mixture as the concentrated
fluid mixture
travels through the first container 125. Heat rejected from one or more
components of the
hydration system 100, such as engines or motors, may also be transferred to
the first container
125, such as to heat the concentrated fluid mixture within the first container
125 to expedite
hydration. The first container 125 may also be implemented with a gel-phobic
coating or layer,
such as may facilitate improved flow and decrease buildup on internal surfaces
of the first
container 125. The passageways 362, 372, 382, 392 and/or other portions of the
first container
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125 and other fluid conduits may also be purged by circulating a clean fluid
(e.g., water,
hydrating fluid) at velocities sufficient to create turbulence. The mixer 105,
a pump 140, a first
flow control device 145 (when implemented as a metering pump), an external
pump, and/or other
means may be utilized to circulate the clean fluid for such purging.
[0062] As depicted in FIG. 2, after the concentrated fluid mixture is
discharged from the first
container 125, the concentrated fluid mixture may comprise a predetermined
level of hydration
and/or viscosity and may be transferred or communicated through a diluter 130.
FIG. 5 is a
schematic view of an example implementation of the diluter 130 according to
one or more
aspects of the present disclosure.
[0063] The diluter 130 may be operable to mix or otherwise combine the
concentrated fluid
mixture with additional hydrating fluid or other aqueous fluid to dilute the
concentrated fluid
mixture or otherwise reduce the concentration of the hydratable material in
the concentrated fluid
mixture to a predetermined concentration level. The diluter 130 may be or
comprise a fluid
junction, a tee connection, a wyc connection, an eductor, a mixing valve, an
inline mixer, and/or
another device operable to combine and/or mix two or more fluids. The diluter
130 may
comprise a first passage 131 operable to receive a substantially continuous
supply of
concentrated fluid mixture, as indicated by arrow 101, a second passage 132
operable to receive
a substantially continuous supply of hydrating fluid, as indicated by arrow
102, and a third
passage 133 operable to discharge a substantially continuously supply of the
diluted fluid
mixture, as indicated by arrow 103. The first passage 131 may be fluidly
connected with the
outlet port 322 of the first container 125, such as may permit the
concentrated fluid mixture to be
transferred into the diluter 130. The second passage 132 may be fluidly
connected with the
hydrating fluid source 120, such as may permit the hydrating fluid to be
transferred into the
diluter 130.
[0064] The hydrating fluid may be communicated to the diluter 130 by the
pump 140, which
may be operable to pressurize and/or move the hydrating fluid from the
hydrating fluid source
120 to the diluter 130. The pump 140 may be or comprise a centrifugal pump or
another pump
operable to transfer or otherwise substantially continuously move the
hydratable material from
the source 120 into the diluter 130. For example, the pump 140 may move the
hydrating fluid
from the source 120 at a flow rate ranging between about zero barrels per
minute (BPM) and
about 150 BPM. However, the hydration system 100 is scalable, and the pump 140
may be
operable at other flow rates.
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[0065] The ratio of the concentrated fluid mixture and the hydrating fluid
fed to the diluter
130, which determines the concentration of the resulting diluted fluid
mixture, may be controlled
by adjusting a first flow control device 145, operable to control the flow of
the concentrated fluid
mixture into the diluter 130, and/or a second flow control device 150,
operable to control the
flow of the hydrating fluid into the diluter 130. For example, if the
concentration of the diluted
fluid mixture is selected to be decreased for use downstream, the
concentration of the diluted
fluid mixture may be decreased by decreasing the flow rate of the concentrated
fluid mixture into
the diluter 130, via operation of the first flow control device 145, and/or by
increasing the flow
rate of the hydrating fluid into the diluter 130, via operation of the second
flow control device
150. The flow rate of the concentrated fluid mixture into the diluter 130 may
be decreased by
closing or otherwise reducing the flow area of the first flow control device
145, and the flow rate
of the hydrating fluid into the diluter 130 may be increased by opening or
otherwise increasing
the flow area of the second flow control device 150. Similarly, if the
concentration of the diluted
fluid mixture is selected to be increased for use downstream, the
concentration of the diluted
fluid mixture may be increased by increasing the flow rate of the concentrated
fluid mixture into
the diluter 130 and/or by decreasing the flow rate of the hydrating fluid into
the diluter 130. The
flow rate of the concentrated fluid mixture into the diluter 130 may be
increased by opening or
otherwise increasing the flow area of the first flow control device 145, and
the flow rate of the
hydrating fluid into the diluter 130 may be decreased by closing or otherwise
decreasing the flow
area of the second flow control device 150. The first and second flow control
devices 145, 150
may comprise various types of flow control valves, including needle valves,
metering valves,
butterfly valves, globe valves, or other valves operable to control the rate
of fluid flow
therethrough.
[0066] Each of the flow control devices 145, 150 may comprise a flow-
disrupting member
146, 151, such as may be a plate having a substantially circular
configuration, and perhaps
having a central opening or passageway 147, 152 extending therethrough. The
flow-disrupting
members 146, 151 may be selectively rotatable relative to the passages 131,
132 to selectively
open and close the passages 131, 132. Such rotation may be via operation of
corresponding
solenoids, motors, and/or other actuators (not shown).
[0067] FIG. 5 depicts the concentrated fluid mixture being introduced into
the diluter 130 via
the first passage 131 of the diluter 130, and the hydrating fluid being
introduced into the diluter
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130 via the second passage 132. However, the concentrated fluid mixture may be
introduced via
the second passage 132, and the hydrating fluid may be introduced via the
first fluid passage 131.
[0068] In addition to or instead of the depicted flow control valve, the
first flow control
device 145 may comprise a metering pump operable to transfer the concentrated
fluid mixture
from the first container 125 to the diluter 130 at a predetermined flow rate.
The metering pump
may be a lobe pump, a gear pump, a piston pump, or another positive
displacement pump
operable to move liquids at a selected flow rate.
[0069] A third flow control device 155 may also be disposed at the
discharge or downstream
of the diluter 130. The third flow control device 155 may be operable to
increase or decrease the
output rate of the diluted fluid mixture discharged from the diluter 130 and
introduced into a
second container 135 of the hydration system 100. It is noted that the
combination of the flow
control devices 145, 150, 155 may be further operable to increase and decrease
the residence
time of the concentrated fluid mixture in the first container 125 and, thus,
increase the level of
hydration and viscosity of the concentrated fluid mixture discharged by the
first container 125.
For example, slower flow rates permit the concentrated fluid mixture to remain
in the first
container 125 for a longer period of time prior to introduction into the
diluter 130 and/or the
second container 135.
[0070] Similarly to the first and second flow control devices 145, 150, the
third flow control
device 155 may comprise a flow-disrupting member 156, such as may comprise a
plate having a
substantially circular configuration perhaps having a central opening or
passageway 157
extending therethrough. The third flow-disrupting member 156 may be
selectively rotatable
relative to the third passage 133 to selectively open and close the third
passage 133, perhaps in a
manner similar to the selective rotation of the first and second flow-
disrupting members 146,
151.
[0071] The first, second, and/or third flow-disrupting members 146, 151,
156 and/or other
features of the first, second, and/or third flow control devices 145, 150, 155
may be further
operable to disrupt flow or otherwise generate turbulence 134 in the flows of
the concentrated
fluid mixture, the hydrating fluid, and/or the diluted fluid mixture. Such
turbulence 134 may
provide mixing energy that may aid in dilution of the concentrated fluid
mixture with the
hydrating fluid to the predetermined concentration of hydratable material.
[0072] Returning to FIG. 2, the diluted fluid mixture discharged by the
diluter 130 may be
communicated to the second container 135, where a supply of the diluted fluid
mixture is stored
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prior to being utilized in downhole operations or as an ingredient or portion
of another fluid
mixture utilized in downhole operations. The second container 135 may also
permit the diluted
fluid mixture to further hydrate prior to being discharged. The second
container 135 may be an
open or enclosed vessel or a tank comprising one or more open spaces operable
to receive and
contain the diluted fluid mixture. However, the second container 135 may be
omitted if
sufficient hydration and/or viscosity level is achieved via one or more
instances of the first
container 125 and/or the diluter 130. In such implementation, the diluted
fluid mixture may be
communicated directly downhole or utilized in another process before being
injected downhole.
For example, the diluted fluid mixture may be communicated to another mixer
operable to mix
proppants and/or other solid particulate material with the diluted fluid
mixture to form a
fracturing fluid or another fluid utilized in fracturing operations.
[0073] The second container 135 may comprise the same or similar structure
and/or function
as the first container 125, or the second container 135 may be implemented as
another type of
first-in-first-out vessel or tank, such as may provide additional hydration
time for the diluted
fluid mixture. The second container 135 may also comprise one or more level
sensors 137, such
as may be operable to generate signals or information related to the amount of
diluted fluid
mixture contained within the second container 135.
[0074] The hydration system 100 may also comprise a plurality of valves 181-
186 operable
to control flow of the hydrating fluid, the concentrated fluid mixture, or the
diluted fluid mixture,
depending on their location. The valves 181-186 may comprise ball valves,
globe valves,
butterfly valves, or other types of valves operable to control fluid flow
therethrough. For
example, a first valve 181 may be operable to control flow of the hydrating
fluid to the mixer
105, a second valve 182 may be operable to control flow of the concentrated
fluid mixture into
the first container 125, and a third valve 183 may be operable to control flow
of the concentrated
fluid mixture into the diluter 130. A fourth valve 184 may be operable to
control the supply of
the hydrating fluid to the diluter 130, a fifth valve 185 may be operable to
control the supply of
the concentrated fluid mixture discharged from the flow control device 145
back to the first
container 125, and a sixth valve 186 may be operable to control the supply of
the concentrated
fluid mixture discharged from the flow control device 145 to the pump 140.
[0075] That is, the concentrated fluid mixture may be recirculated through
the first container
125 via a recirculation flow path 126 comprising one or more pipes, hoses,
and/or other fluid
flow conduits, such as when an excess supply of the diluted fluid mixture
exists in the second
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container 135, or to provide additional hydration time for the concentrated
fluid mixture.
Accordingly, the third valve 183 may be closed and the fifth valve 185 may be
opened to permit
the concentrated fluid mixture to recirculate through the flow path 126 and
then the first
container 125. During such recirculation operations, the first flow control
device 145 (when
implemented as a metering pump described above), may be operable to
recirculate or otherwise
move the concentrated fluid mixture through the recirculation flow path 126
and the first
container 125.
[0076] The concentrated fluid mixture may also be redirected through a
redirected flow path
127 comprising one or more pipes, hoses, and/or other fluid flow conduits,
such as for
introduction to the hydrating fluid flowing between the hydrating fluid source
120 and the pump
140. The combined hydrating fluid and concentrated fluid mixture may be
simultaneously
transferred and mixed by the pump 140 to dilute the concentrated fluid mixture
and, thus, form
the diluted fluid mixture. Accordingly, the third valve 183 may be closed to
prevent the
concentrated fluid mixture from entering the diluter 130, and the sixth valve
186 may be opened
to permit the concentrated fluid mixture to enter the fluid conduit(s)
connecting the hydrating
fluid source 120 and the pump 140. Thereafter, the pump 140 may transfer the
diluted fluid
mixture into the second container 135 as described above or via another flow
path 128
comprising one or more pipes, hoses, and/or other fluid flow conduits.
[0077] The hydration system 100 may also comprise a plurality of flow
meters 160, 165,
170, 175 operable to measure flow rates of selected fluids. The flow meter 160
may be disposed
between the hydrating fluid source 120 and the mixer 105, such as may
facilitate monitoring the
flow rate of the hydrating fluid being introduced into the mixer 105. The flow
meter 165 may be
disposed between the hydrating fluid source 120 and the pump 140, and the flow
meter 175 may
be fluidly connected between the pump 140 and the diluter 130, such that one
or both of the flow
meters 165, 175 may facilitate monitoring the flow rate of the hydrating fluid
being introduced
by the pump 140 into the diluter 130. The flow meter 170 may be disposed
between the diluter
130 and the second container 135, such as may facilitate monitoring the flow
rate of the diluted
fluid mixture being discharged from the diluter 130.
[0078] The flow meters 160, 165, 170, 175 may generate signals or
information related to the
corresponding fluid flow rates and communicate the signals to a controller
410. The information
generated by the flow meters 160, 165, 170, 175 may be utilized by the
controller 410 as a
feedback signal, such as may facilitate a closed-loop control of the hydration
system 100. For
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example, the information may be utilized to check the accuracy of the flow
control devices 145,
150, 155 and/or to adjust the flow rates of the corresponding fluids, such
that the concentrations
and flow rates of the concentrated and diluted fluid mixtures match setpoint
values, which may
be predetermined, selected by a human operator, and/or determined by the
controller 410 during
hydration operations.
[0079] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of at least a portion of an example
implementation of the
controller 410 in communication with the transfer device 115, the mixer 105,
the pump 140, the
flow control devices 145, 150, 155, the flow meters 160, 165, 170, 175, the
valves 181-186, the
force sensors 112, and the level sensors 137 (hereinafter referred to
collectively as "hydration
system components") according to one or more aspects of the present
disclosure. Such
communication may be via wired and/or wireless communication means. However,
for clarity
and ease of understanding, such communication means are not depicted in FIG.
2, and a person
having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that myriad means for such
communication means
are within the scope of the present disclosure.
[0080] The controller 410 may be operable to execute example machine-
readable
instructions to implement at least a portion of one or more of the methods
and/or processes
described herein, and/or to implement a portion of one or more of the example
oilfield devices
described herein. The controller 410 may be or comprise, for example, one or
more processors,
special-purpose computing devices, servers, personal computers, personal
digital assistant
("PDA") devices, smartphones, internet appliances, and/or other types of
computing devices.
[0081] The controller 410 may comprise a processor 412, such as a general-
purpose
programmable processor. The processor 412 may comprise a local memory 414, and
may
execute coded instructions 432 present in the local memory 414 and/or another
memory device.
The processor 412 may execute coded instructions 432 that, among other
examples, may include
machine-readable instructions or programs to implement the methods and/or
processes described
herein. The processor 412 may be, comprise, or be implemented by one or a
plurality of
processors of various types suitable to the local application environment, and
may include one or
more of general-purpose computers, special-purpose computers, microprocessors,
digital signal
processors ("DSPs"), field-programmable gate arrays ("FPGAs"), application-
specific integrated
circuits ("ASICs"), and processors based on a multi-core processor
architecture, as non-limiting
examples. Of course, other processors from other families are also
appropriate.
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[0082] The processor 412 may be in communication with a main memory, such
as may
include a volatile memory 418 and a non-volatile memory 420, perhaps via a bus
422 and/or
other communication means. The volatile memory 418 may be, comprise, or be
implemented by
random access memory (RAM), static random access memory (SRAM), synchronous
dynamic
random access memory (SDRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), RAMBUS
dynamic random access memory (RDRAM), and/or other types of random access
memory
devices. The non-volatile memory 420 may be, comprise, or be implemented by
read-only
memory, flash memory, and/or other types of memory devices. One or more memory
controllers
(not shown) may control access to the volatile memory 418 and/or the non-
volatile memory 420.
The processor 412 may be further operable to cause the controller 410 to
receive, collect, and/or
record the concentration and flow setpoints and/or other information generated
by the hydration
system components and/or other sensors onto the main memory.
[0083] The controller 410 may also comprise an interface circuit 424. The
interface circuit
424 may be, comprise, or be implemented by various types of standard
interfaces, such as an
Ethernet interface, a universal serial bus (USB), a third generation
input/output (3G10) interface,
a wireless interface, and/or a cellular interface, among other examples. The
interface circuit 424
may also comprise a graphics driver card. The interface circuit 424 may also
comprise a
communication device, such as a modem or network interface card, such as to
facilitate exchange
of data with external computing devices via a network (e.g., via Ethernet
connection, digital
subscriber line ("DSL"), a telephone line, a coaxial cable, a cellular
telephone system, a satellite,
etc.).
[0084] The hydration system components may be connected with the controller
410 via the
interface circuit 424, such as may facilitate communication therebetween. For
example, each of
the hydration system components may comprise a corresponding interface circuit
(not shown),
which may facilitate communication with the controller 410. Each corresponding
interface
circuit may permit signals or information generated by the hydration system
components to be
sent to the controller 410 as feedback signals for monitoring one or more of
the hydration system
components, or perhaps the entirety of the hydration system 100. Each
corresponding interface
circuit may permit control signals to be received from the controller 410 by
the various motors,
drives, and/or other actuators (not shown) associated with ones of the
hydration system
components to control operation of the corresponding hydration system
components, such as to
control operation of the entirety of the hydration system 100.
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[0085] One or more input devices 426 may also be connected to the interface
circuit 424.
The input devices 426 may permit a human operator to enter data and commands
into the
processor 412, such as may include a setpoint corresponding to a predetermined
concentration of
the hydratable material in the diluted fluid mixture (hereinafter referred to
as the "concentration
setpoint") and a setpoint corresponding to a predetermined flow rate of the
diluted fluid mixture
discharged by the hydration system 100 (hereinafter referred to as the "flow
setpoint"). The
input devices 426 may be, comprise, or be implemented by a keyboard, a mouse,
a touchscreen,
a track-pad, a trackball, an isopoint, and/or a voice recognition system,
among other examples.
One or more output devices 428 may also be connected to the interface circuit
424, such as to
display the concentration and flow setpoints and information generated by one
or more of the
hydration system components. The output devices 428 may be, comprise, or be
implemented by
visual display devices (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or cathode ray
tube display (CRT),
among others), printers, and/or speakers, among other examples.
[0086] The controller 410 may also comprise one or more mass storage
devices 430 and/or a
removable storage medium 434, such as may be or include floppy disk drives,
hard drive disks,
compact disk (CD) drives, digital versatile disk (DVD) drives, and/or USB
and/or other flash
drives, among other examples. The information generated by the hydration
system components
and/or other sensors may be stored on the one or more mass storage devices 430
and/or the
removable storage medium 434.
[0087] The coded instructions 432 may be stored in the mass storage device
430, the volatile
memory 418, the non-volatile memory 420, the local memory 414, and/or the
removable storage
medium 434. Thus, components of the controller 410 may be implemented in
accordance with
hardware (perhaps embodied in one or more chips including an integrated
circuit, such as an
application specific integrated circuit), or may be implemented as software or
firmware for
execution by one or more processors. In the case of firmware or software, the
implementation
may be provided as a computer program product including a computer readable
medium or
storage structure embodying computer program code (i.e., software or firmware)
thereon for
execution by the processor 412.
[0088] The coded instructions 432 may include program instructions or
computer program
code that, when executed by the processor 412, cause the hydration system 100
(or at least
components thereof) to perform tasks as described herein. For example, the
coded instructions
432, when executed, may cause the controller 410 to receive and process the
concentration and
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flow setpoints and, based on the setpoints, cause the hydration system 100 to
form the diluted
fluid mixture at the predetermined flow and having the predetermined
concentration. When
executed, the coded instructions 432 may cause the controller 410 to receive
the information
generated by hydration system components and process the information as
feedback signals,
such as may facilitate a closed-loop control of the hydration system 100
and/or the hydration
system components. For example, the information may be processed to check the
accuracy of
the transfer device 115 and flow control devices 145, 150, 155, and/or to
adjust the flow rates of
the hydratable material and corresponding fluids, such that the flow rate of
the diluted fluid
mixture and the concentrations of the concentrated and diluted fluid mixtures
match the flow and
concentration setpoints. Although flow and concentration setpoints are
discussed herein, it is to
be understood that the controller 410 may receive and process other setpoints
within the scope of
the present disclosure. The controller 410 may also monitor and control other
parameters and
operations of the hydration system 100, such as may be implemented to form the
diluted fluid
mixture.
[0089] FIG. 7 is flow-chart diagram of at least a portion of an example
control process 500
stored as coded instructions 432 and executed by the controller 410 and/or one
or more other
controllers associated with the hydration system components according to one
or more aspects of
the present disclosure. The following description refers to FIGS. 2, 6, and 7,
collectively.
[0090] The process 500 may be implemented by the hydration system 100 to
form the diluted
fluid mixture based on the predetermined concentration and flow setpoints
entered into the
controller 410 by a human operator. The process 500 may comprise a series of
interrelated
stages or sub-processes 510, 520, 530, 540, 550, wherein each such sub-process
may employ a
separate control loop, such as a proportional-integral-derivative (PID)
control loop. For
example, one or more of the sub-processes 510, 520, 530, 540, 550 may utilize
a control loop to
achieve an intended output or result. The sub-processes 510, 520, 530, 540,
550 may be
interrelated, as depicted by arrows 522, 532, 542, 552.
[0091] The sub-process 510 may comprise a determination of a concentrated
fluid mixture
("CFM") concentration setpoint and a dilution ratio. Inputs to this sub-
process may include a
diluted fluid mixture ("DFM") concentration setpoint 512 (hereinafter "first
setpoint") and a
maximum diluted fluid mixture flow rate setpoint 514 (hereinafter "second
setpoint"), which
may be compared against the information generated by the flow meter 170. The
first and second
setpoints 512, 514 may be predetermined or selected parameters that are
specific to a wellsite
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operation to be executed utilizing the hydration system 100, such as a
hydraulic fracturing
operation. The first and second setpoints 512, 514 may be entered into the
controller 410 in a
suitable manner, such as via the input devices 426. The setpoints 512, 514 may
be determined
based on other information that is relevant to the wellsite operation, such as
characteristics of a
subterranean formation (e.g., size, location, content, etc.) into which the
diluted fluid mixture
discharged by the hydration system 100 is to be injected. The controller 410
may determine and
output other parameters utilized during hydration operations based on the
entered first and
second setpoints 512, 514 and/or other inputs. The controller 410 may then
communicate the
other parameters to one or more equipment controllers (not shown) associated
with the hydration
system components, which in turn, may implement additional sub-processes.
[0092] The sub-process 520 may comprise the control of the transfer device
115 for
transferring hydratable material to the mixer 105. Inputs to the sub-process
520 may include one
or more outputs (e.g., setpoints) generated by the sub-process 510, along with
an actual hydrating
fluid flow rate 526 into the mixer 105, as determined by the flow meter 160.
Signals generated
by the one or more force sensors 112, such as load cells that support the
hydratable material
source 512, may be utilized in the sub-process 520 to ensure that an
appropriate amount of
hydratable material is being introduced into the mixer 105, and/or to compare
the expected
amount of hydratable material with an actual amount of hydratable material
introduced into the
mixer 105.
[0093] The sub-process 530 may comprise the determination of the diluted
fluid mixture
flow rate setpoint, which includes determination of the concentrated fluid
mixture flow rate
setpoint and the hydrating fluid flow rate setpoint (indicated in FIG. 7 as
"Dilution Rate
Setpoint"). The inputs to the sub-process 530 may include one or more of the
outputs generated
by the sub-process 510, along with a total hydrating fluid flow rate 534 into
the diluter 130, as
determined by one or more of the flow meters 160, 165, 175, and a diluted
fluid mixture level
536 in the second container 135, as determined by the level sensor 137.
[0094] The sub-process 540 may comprise control of the concentrated fluid
mixture flow rate
into the diluter 130, which may be a function of the first flow control device
145. The inputs to
the sub-process 540 may include a concentrated fluid mixture flow rate
setpoint 542 generated
by the sub-process 530, along with an actual concentrated fluid mixture flow
rate 544, as
determined by the first flow control device 145 or a flow meter (not shown).
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[0095] The sub-process 550 may comprise control of the hydrating fluid flow
rate into the
diluter 130, such as to control dilution of the concentrated fluid mixture.
Inputs to the sub-
process 550 may include a dilution rate setpoint 552 generated by the sub-
process 530, along
with a hydrating fluid flow rate 554 into the diluter 130, as determined by
one or more of the
flow meters 165, 175.
[0096] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an example implementation of the
hydration system
100 shown in FIG. 2 according to one or more aspects of the present
disclosure. The hydration
system 100 is depicted in FIG. 8 as being implemented as a mobile hydration
system 600
detachably connected with a prime mover 602. The mobile hydration system 600
comprises a
mobile carrier 603 having a frame 604 and a plurality of wheels 606 rotatably
connected to the
frame 604 and supporting the frame 604 on the ground 610. The mobile hydration
system 600
may further comprise a control cabin 612, which may be referred to in the art
as an E-house,
connected with the frame 604. The control cabin 612 may comprise one or more
controllers,
such as the controller 410 shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, and which may be operable
to monitor and
control the mobile hydration system 600 as described above with respect to the
hydration system
100.
[0097] The mobile hydration system 600 further comprises the hydratable
material source
110, implemented as a hopper or bin operable to receive hydratable material
therein. The
hydratable material source 110 is connected to the frame 604 by, for example,
a plurality of
support members 616.
[0098] The mobile hydration system 600 further comprises the mixer 105 and
the hydratable
material transfer device 115, such as a screw feeder and/or other device
operable to meter the
hydratable material into the mixer 105. The mixer 105 is connected with the
frame 604 and
comprises a motor 621 operable to drive the mixer 105. The mixer 105 may be or
comprise the
solid-fluid mixer 105 as depicted in FIG. 3 or another mixer operable to mix
or blend hydrating
fluid with hydratable material. The hydrating fluid may be supplied to the
mixer 105 from a
hydrating fluid source 120, which is depicted in FIG. 8 as being implemented
as a manifold
operable to receive hydrating fluid via a plurality of ports 624. Each of the
ports 624 may
comprise a valve 625, such as may be operable to control the flow of hydrating
fluid.
[0099] After the hydratable material and hydrating fluid are blended within
the mixer 105 to
form the concentrated fluid mixture, the concentrated fluid mixture may be
communicated into
and through one or more instances of the first container 125 The first
container 125 is depicted
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in FIG. 8 as being implemented as four enclosed hydrating containers
(hereinafter "hydrators")
each comprising a substantially continuous flow pathway extending
therethrough, such as the
example implementation depicted in FIG. 4. Thus, each first container 125 may
comprise first
and second ports 312, 322 operable to receive or discharge the concentrated
fluid mixture into or
from each first container 125. Each first container 125 may be connected to
the frame 604 by,
for example, a plurality of support members 632.
[00100] After the concentrated fluid mixture is passed through each first
container 125, the
concentrated fluid mixture may be communicated into the second container 135,
which is
depicted in FIG. 8 as being implemented as a header tank. Prior to being
introduced into the
second container 135, additional hydrating fluid may be combined with or added
to the
concentrated fluid mixture via the diluter 130, which is depicted in FIG. 8 as
being implemented
as a piping tee. The hydrating fluid may be transferred from the hydrating
fluid source 120 to
the diluter 130 by the pump 140, such as a centrifugal pump driven by a motor
640. The
hydrating fluid and the concentrated fluid mixture may be combined within the
diluter 130 to
form the diluted fluid mixture, as described above, and communicated into the
second container
135. The diluted fluid mixture may be discharged from the second container 135
via an outlet
port 642, which may be opened and closed with a valve 644. The second
container 135 may be
connected to the frame 604 by, for example, a plurality of support members
646.
[00101] FIG. 9 is a schematic view of an example implementation of a portion
of the mobile
hydration apparatus 600 shown in FIG. 8 according to one or more aspects of
the present
disclosure. FIG. 9 depicts the hydratable material source 110 as being
implemented as
comprising a substantially conical hopper section 615, and further comprising
or otherwise being
utilized in conjunction with an activator system 650. The activator system 650
comprises an
internal baffle 652 rigidly attached to a hopper 617 and/or other component of
the hydratable
material source 110 by, for example, a plurality of structural members 654.
The baffle 652 may
be substantially conical, convex, or otherwise shaped, and may be
substantially solid or have a
plurality of small holes forming a sieve. A compliant membrane (not shown) may
extend
between a cylindrical bin section 614 and/or other portion of the activator
system 650 and the
conical hopper section 615 of the hydratable material source 110, such as to
prevent hydratable
material from passing upward around the outside of the conical hopper section
615 of the
hydratable material source 110, and/or to minimize dust generation. The bin
section 614, hopper
617, and/or other components of the activator system 650 may move or vibrate
horizontally in
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response to centrifugal forces generated by a vibrator 656, such as may
comprise unbalanced
rotating weights therein. The vibrator 656 may be connected to the bin section
614 and/or other
component of the activator system 650 by one or more clamps, threaded
fasteners, and/or other
means. During hydration operations, the activator system 650 may break apart
clumps of
hydratable material moving from the conical hopper section 615 to the hopper
617 past the baffle
652, as indicated by arrows 660. The vibration or motion generated by the
activator system 650
may aid in mitigating rat-hole formation tendencies of the hydratable material
being fed from the
hydratable material source 110.
[00102] Table 1 set forth below lists example specifications and/or operating
parameters of
the mobile hydration system 600. However, Table 1 merely provides example
values, and many
other values are also within the scope of the present disclosure.
HM source 110 capacity 4000 lb minimum
HM source 110 input means 2-inch port 111 for pneumatic transfer with dust
collection
Maximum HM transfer rate 135 lb/min
HM transfer device 115 Volumetric screw feeder and loss in weight
automated
calibration
Maximum mixing rate of mixer 105 Up to 120 BPM and 120 lb/1000 gal
(at 70 degrees F)
Hydration time at maximum rate 150 seconds
through first containers 115
First container 115 pressure rating 80 pounds/in2 (psi); ASME rated
Mixer 105 maximum operating point 27 BPM at 55 psi discharge
Table I
[00103] FIG. 10 is a flow-chart diagram of at least a portion of an example
implementation of
a method (700) according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The
method (700)
may be performed utilizing at least a portion of one or more implementations
of the apparatus
shown in one or more of FIGS. 2-9 and/or other apparatus within the scope of
the present
disclosure. For the sake of clarity and ease of understanding, however, the
following description
of the method (700) depicted in FIG. 10 also collectively refers to FIGS. 2
and 8 by way of
example.
[00104] The method (700) comprises communicating (705) a substantially
continuous stream
of gel having a first concentration. As described above, the gel may be a
mixture of hydratable
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material and hydrating fluid. Thus, for example, such communication (705) may
be via a
discharge means of the mixer 105, such as the outlet 216 shown in FIG. 3,
and/or one or more
pipes, hoses, and/or other conduits (hereinafter collectively referred to as
"conduits") fluidly
connecting the mixer 105 with one or more instances of the first container
125. Such
communication (705) may also or instead be through one or more instances of
the first container
125, such as to permit sufficient hydration of the substantially continuous
stream of gel having
the first concentration. Such communication (705) may also or instead be via a
discharge means
of the furthest downstream instance of the first container 125 (where multiple
instances of the
first container 125 are utilized), such as the port 322 shown in FIG. 4,
and/or one or more
conduits fluidly connecting the furthest downstream instance of the first
container 125 with the
diluter 130. Such communication (705) may also or instead be via one or more
other
components shown in one or both of FIGS. 2 and 8, such as the valve 182, the
flow control
device 145, the valve 183, the flow path 126, the valve 185, the flow path
127, the valve 186, the
pump 140, the flow control device 150, and/or one or more conduits thereof
and/or
therebetween.
[00105] The method (700) also comprises communicating (710) a substantially
continuous
stream of aqueous fluid. Such communication (710) may be via one or more of
the ports 624
and/or one or more conduits fluidly connecting one or more of the ports 624
with the diluter 130.
Such communication (710) may also or instead be via one or more other
components shown in
one or both of FIGS. 2 and 8, such as one or both of the flow meters 165, 175,
the valve 184, the
pump 140, the flow control device 150, and/or one or more conduits thereof
and/or
therebetween.
[00106] The method (700) also comprises combining (715) the substantially
continuous
streams of gel having the first concentration and aqueous fluid to form a
substantially continuous
stream of gel having a second concentration, wherein the second concentration
is substantially
lower than the first concentration. Such combination (715) may be via the
diluter 130 and/or one
or more other components and/or conduits shown in one or both of FIGS. 2 and
8.
[00107] Combining (715) the substantially continuous streams of gel having the
first
concentration and aqueous fluid to form the substantially continuous stream of
gel having the
second concentration may comprise changing the second concentration by
changing at least one
of: a first flow rate of the substantially continuous stream of gel having the
first concentration;
and a second flow rate of the substantially continuous stream of aqueous
fluid. Changing the
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first flow rate may comprise operating one or more flow control devices, such
as may include
one or more of the flow control device 145, the valve 183, the valve 185,
and/or the valve 186.
Changing the second flow rate may also comprise operating one or more flow
control devices,
such as may include one or more of the valve 184, the pump 140, and/or the
flow control device
150. However, changing at least one of the first and second flow rates to
decrease the
concentration may also or instead comprise one or more other flow control
devices. Changing at
least one of the first and second flow rates to decrease the concentration may
comprise
decreasing the first flow rate, increasing the second flow rate, or both.
[00108] The method (700) may further comprise, before combining (715) the
substantially
continuous streams of gel having the first concentration and aqueous fluid to
form the
substantially continuous stream of gel having the second concentration,
generating (720)
turbulence in the substantially continuous stream of gel having the first
concentration. For
example, if the diluter 130 is implemented as depicted in FIG. 5, and the
substantially continuous
stream of gel having the first concentration is introduced into the diluter
130 via the passage 131,
such turbulence may be generated (720) via operation of the flow-disrupting
member 146.
However, implementations of the flow control device 145 other than as depicted
in FIG. 5,
and/or other means, may also or instead be utilized to generate (720)
turbulence in the
substantially continuous stream of gel having the first concentration. The
generated (720)
turbulence may aid in mixing, dilution, and/or hydration of the resulting
mixture.
[00109] The method (700) may further comprise, before combining (715) the
substantially
continuous streams of gel having the first concentration and aqueous fluid to
form the
substantially continuous stream of gel having the second concentration,
generating (725)
turbulence in the substantially continuous stream of aqueous fluid. For
example, if the diluter
130 is implemented as depicted in FIG. 5, and the substantially continuous
stream of aqueous
fluid is introduced into the diluter 130 via the passage 132, such turbulence
may be generated
(725) via operation of the flow-disrupting member 151. However,
implementations of the flow
control device 150 other than as depicted in FIG. 5, and/or other means, may
also or instead be
utilized to generate (725) turbulence in the substantially continuous stream
of aqueous fluid. The
generated (725) turbulence may aid in mixing, dilution, and/or hydration of
the resulting mixture.
[00110] The method (700) may further comprise mixing (730) a substantially
continuous
stream of hydratable material with a substantially continuous stream of
aqueous fluid to form the
communicated (705) substantially continuous stream of gel having the first
concentration. As
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described above, such mixing (730) may be performed by the mixer 105 upon
receiving a
substantially continuous supply of the hydratable material, such as from the
hydratable material
source 110 via the transfer device 115, and a substantially continuous supply
of the aqueous
fluid, such as from one or more of the ports 624 shown in FIG. 8 and/or the
hydrating fluid
source 120 shown in FIG. 2.
[00111] The method (700) may further comprise communicating (735) the
substantially
continuous stream of gel having the second concentration into a tank. For
example, the tank may
be one or more instances of the second container 135. Such communication (735)
may be via a
discharge means of the diluter 130 (such as the passage 133 shown in FIG. 5),
the flow control
device 155, and/or one or more other components or conduits fluidly connected
between the
diluter 130 and the second container 135.
[00112] The method (700) may further comprise utilizing (740) the gel having
the second
concentration in a well fracturing operation. For example, utilizing (740) the
gel having the
second concentration may comprise mixing the gel with proppant material, and
perhaps other
additives, to form a fracturing fluid, such as may be subsequently pressurized
and injected
downhole for fracturing a subterranean formation. Such mixing may utilize
another instance of
the mixer 105, and/or another type of mixer, operable to receive a
substantially continuous
supply of the proppant material and/or other additives and the gel having the
second
concentration, whether the gel is received from the diluter 130, the second
container 135, and/or
another component of the hydration system 100 shown in FIG. 2 and/or of the
mobile hydration
system 600 shown in FIG. 8.
[00113] The method (700) may further comprise, before utilizing (740) the gel
having the
second concentration in the well fracturing operation, generating (745)
turbulence in the
substantially continuous stream of gel having the second concentration. For
example, if the
diluter 130 is implemented as depicted in FIG. 5, and the substantially
continuous stream of gel
having the second concentration is discharged from the diluter 130 via the
passage 133, such
turbulence may be generated (745) via operation of the flow-disrupting member
156. However,
implementations of the flow control device 155 other than as depicted in FIG.
5, and/or other
means, may also or instead be utilized to generate (745) turbulence in the
substantially
continuous stream of gel having the second concentration. The generated (745)
turbulence may
aid in mixing, dilution, and/or hydration of the resulting mixture.
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[00114] The method (700) may further comprise transporting (750) a mobile
carrier to a
wellsite at which the well fracturing operation is to be performed. For
example, the transported
(750) mobile carrier may be the mobile hydration system 600 shown in FIG. 8.
Thus, the
transported (750) mobile carrier may comprise the frame 604 and the plurality
of wheels 606
rotatably coupled to the frame 604, and may be detachably connectable to a
prime mover 602.
As described above, the mixer 105, one or more instances of the first
container 125 collectively
forming an enclosed hydrator, and the diluter 130 are each coupled to the
frame 604. In such
implementations, the diluter 130 may also be referred to as a combiner
operable for substantially
continuously combining the substantially continuous streams of aqueous fluid
and gel having the
first (higher) concentration to form the substantially continuous stream of
gel having the second
(lower) concentration.
[00115] In view of the entirety of the present disclosure, including the
claims and the figures,
a person having ordinary skill in the art should readily recognize that the
present disclosure
introduces a method comprising: communicating a substantially continuous
stream of gel having
a first concentration; communicating a substantially continuous stream of
aqueous fluid;
combining the substantially continuous streams of gel having the first
concentration and aqueous
fluid to faun a substantially continuous stream of gel having a second
concentration, wherein the
second concentration is substantially lower than the first concentration; and
utilizing the gel
having the second concentration in a well fracturing operation.
[00116] The method may further comprise: mixing a substantially continuous
stream of
hydratable material with a substantially continuous stream of aqueous fluid
with a mixer to form
the gel having the first concentration; and discharging the gel having the
first concentration from
the mixer as the substantially continuous streams of hydratable material and
aqueous fluid are
being mixed to form the substantially continuous stream of gel having the
first concentration.
The hydratable material may substantially comprise guar. The aqueous fluid may
substantially
comprise water.
[00117] The method may further comprise, before combining the substantially
continuous
streams of gel having the first concentration and aqueous fluid to form the
substantially
continuous stream of gel having the second concentration, communicating the
substantially
continuous stream of gel having the first concentration through a hydration
tank to permit the
substantially continuous stream of gel having the first concentration to reach
a predetermined
viscosity.
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[00118] The method may further comprise, before utilizing the gel having the
second
concentration in the well fracturing operation, communicating the
substantially continuous
stream of gel having the second concentration into a tank.
[00119] The method may further comprise, before combining the substantially
continuous
streams of gel having the first concentration and aqueous fluid to form the
substantially
continuous stream of gel having the second concentration, generating
turbulence in the
substantially continuous stream of gel having the first concentration.
[00120] The method may further comprise, before combining the substantially
continuous
streams of gel having the first concentration and aqueous fluid to form the
substantially
continuous stream of gel having the second concentration, generating
turbulence in the
substantially continuous stream of aqueous fluid.
[00121] The method may further comprise, before utilizing the gel having the
second
concentration in the well fracturing operation, generating turbulence in the
substantially
continuous stream of gel having the second concentration.
[00122] The method may further comprise changing the second concentration by
changing at
least one of: a first flow rate of the substantially continuous stream of gel
having the first
concentration; and a second flow rate of the substantially continuous stream
of aqueous fluid.
Changing at least one of the first and second flow rates may comprise
operating a flow control
device. The flow control device may comprise a valve and/or a pump. Changing
at least one of
the first and second flow rates may comprise at least one of: decreasing the
first flow rate to
decrease the second concentration; and increasing the second flow rate to
decrease the second
concentration.
[00123] The present disclosure also introduces a method comprising:
substantially
continuously feeding hydratable material and hydrating fluid into a mixer;
substantially
continuously operating the mixer to mix the hydratable material and the
hydrating fluid to form a
first substantially continuous stream, wherein the first substantially
continuous stream comprises
gel having: a first concentration of hydratable material; and a first
viscosity; substantially
continuously communicating the first substantially continuous stream through
an enclosed
hydrator to form a second substantially continuous stream, wherein the second
substantially
continuous stream comprises gel having: the first concentration of hydratable
material; and a
second viscosity that is substantially greater than the first viscosity;
substantially continuously
combining the second substantially continuous stream and a third substantially
continuous
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stream to form a fourth substantially continuous stream, wherein the third
substantially
continuous stream substantially comprises aqueous fluid, and wherein the
fourth substantially
continuous stream comprises gel having a second concentration of hydratable
material that is
substantially less than the first concentration; and utilizing gel from the
fourth substantially
continuous stream in a well fracturing operation.
[00124] The hydratable material may substantially comprise guar. The hydrating
fluid and the
aqueous fluid may each substantially comprise water.
[00125] Substantially continuously combining the second and third
substantially continuous
streams to form the fourth substantially continuous stream may comprise
adjusting a flow rate of
at least one of the second and third substantially continuous streams to
change the second
concentration. Adjusting the flow rate of at least one of the second and third
substantially
continuous streams may comprise operating a flow control valve. Adjusting the
flow rate of at
least one of the second and third substantially continuous streams may
comprise adjusting
operation of an associated pump.
[00126] The method may further comprise communicating the fourth substantially
continuous
stream into a tank before utilizing gel from the fourth substantially
continuous stream in the well
fracturing operation. In such implementations, the gel from the fourth
substantially continuous
stream utilized in the well fracturing operation may be obtained from the
tank.
[00127] The method may further comprise generating turbulence in the second
substantially
continuous stream before combining the second and third substantially
continuous streams.
[00128] The method may further comprise generating turbulence in the third
substantially
continuous stream before combining the second and third substantially
continuous streams.
[00129] The method may further comprise generating turbulence in the fourth
substantially
continuous stream.
[00130] The method may further comprise transporting a mobile carrier to a
wellsite at which
the well fracturing operation is performed. The mobile carrier may comprise a
frame and a
plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the frame. The mobile carrier may be
detachably
connectable to a prime mover. The mixer, the enclosed hydrator, and a combiner
may be
coupled to the frame. The combiner may be operable for substantially
continuously combining
the second and third substantially continuous streams to form the fourth
substantially continuous
stream.
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[00131] The present disclosure also introduces an apparatus comprising: a
system operable to
form a substantially continuous supply of gel having a first hydratable
material concentration for
use in a well fracturing operation, wherein the system comprises: a mixer
operable to receive and
mix hydratable material and aqueous fluid to form a substantially continuous
supply of gel
having a second hydratable material concentration, wherein the second
hydratable material
concentration is substantially higher than the first hydratable material
concentration; an enclosed
tank having an internal flow path traversed by the substantially continuous
supply of gel having
the second hydratable material concentration during a period of time
sufficient to permit a
viscosity of the substantially continuous supply of gel having the second
hydratable material
concentration to increase to a predetermined level; and a diluter operable to
dilute the
substantially continuous supply of increased viscosity gel having the second
hydratable material
concentration to substantially continuously supply gel having the first
hydratable material
concentration.
[00132] The system may further comprise a tank operable to receive the
substantially
continuous supply of gel having the first hydratable material concentration.
[00133] The system may further comprise at least one of: a first flow control
device operable
to control a first flow rate of the substantially continuous supply of
increased viscosity gel
having the second hydratable material concentration to the diluter; and a
second flow control
device operable to control a second flow rate of aqueous fluid to the diluter.
At least one of the
first and second flow control devices may comprise a flow control valve. At
least one of the first
and second flow control devices may be disposed adjacent the diluter and may
comprise a flow-
disrupting member operable to generate turbulence of passing fluid flow. The
flow-disrupting
member may be a substantially circular plate having a central passage. The
flow-disrupting
member may be selectively rotatable relative to a conduit containing the
passing fluid flow. At
least one of the first and second flow control devices may comprise a pump
operable to meter
flow to the diluter.
[00134] The system may further comprise: a first pump operable to transfer
aqueous fluid
from a source of aqueous fluid to the mixer; and a second pump operable to
transfer aqueous
fluid from the source of aqueous fluid to the diluter for use in diluting the
substantially
continuous supply of increased viscosity gel having the second hydratable
material
concentration.
34
81801111
[00135] The hydratable material may substantially comprise guar. The
hydratable material
may comprise a polymer, a synthetic polymer, a galactomannan, a
polysaccharide, a cellulose, a
clay, or a combination thereof. The aqueous fluid may substantially comprise
water.
[00136] The enclosed tank may be a first-in-first-out tank having a
channelized flow path.
The mixer may be further operable to substantially continuously pressurize the
substantially
continuous supply of gel having the second hydratable material concentration
to cause the
substantially continuous supply of gel having the second hydratable material
concentration to
substantially continuously traverse the channelized flow path.
1001371 The diluter may comprise having a first passage receiving the
substantially
continuous supply of increased viscosity gel having the second hydratable
material
concentration, a second passage receiving a substantially continuous supply of
aqueous fluid, and
a third passage conducting the substantially continuously supply of gel having
the first
hydratable material concentration. The diluter may be a piping tee.
[00138] The system may further comprise a frame operatively coupled with a
plurality of
wheels supporting the frame on the ground. In such implementations, the mixer,
the enclosed
tank, and the diluter may be connected with the frame. The frame may be
detachably connected
with a prime mover.
[00139] The foregoing outlines features of several implementations so that a
person having
ordinary skill in the art may better understand the aspects of the present
disclosure. A person
having ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that they may readily use
the present disclosure
as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for
carrying out the same
functions and/or achieving the same benefits of the implementations introduced
herein. A person
having ordinary skill in the art should also realize that such equivalent
constructions do not
depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and that they may
make various
changes, substitutions and alterations herein without departing from the
spirit and scope of the
present disclosure.
[00140] The Abstract is provided to permit the reader to ascertain the nature
of the
technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not
be used to
interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-09-30
