Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING PROPPANT TO A BLENDER
FIELD
[0001] This application relates to systems and methods for conveying a
proppant.
BACKGROUND
[0002] US4981204A (Smith) discloses a mobile material handling apparatus which
includes a
collapsible conveyor system supported on a wheel supported vehicle frame. The
conveyor system
may be shifted from a collapsed state to an extended state through operation
of fluid-powered
rams. Hinges and pivoted links guide frame sections in the conveyor system for
movement in
defined paths.
SUMMARY
[0003] In an embodiment, a system for conveying proppant includes a conveyor
assembly having
a conveyor belt, the conveyor belt receiving proppant from one or more
containers having proppant
stored therein distributed along the conveyor assembly and carrying the
proppant away from the
containers. The system also includes a conveyor auxiliary unit connected to an
end of the
conveyor assembly having one or more joints to enable expansion and collapse
of the conveyor
belt from the conveyor assembly so as further to extend along the conveyor
auxiliary unit. The
system further includes a proppant chute positioned at an end of the conveyor
auxiliary unit, the
proppant chute having an opening to direct the proppant from the conveyor belt
into a blending
hopper, the proppant chute being positioned at a higher elevation than an
inlet of the blending
hopper such that the proppant exits the proppant chute into the blending
hopper via gravity feed.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-04-17
100041 In another embodiment, a system to convey proppant includes a conveyor
assembly to
receive and support one or more containers having proppant stored therein. The
system also
includes a conveyor belt positioned beneath the one or more containers to
receive the proppant
dispensed from the one or more containers and to transport the proppant away
from the one or
more containers. Moreover, the system includes a conveyor auxiliary unit
positioned at an end of
the conveyor asssembly, the conveyor auxiliary unit having an inclined section
that increases a
vertical position of the conveyor belt relative to a ground plane, one or more
joints positioned
along the conveyor assembly to enable expansion and compaction of the conveyor
belt, and a
proppant chute positioned at the end of the conveyor assembly, the proppant
chute moveable to
direct the proppant away from the convey belt. Additionally, the system
includes a blending
hopper positioned proximate the conveyor assembly to receive and mix the
proppant with one or
more proppant fluids for injection into a well. The system also includes a tub
positioned at an
inlet of the blending hopper between the blending hopper and the proppant
chute, the tub being
removable from the blending hopper and positioned at a lower elevation than
the proppant chute
when coupled to the blending hopper.
100051 In a further embodiment, a method includes dispensing proppant from a
container
positioned on a conveyor assembly onto a conveyor belt. The method also
includes transporting
the proppant, via the conveyor belt, away from the container and toward a
conveyor assembly.
The method further includes transferring the proppant to a proppant chute such
that the elevation
of the proppant on the conveyor belt is increased. The method also includes
directing the proppant
into a blending hopper via gravity feed.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-04-17
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a blender unit, in accordance with
embodiments of the
present disclosure;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the blender unit of FIG. 1, in
accordance with
embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0008] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the blender unit of FIG. 1, in accordance
with embodiments of
the present disclosure;
[0009] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a blender unit and proppant
delivery system, in
accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0010] FIG. 5 is a partial side elevational view of a conveyor auxiliary unit,
in accordance with
embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0011] FIG. 6 is a partial side elevational view of a conveyor auxiliary unit,
in accordance with
embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0012] FIG. 7 is a partial side elevational view of a chute of a conveyor
assembly, in accordance
with embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0013] FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of a chute positioned over a blending
hopper, in
accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure; and
[0014] FIG. 9 is a rear perspective view of a chute positioned over a blending
hopper, in
accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-04-17
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] The foregoing aspects, features, and advantages of the present
disclosure will be further
appreciated when considered with reference to the following description of
embodiments and
accompanying drawings. In describing the embodiments of the disclosure
illustrated in the
appended drawings, specific terminology will be used for the sake of clarity.
However, the
disclosure is not intended to be limited to the specific terms used, and it is
to be understood that
each specific term includes equivalents that operate in a similar manner to
accomplish a similar
purpose.
[0016] When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present
disclosure, the articles
"a", "an", "the", and "said" are intended to mean that there are one or more
of the elements. The
terms "comprising", "including", and "having" are intended to be inclusive and
mean that there
may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Any examples of
operating parameters
and/or environmental conditions are not exclusive of other
parameters/conditions of the disclosed
embodiments. Additionally, it should be understood that references to "one
embodiment", "an
embodiment", "certain embodiments", or "other embodiments" of the present
disclosure are not
intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional
embodiments that also
incorporate the recited features. Furthermore, reference to terms such as
"above", "below",
"upper", "lower", "side", "front", "back", or other terms regarding
orientation or direction are
made with reference to the illustrated embodiments and are not intended to be
limiting or exclude
other orientations or directions.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-04-17
100171 FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a proppant blender unit 10 mounted on a trailer 12
for ease of transport.
In operation, the blender unit 10 mixes proppant at a well site prior to
introduction of the proppant
into a well during a hydraulic fracturing operation. In the illustrated
embodiment, the blender
unit 10 has a tub 14 for receiving proppant from a conveyor (not shown). As
shown, the tub 14
is arranged to receive the proppant and includes walls to enable large volumes
of proppant to be
stored in the tub 14 before the proppant is transported along the blender unit
10. For example, in
certain embodiments, proppant may be loaded into the tub 14 and gradually
moved along the
blender unit 10 as the proppant is transported via one or more moving devices,
such as augers. As
illustrated, an inlet of a blending hopper 18 is arranged at a higher
elevation than the tub 14. As
a result, the proppant positioned in the tub 14 is lifted to a higher
elevation to enable deposition
into the blending hopper 18. In the illustrated embodiment, auger units 20
extend from the tub 14
to the inlet 16 and move and direct the proppant out of the tub 14.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG.
1, the auger units 20 include an auger housing 22 that encases an auger screw
(now shown). As
the auger screw turns, the surfaces of the screw lift the proppant from the
tub 14, through the auger
housing 22 and upward to the inlet 16 of the blending hopper 18. At the inlet
16 of the blending
hopper 18, the proppant is expelled from the auger housing 22 into the inlet
16 through a proppant
chute 24.
100181 Fracking proppant is a highly dense, often very hard and/or coarse
material. As a result,
the auger screws of the auger units 20 can quickly become worn and
ineffective. For example,
the friction between the proppant and the auger screws may wear down the
helical sweep of the
screw, thereby reducing the amount of proppant the auger screws can transport.
In this manner,
the blending of proppant has reduced efficiencies that may lead to delays in
production and
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-04-17
fracturing operations at a well site. Moreover, because the auger screws may
be worn quickly,
stoppages in work may be frequent to replace the auger screws. Again,
stoppages to replace the
auger screws reduce the efficiencies of the fracturing operations, thereby
increasing costs.
[0019] Embodiments of the present disclosure include a conveyor auxiliary unit
used in
conjunction with a system for delivering proppant. As will be described below,
by utilizing the
conveyor auxiliary unit, the tub 14 may be positioned directly above the inlet
16 of the blending
hopper 18. As a result, use of the auger units 20 can be eliminated, thereby
improving efficiencies
at the well site.
[0020] FIG. 4 is a schematic side elevational view of an embodiment of a
proppant delivery system
100 arranged proximate a well site having a proppant blender unit 110. It
should be appreciated
that certain features of the proppant delivery system 100 have been omitted
for clarity and
conciseness in the foregoing discussion. The proppant delivery system 100
utilizes modular,
stackable, sealed proppant containers 132 to transport proppant for delivery,
dispersion, and use at
the well site. For example, the proppant containers 132 may be loaded onto
tucks and transported
to the well site from a sand mine, transloading facility, or the like.
Moreover, the modular, pre-
loaded boxes reduce demurrage typically experienced at well sites due to
unloading sand from
bulk pneumatic containers. It will be appreciated that, in certain
embodiments, features of the
proppant delivery system enable the efficient loading, unloading, and
transportation of proppant
at the well site.
[0021] In the illustrated embodiment, the proppant delivery system 100
includes a conveyor
assembly 128 having a conveyor belt 130 positioned to underlie the containers
132. In certain
embodiments, the conveyor assembly 128 includes a surface 136 to receive and
support the
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-04-17
containers 132 in a side-by-side configuration. As a result, the containers
132 can be positioned
above the conveyor belt 130 to enable gravity feed of the proppant out of the
containers 132. The
conveyor belt 130 collects sand from the proppant containers 132 directly from
the outlets (not
shown) in the bottom of the respective containers 132. As the conveyor belt
130 receives the
proppant, the conveyor belt 130 transports the proppant along the length of
the surface 136 to an
elevated section 138 of the conveyor assembly 128. As will be described below,
the conveyor
belt 130 continues through the elevated section 138 and extends to a chute 126
arranged above the
inlet 116 of the tub 114. In the illustrated embodiment, the elevated section
138 is at an elevation
higher than an elevation of the conveyor belt 130 when the conveyor belt 130
is positioned below
the containers 132. That is, the elevated section 138 is higher than the
surface 136. In this
manner, the conveyor belt 130 can transport the proppant to the chute 126 for
deposition into the
tub 114 and the blending hopper 118 without utilizing the auger units 20
because the tub 114 can
gravity feed the proppant into the inlet 116 of the blending hopper 118.
[0022] In the illustrated embodiment, the conveyor assembly 128 is collapsible
and extendable by
use of the conveyor auxiliary unit 140. That is, the conveyor auxiliary unit
140 enables expansion
and collapse of the conveyor belt 130. As shown, the conveyor auxiliary unit
140 is coupled to
the conveyor assembly 128 via one or more joints 134. In certain embodiments,
the joint 134 is
coupled to the conveyor assembly 128 via a hinged and/or ball-and-socket
configuration. That is,
the joint 134 enables the conveyor auxiliary unit 140 to pivot about an axis.
In the illustrated
embodiment, the conveyor auxiliary unit 140 includes the chute 126 positioned
at a far end 142.
The chute 126 is coupled to the conveyor auxiliary unit 140 via a pivoting
connection 144 driven
by an actuator 146 coupled to a control system 148. As will be described
below, the actuator 146
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-04-17
enables the chute 126 to rotate about an axis, thereby facilitating different
positions of the chute
126 to accommodate a variety of well site configurations.
[0023] In certain embodiments, the joint 134 enables compact storage of the
conveyor assembly
128 and/or the conveyor auxiliary unit 140 while the proppant delivery system
100 is not in use.
Moreover, the joint 134 enables the conveyor auxiliary unit 140 to collapse
during transportation
of the proppant delivery system 100, thereby reducing the height of the
proppant delivery system
for travel along roadways having height and/or weight restrictions for
commercial loads.
Moreover, the joint 134 enables use of the conveyor assembly 128 and the
conveyor auxiliary unit
140 with both elevated blending hoppers 118 and conventional blending units
where the hopper is
close to the ground. As such, removal of the conveyor auxiliary unit 140 will
not be necessary
when utilizing multiple different blending units on one well site, thereby
improving efficiencies
and increasing the variety of equipment suitable for use with the proppant
delivery system 100.
[0024] In certain embodiments, the joint 134 includes a slot and pin
connection 152 to enable
movement of the joint 134 (e.g., rotation of the conveyor auxiliary unit 140
about the axis) a
predetermined distance. For example, the pin fits within the slot and travels
the circumferential
difference allowed by the slot. In this manner, over-rotation of the conveyor
auxiliary unit 140
may be reduced, thereby improving longevity and decreasing wear and tear on
the equipment.
100251 Furthermore, in certain embodiments, the tub 114 may be removable from
the blending
hopper 118 to also enable transportation along roadways. For example, the tub
114 may be
removed and stored when the proppant blender unit 110 is not in operation. In
certain
embodiments, the tub 114 may be stored on the trailer 12 of the proppant
blender unit 110 to keep
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-04-17
the tub 114 close by the blending hopper 118 to reduce the likelihood of
losing or damaging the
tub 114.
[0026] As described above, the control system 148 may be utilized to monitor
and control
operations of the proppant delivery system 100. For example, one or more
sensors 150 may be
utilized to measure the flow of proppant into the blending hopper 118, measure
the weight of the
proppant in the tub 114 and/or the containers 132, measure a speed of the
conveyor belt 130,
measure the rate of discharge from the containers 132, measure a proppant
level in the tub 114, or
the like. As will be known by one skilled in the art, the position of these
sensors 150 and the
types of sensors used may vary based on the application. For example, a weight
sensor may be
used to measure the weight of proppant in the tub 114, and thereby the flow of
proppant into the
blending hopper 118, while a speed sensor may be used to monitor the speed of
the conveyor belt
130.
[0027] FIG. 5 is a partial schematic side elevational view of the conveyor
assembly 128 and the
conveyor auxiliary unit 140. In the illustrated embodiment, a cover 160
arranged about the
conveyor assembly 128 and the conveyor auxiliary unit 140 is partially removed
for clarity. In
the illustrated embodiment, the conveyor belt 130 extends along the conveyor
assembly 128 and
the conveyor auxiliary unit 140 toward the chute 126. As shown, the conveyor
belt 130 in the
illustrated embodiment is an endless conveyor that loops around at each end,
thereby facilitating
transportation of the proppant from the containers 132. The proppant is
transported along the
conveyor belt 130 and deposited into the tub 114 positioned above the inlet
116 of the blending
hopper 118. In this manner, the auger units 20 may be eliminated, thereby
improving efficiencies
of fracturing operations.
¨9¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-04-17
100281 As illustrated, the joint 134 is a ball-and-socket connection in which
the conveyor auxiliary
unit 140 is coupled to the conveyor assembly 128 and pivotable about an axis
162. That is, the
conveyor auxiliary unit 140 can increase its elevation relative to a ground
plane by rotating about
the axis 162 in a first direction 164 and decrease its elevation relative to
the ground plane by
rotating about the axis 162 in the second direction 166. As illustrated, the
joint 162 includes a
fastener 168 (e.g., a pin, a bolt, a rod, a geared tooth, etc.) to rotatably
couple the conveyor auxiliary
unit 140 to the conveyor assembly 128. Moreover, as illustrated, the conveyor
auxiliary unit end
170 acts as the ball and the conveyor assembly end 172 acts as the socket to
enable rotation of the
conveyor auxiliary unit 140 about the axis 162. That is, the conveyor
auxiliary unit end 170 may
fit into the conveyor assembly end 172. However, it should be appreciated,
that in other
embodiments the joint 134 may be of a different type. For example, the joint
134 may be a hinge
joint, a screw joint, a saddle joint, a plane joint, an ellipsoid joint, a
universal joint, an elbow joint,
or the like. It should be appreciated that the joint 134 is utilized to
facilitate a rotatable connection
between the conveyor assembly 128 and the conveyor auxiliary unit 140, and
therefore, a variety
of different connections may be utilized without departing from the scope of
the present disclosure.
As a result, the conveyor auxiliary unit 140 may be utilized to position the
chute 126 over the tub
114 to enable gravity feed of the proppant into the blending hopper 118.
100291 In the illustrated embodiment, the control system 148 is
communicatively coupled to a
control hub 174. However, it should be appreciated that, in certain
embodiments, the control hub
174 may not be utilized. For example, all actuators, drivers, sensors, and the
like in the system
may be communicatively coupled directly to the control system 148. As
described above, in
certain embodiments, the actuator 146 is arranged proximate the pivoting
connection 144 to enable
¨10¨
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-04-17
movement of the chute 126 to accommodate different configurations at a well
site. Moreover, in
certain embodiments, the control hub 174 may be communicatively coupled to the
joint 134 to
direct movement of the joint about the axis 162. However, as described above,
the joint 134 may
be in direct communication with the control system 148. For example, the joint
162 may include
a drive unit 176, such as an electric motor and gear unit, to drive movement
of the conveyor
auxiliary unit 140 about the axis 162. In this manner, an operator can control
the position of the
conveyor auxiliary unit 140 from a distance, thereby reducing the likelihood
of interference with
ongoing fracturing operations. However, in certain embodiments, the position
of the conveyor
auxiliary unit 140 may be manually operated. Additionally, the fastener 168
may include stops
to block rotation of the conveyor auxiliary unit 140. Moreover, the stops may
be utilized to block
over-rotation of the conveyor auxiliary unit 140.
[0030] FIG.6 is a partial schematic side elevational view of an embodiment of
the conveyor
auxiliary unit 140 moving in the first direction 164 to thereby increase an
elevation of the chute
126 relative to the ground plane. As shown, the conveyor auxiliary unit 140
rotates in the first
direction 164 about the axis 162 to raise the elevation of the chute 126
relative to the ground plane
and above the tub 114. In this manner, proppant blender units 110 with
elevated blending hoppers
118 may receive proppant via the chute 126 to a tub 114 arranged directly over
the blending hopper
118, thereby eliminating the need for the auger units 20 and improving overall
efficiency and
reliability of fracturing operations. In the illustrated embodiment, the slot
and pin connection 152
restricts rotation of the conveyor auxiliary unit 140. In certain embodiments,
the drive unit 176
controls movement of the conveyor auxiliary unit 140 via the control system
148. In certain
embodiments, the stops are operable with the drive unit 176 to block over-
rotation of the conveyor
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-04-17
auxiliary unit 140.
However, in other embodiments, the conveyor auxiliary unit 140 may be
manually moved to rotate about the axis 162. As illustrated, even when the
elevation of the chute
126 is increased, relative to the ground plane, the conveyor belt 130 is still
arranged within the
conveyor assembly 128 and the conveyor auxiliary unit 140 such that the
proppant can be delivered
to the blending hopper 118 via the chute 126.
[0031] FIG. 7 is a partial schematic side elevational view of the chute 126
directing proppant into
the tub 114 arranged above the blending hopper 118 through an opening in the
chute 126. As
illustrated, the proppant is conveyed along the conveyor belt 130 toward the
chute 126. From the
chute 126, the proppant is gravity fed downward into the tub 114 arranged over
the inlet 116 of
the blending hopper 118. As described above, by positioning the tub 114 over
the blending
hopper 118 the use of the auger units 20 may be eliminated, thereby reducing
the likelihood of
work stoppages for repair and replacement of the auger screws.
[0032] In the illustrated embodiment, the sensor 150 is arranged proximate the
tub 114 to monitor
the weight of the proppant in the tub 114. For example, the sensor 150 may
include a weight
sensor that is in communication with the control system 148 (e.g., via a wired
or wireless
communication system), such as via BLUETOOTHTm, IEEE 802.11 networks, cellular
networks,
Ethernet, USB, or the like. In certain embodiments, the control system 148 may
receive
information from the sensor 150 (such as the weight of proppant in the tub
114) and change
operation of the proppant delivery system 110 based on the information. For
example, if the
weight of the proppant in the tub 114 is over some predetermined threshold,
the control system
150 may be utilized to slow the speed of the conveyor belt 130 and/or slow the
drainage of proppant
from the containers 132 to prevent overfilling the tub 114. Moreover, if the
weight of the proppant
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-04-17
in the tub 114 is too low, the control system 148 may speed up the conveyor
belt 130, thereby
directing more proppant to the tub 114. Similarly, other sensors 150 may be
utilized in a similar
manner to control operations of the proppant delivery system 100. For example,
the speed of the
conveyor 130, the weight of the proppant in the tub 114, the level in the tub
114, the rate of
discharge from the containers 132, and the like may all be utilized to
determine an efficient
discharge and blending pace, thereby improving efficiencies and reducing undue
strain on
associated support equipment.
[0033] As illustrated in FIG. 7, the chute 126 is directed toward the tub 114
via the pivoting
connection 144, controlled by the actuator 146 comm i nicatively coupled to
the control system
148. In certain embodiments, the actuator 146 may be coupled to the control
hub 174. The
actuator 146 drives rotational movement of the chute 126 to thereby direct the
proppant to a desired
location. In the illustrated embodiment, the desired location is the tub 114.
However, it should
be appreciated that the chute 126 may direct the proppant directly into the
blending hopper 118,
or any other suitable location.
[0034] FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of an embodiment of the chute 126
directing the proppant
into the tub 114. As illustrated, the proppant is directed along the conveyor
belt 130 through the
conveyor assembly 128 and the conveyor auxiliary unit 140 toward the chute 126
for deposition
within the tub 114. As described above, the chute 126 is arranged proximate
the pivoting
connection 144 to enable rotation about an axis 190 via the actuator 146.
Rotation of the chute
126 enables operators to select the location of the proppant within the tub
114, thereby improving
operating procedures. For example, if the operator notices that proppant is
collecting or piling in a
particular area of the tub 114, the operator can rotate the chute 126 (e.g.,
via the control system
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-04-17
148) to change the location of proppant deposition within the tub 114. As a
result, operations are
not halted to adjust the proppant within the tub 114.
100351 In the illustrated embodiment, the pivoting connection 114 includes a
slot 192 that receives
a pin 194 to enable rotation of the chute 126 a predetermined distance about
the axis 190. That
is, the pin 194 extends into the slot 192 and travels a circumferential
distance enabled by the slot
192. As described above, the actuator 146 may drive movement of the chute 126,
and thereby
drive movement of the pin 194 within the slot 192. However, it should be
appreciated that other
methods may be utilized to control the pivoting and/or rotation of the chute
126. For example,
stops may be utilized to block rotation of the chute 126. In this manner, via
the actuator 146, the
chute 126 may rotate about the axis 190 in a first direction 196 and a second
direction 198.
Moreover, in certain embodiments, the chute 126 may be manually operated.
100361 FIG. 9 is a rear perspective view of the chute 126 directing the
proppant into the tub 114.
As shown, compared to FIG. 8, the chute 126 has rotated in the first direction
196 such that the
pin 194 is arranged at the end of the slot 192. That is, in the illustrated
embodiment, the chute
126 has rotated as far in the first direction 196 as enabled by the slot 192.
As described above,
the actuator 146 drives movement of the chute 126 about the axis 190. In this
manner, the
proppant can be directed into the tub 114 such that the proppant does not pile
up at one location,
thereby enabling more efficient, smooth operation of the fracturing process.
For example, if the
proppant were to pile up in one location in the tub, the sensor 150 monitoring
the level in the tub
114 may inadvertently send a signal to the control system 148 indicative of
the high level, thereby
interrupting operations. However, because of the pivoting chute 126, the
proppant may be evenly
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-04-17
distributed within the tub 114, thereby reducing the likelihood of the
proppant piling up in one
location.
100371 As described above, the proppant delivery system 100 may be utilized
with the proppant
blender unit 110 to facilitate hydraulic fracturing operations. For example,
proppant may be
dispensed from the containers 132 onto the conveyor belt 130. The containers
132 are positioned
on the conveyor assembly 128, in the illustrated embodiment. As the proppant
is deposited on
the conveyor belt 130, the proppant is transported, via the conveyor belt 130,
away from the
containers 132 and toward the conveyor auxiliary unit 140. Thereafter, the
proppant is transferred
from the conveyor belt 130 to the chute 126 such that the elevation of the
proppant on the conveyor
belt is increased. In other words, the proppant is transported along the
elevated section 138 such
that the elevation of the proppant is increased relative to the ground plane.
Next, the proppant is
directed into the blending hopper 118 via gravity feed. For example, the chute
126 and conveyor
auxiliary unit 140 may position the proppant at an elevation greater than the
blending hopper 118
and/or the tub 114. As a result, the proppant can be gravity fed from the
chute 126 into the tub
114 and/or the blending hopper 118, thereby eliminating the use of the auger
units 20. Moreover,
in certain embodiments, the sensors 150 positioned about the system may be
utilized to control
operations via the control system 148. For example, the flow rate of the
proppant to the blending
hopper 118 can be adjusted via the control system 148 based on feedback from
the sensor 150
monitoring the weight of the proppant in the tub 114. Moreover, the speed of
the conveyor belt
130 may be adjusted based on feedback from the one or more downstream sensors
150 arranged
along the system. In this manner, the control system 148, based on feedback
from the various
sensors 150, may control delivery of proppant to the blending hopper 118.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-04-17
100381 The foregoing disclosure and description of the disclosed embodiments
is illustrative and
explanatory of the embodiments of the invention. Various changes in the
details of the illustrated
embodiments can be made within the scope of the appended claims without
departing from the
true spirit of the disclosure. The embodiments of the present disclosure
should only be limited by
the following claims and their legal equivalents.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-04-17
