Blender Hopper Control for Granular Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in hydraulic fracturing operations is the inefficient storage and blending of granular materials at remote well sites, where limited space and the need for precise control of material flow rates hinder the effective use of proppants, leading to costly delays and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a hopper for blending multiple granular ingredients, with monitoring devices, feeder regulators, and a control system to dynamically regulate the entry and exit rates of materials, ensuring proportional delivery and matching the blend mixture's composition and flow rates, integrated with a blender for forming fracturing fluid slurry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If materials are stored in tractor trailer rigs at the well site, then storage capacity is increased, but operational efficiency deteriorates due to driver downtime and costly delays
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the storage function into separate modular components: above-ground storage tanks are separated from the blending operation, allowing materials to be stored in fixed infrastructure rather than tied up in transport vehicles. This segmentation enables continuous operation while maintaining large storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary blending system with hopper and conveyor that transfers materials from storage to the blender. This intermediary infrastructure decouples the storage function from the transport function, allowing trucks to deliver materials to a fixed storage location rather than remain on-site during blending operations.
2Quantity of substance
If storage space is expanded at the well site, then material availability is improved, but site space constraints are worsened due to limited terrain availability
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from horizontal ground-based storage (trailer rigs on terrain) to vertical above-ground storage tanks. This dimensional change allows substantial storage capacity to be achieved within a minimal footprint, effectively utilizing the vertical dimension rather than consuming limited horizontal site space.
3Device complexity
If manual control of material flow is used, then system complexity is reduced, but blending precision deteriorates leading to incorrect proppant ratios
Solution Approach 1:
The control system incorporates feedback mechanisms where sensors monitor material flow rates and inventory levels, and the controller automatically adjusts feeder speeds and blend ratios based on real-time data. This closed-loop feedback ensures precise blending proportions while maintaining relatively simple operational interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs automated feeders and conveyors that self-regulate material flow based on programmed parameters and sensor input, reducing the need for manual intervention. The hopper controller automatically manages the blending process, maintaining precision without requiring complex manual control procedures.
4Productivity
If rapid material delivery is increased, then production rate is improved, but hopper overflow risk increases causing operational disruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamically adjustable feed rates controlled by variable speed feeders and conveyors that can be automatically modulated based on hopper fill level sensors. This dynamic control allows the system to maintain high production rates while preventing overflow by slowing delivery when the hopper approaches capacity and accelerating when space is available.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention include a method and system for controlling the flow rate of materials into and out of the blender. The system includes the control and management of an on-site storage system for each component of a mixture, regulating the delivery rate of a blend mixture into a blender hopper, regulating the exit rate of the blended mixture from the blender hopper, and coordinating the flow of materials into and out of the blender.