Well-Site Cellar Cover Grate with Longitudinal Lip Retention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems for closing well-site cellars are cumbersome and inefficient, with removable railings that protrude from the ground, posing safety risks and operational challenges.
Innovation Solution
A cover grate system that utilizes a steel grate configuration with longitudinal lips to securely cover well-site cellars, allowing for adjustable coverage, supporting equipment and personnel, while restricting vehicle access and incorporating features like perforated plates, notched support members, and locking mechanisms for enhanced safety and accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If removable railings are used to close well-site cellars, then safety protection is provided, but the system becomes cumbersome and protrudes from the ground
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having railings protrude upward from the ground, the invention inverts the approach by having the cellar structure protrude upward through the grate cover. The lips extend upward from the cellar to engage with the grate, flipping the traditional railing configuration and eliminating protruding barriers while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the safety railing function with the ground surface by integrating the cellar lip structure directly into the ground level. The grate cover combines multiple functions: it acts as both a safety barrier and a functional surface for equipment placement and personnel movement, eliminating the need for separate protruding railings.
2Reliability
If the cellar is completely closed with grates, then safety is improved by preventing accidental falls, but accessibility for operations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The grate cover system is designed to be dynamic rather than fixed. The grates can be removed or repositioned as needed to provide access for well operations, then replaced to restore safety coverage. This dynamic capability allows the system to adapt between safety mode (grates in place) and operation mode (grates removed or shifted).
Solution Approach 2:
The cellar opening is divided into multiple separate grate sections rather than a single solid cover. This segmentation allows individual grates to be removed or shifted to provide access pathways while maintaining coverage over other areas, balancing safety with operational accessibility.
3Reliability
If a solid cover is used to prevent falls, then safety is improved, but the ability to support equipment and allow personnel movement is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The grate cover system provides different local qualities across its surface. Certain areas have solid grate sections for safety coverage, while other areas have open spaces or removable sections to accommodate specific equipment placements and personnel movement needs. This local differentiation allows simultaneous achievement of safety and equipment support.
Solution Approach 2:
The grate cover serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a safety barrier preventing falls, provides a structural surface for supporting equipment weight, allows personnel to walk across, and can be configured to accommodate different operational needs. This multi-functionality replaces the need for separate safety railings and equipment platforms.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for protecting workers, vehicles, and well-heads by enclosing well-site cellars with a series of framed plates. Each plate is perforated and configured for lifting with holes for hoisting the plates. Each plate is lipped to be retained by longitudinal edges of the cellar. A plurality of plates supports a platform for supporting a pipe wrangler adjacent a cellar based wellbore.