Extender Device Hydrates Polymers via Extensional Flow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional hydraulic fracturing fluids face challenges in achieving instantaneous hydration of viscosifying additives, leading to reduced viscosity and proppant transport efficiency, and often result in uneven mixing and chemical issues like lumping, which restricts flow and reduces productivity in subterranean formations.

Innovation Solution

The use of an extender device that creates an extensional flow regime to hydrate polymers, minimizing shear damage and achieving rapid hydration, allowing for the production of high-viscosity fracturing fluids with enhanced proppant transport capabilities by flowing a hydrating liquid at high rates through an elongated passageway and adding hydratable additives to maximize polymer structure development.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If high-shear blending protocols are used to hydrate polymer additives, then hydration effectiveness is improved, but polymer chain scission occurs which reduces viscosity and compromises proppant transport ability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehydration effectivenessVSAvoidpolymer chain integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces high-shear mechanical blending with an extensional flow regime system. The extender device creates extensional flow through its geometry (tapered inlet, constant section, outlet) which hydrates polymers through extensional forces rather than shear forces, thereby avoiding polymer chain scission while achieving rapid hydration. This substitution of the mechanical action type resolves the contradiction between hydration effectiveness and polymer integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If conventional multistage hydration protocols are used, then polymer hydration is achieved, but time consumption and equipment complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehydration completionVSAvoidwait time for hydration

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The extender device is designed to perform preliminary hydration action through its extensional flow regime before the fluid enters the main mixing system. The geometry of the extender (tapered inlet section, constant section, outlet section) creates conditions for rapid extensional hydration, allowing the polymer to be pre-hydrated before encountering high-shear mixing zones, thus reducing the overall time required for complete hydration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The hydration process is segmented into distinct zones within the extender device: the tapered inlet section for initial polymer contact and extensional flow development, the constant section for continued extensional hydration, and the outlet section for transition to downstream processing. This segmentation allows each zone to optimize a specific aspect of hydration, achieving rapid overall hydration without requiring multiple separate equipment stages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If dry additives are mixed directly with water, then hydration occurs, but uneven mixing and lumping result which restricts flow and reduces efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehydration occurrenceVSAvoidmixing homogeneity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The extender device acts as an intermediary between dry polymer additives and bulk water. It provides a controlled extensional flow environment that gradually introduces polymer to hydrating fluid, preventing sudden contact that causes lumping. The extensional flow regime within the extender's geometry ensures uniform distribution and hydration before the mixture enters the main fracturing fluid system, thereby achieving homogeneous mixing without flow restrictions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method results in faster hydration and higher viscosity achievement, improving dynamic proppant transport and fracture length, reducing the need for high injection rates and wear on equipment, while maintaining structural integrity of the polymer, thus enhancing fracture design and containment.

Implementation Method 1

The use of an extender device that creates an extensional flow regime to hydrate polymers, minimizing shear damage and achieving rapid hydration

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectExtensional flow:

Implementation Method 2

The term 'hydration' refers to the process wherein a hydratable material solvates or absorbs water (hydrates) and swells in the presence of water

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydration: Solvation

Data Source

PatentUS10829685B1Systems and methods of hydrating polymer additives

Publication Date: 2020.11.10 PFP IND LLC

AI summary

Compositions include a hydratable additive concentrate comprising a hydratable additive that is at least substantially hydrated and a hydrating liquid, wherein the hydratable additive concentrate is a mixture produced according to a method that includes flowing a hydrating liquid in a extensional flow regime through an elongated passageway of an extender, wherein a flow rate of the hydrating liquid and a diameter of the elongated passageway are sufficient to achieve a Reynolds number of 20,000 or greater; and adding a hydratable additive to the hydrating liquid in the elongated passageway to produce a mixture comprising the hydratable additive that is at least partially hydrated.