Horizontal Material Storage System for High-Rate Proppant Unloading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current material transfer methods in oilfield operations, such as hydraulic fracturing, are inefficient due to limited unloading rates and space constraints, resulting in high expenses and inefficiencies, especially when dealing with granular materials like proppant that do not convey well in vertical directions.
Innovation Solution
A material storage system with a vertical screw feed configuration that elevates materials from transport vehicles to storage units, allowing for simultaneous unloading of multiple vehicles and reducing the need for vertical conveying, thereby increasing unloading rates and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If proppant is transferred to a vertical storage unit using conventional conveying systems, then the storage unit can be filled, but the unloading rate is limited to approximately 5 to 10 cf per minute due to the difficulty of conveying granular materials vertically
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by using a horizontal storage unit instead of a vertical one, allowing pneumatic conveying systems to unload proppant horizontally at much higher rates (40,000 lbs in 30 minutes vs. 5-10 cf per minute vertically). This inversion eliminates the fundamental limitation of vertical conveying for granular materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from vertical to horizontal orientation, changing the dimension of material transfer. By positioning the storage unit horizontally and using horizontal pneumatic conveying, the system achieves significantly higher unloading rates without the constraints that limit vertical conveying systems.
2Productivity
If multiple proppant transport vehicles are to unload simultaneously, then the fill rate increases, but there may not be sufficient space at the well site for multiple vehicles to operate at the same time
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the storage unit orientation from vertical to horizontal, the patent reduces the vertical space requirement while maintaining or increasing functional capacity. This allows multiple transport vehicles to be positioned around the well site without spatial conflicts, enabling simultaneous unloading operations.
3Speed
If proppant is conveyed vertically at higher rates, then the unloading speed increases, but the conveying system becomes more complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by inverting the conveying direction from vertical to horizontal. Standard pneumatic conveying systems can achieve much higher unloading rates horizontally without requiring complex specialized equipment, thereby increasing speed while maintaining system simplicity.
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
The system enables faster and more efficient material transfer, allowing for increased unloading rates and reduced expenses by enabling multiple vehicles to unload simultaneously, with estimated unloading rates of 100 cf per minute or greater, and reducing the space required for storage units.
Implementation Method 1
A material storage system with a vertical screw feed configuration that elevates materials from transport vehicles to storage units
Data Source
AI summary
A storage unit is disclosed. A first feed is disposed at least partially within the storage unit, and a second feed is coupled to the first feed. The second feed is configured to receive one or more materials and to transfer the one or more materials to the first feed. The first feed is configured to elevate the one or more materials to the storage unit.