ISO Container Proppant Discharge Gate and Conveyor System
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for delivering and storing proppant at well sites are inefficient, leading to high logistics costs, degradation of proppant quality, and limited storage capacity, which disrupts the hydraulic fracturing process and increases costs for stakeholders in the logistics chain.
Innovation Solution
A ten-foot ISO container with a funnel-shaped bottom and a movable gate allows for efficient filling and emptying of proppant through gravity, eliminating the need for pneumatic trailers and enabling easy transportation and storage, while a conveyor system meters the proppant discharge for controlled delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If proppant is hauled to desired locations on the back of trucks and clumped onsite, then proppant can be delivered to the well site, but the proppant is exposed to adverse weather conditions which degrades the quality of the proppant during storage
Solution Approach 1:
The proppant storage system is segmented into multiple modular containers (e.g., 20-foot shipping containers) that can be individually handled, stored, and protected. This segmentation allows for better protection against weather conditions while maintaining ease of delivery and storage operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from ground-level open storage to elevated containerized storage. By placing proppant in containers that can be positioned on elevated platforms or racks, the system protects proppant from ground moisture and adverse weather conditions while improving accessibility and storage efficiency.
2Quantity of substance
If proppant is stored in containers at the hydraulic fracturing site, then storage capacity is provided, but a large capital investment in storage facilities is required
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses standard shipping containers that are relatively inexpensive compared to building permanent storage facilities. These containers can be rented or purchased at lower costs and disposed of or relocated when no longer needed, significantly reducing capital investment while providing adequate storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
Standard shipping containers serve multiple functions: they provide weather protection, facilitate easy transport, enable stackable storage to maximize space utilization, and can be deployed at multiple locations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for specialized storage infrastructure, lowering overall investment costs.
3Productivity
If the unloading of storage facilities is carried out on a facility-by-facility basis, then storage facilities can be emptied, but the process is time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
Proppant is pre-loaded into standardized containers at the source facility before transport. This preliminary action allows for rapid transfer and deployment at the well site, eliminating time-consuming on-site loading operations and significantly improving unloading efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic unloading mechanisms such as tilt-tray containers or quick-release gates that allow rapid emptying of proppant directly into the fracturing equipment. This dynamic approach replaces slow manual or facility-by-facility unloading methods, dramatically reducing unloading time and improving productivity.
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 solution reduces demurrage charges, improves storage efficiency, minimizes proppant degradation, and enhances the profitability of stakeholders by streamlining the logistics process and reducing equipment costs, allowing for precise and safe delivery of proppant to well sites.
Implementation Method 1
A ten-foot ISO container with a funnel-shaped bottom and a movable gate allows for efficient filling and emptying of proppant through gravity
Data Source
AI summary
A proppant discharge system has a container with an outlet formed at a bottom thereof and a gate slidably affixed at the outlet so as to be movable between a first position covering the outlet to second position opening the outlet, and a support structure having an actuator thereon. The container is removably positioned on the top surface of the support structure. The actuator is engageable with gate so as to move the gate from the first position to the second position. A conveyor underlies the container so as to receive proppant as discharged from the container through the outlet. The container is a ten foot ISO container.