Parallel Shaker Assembly for Drilling Waste Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drilling fluid waste, which includes cuttings and chemicals, poses environmental and disposal challenges due to its composition and volume, necessitating effective treatment and recycling methods to manage its disposal safely and economically.
Innovation Solution
A shaker assembly and method that involves parallel operation of shakers to separate solids from liquids in drilling fluid waste, followed by mixing and pumping the treated liquid back into a subterranean formation, utilizing a system with shaker tanks, mixing tanks, and overflow weirs to ensure efficient separation and recycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single shaker is used to separate solids from drilling fluid waste, then the separation process is simple, but the productivity and separation efficiency are insufficient to handle large volumes of waste fluid
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the single shaker into multiple parallel shakers (first shaker and second shaker) that operate simultaneously. Each shaker handles a portion of the drilling fluid waste, increasing overall separation throughput while maintaining individual shaker simplicity for ease of operation and maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple shakers are combined into a unified assembly with common feed and discharge systems. The parallel shakers work together as an integrated unit, sharing the feed from the receiving pit and combining their output to the shaker tank, thereby increasing productivity without proportionally increasing operational complexity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If drilling fluid waste is disposed of at the surface, then disposal costs are high and environmental liabilities increase, but pumping waste back into subterranean formation requires additional treatment infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment process is segmented into distinct functional units: parallel shakers for solid-liquid separation, a shaker tank for collected separated fluid, a mixing tank for reconditioning, and pumping systems. This modular segmentation allows effective waste treatment to reduce environmental impact while maintaining manageable system complexity through clear functional division.
Solution Approach 2:
Solids are discarded from the drilling fluid waste through separation in the parallel shakers, while the liquid phase is recovered and reused. The separated liquid is collected in the shaker tank, mixed in the mixing tank, and pumped back into the subterranean formation, thereby reducing environmental harm through resource recovery and循环利用.
3Reliability
If solids are not removed from drilling fluid waste, then the separation process is simpler, but solids will fall out of suspension and cause operational problems downstream
Solution Approach 1:
The shakers utilize mechanical vibration to separate solids from the drilling fluid waste. The vibrating screens in the parallel shakers effectively remove solids that would otherwise fall out of suspension downstream, ensuring operational reliability while using a well-established mechanical separation mechanism that balances effectiveness with manageable complexity.
4Productivity
If liquid from shakers is directly pumped to disposal well, then the process is simpler, but proper mixing and homogenization of the liquid cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid undergoes preliminary mixing and homogenization in the mixing tank before being pumped to the disposal well. This preliminary action ensures proper fluid conditioning and uniform composition, while the subsequent pumping operation maintains processing speed and productivity. The added mixing step is justified by the need for proper fluid preparation.
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 solution effectively separates solids from liquids in drilling fluid waste, allowing for the safe and economical recycling of the liquid back into a disposal well, reducing environmental impact and disposal costs by treating and reusing the waste fluid.
Implementation Method 1
The first and second shakers are configured to operate in parallel to partially separate a solid from a liquid of a drilling waste fluid
Implementation Method 2
the liquid from the shaker tank flows over the overflow weir and into the mixing tank
Implementation Method 3
mixing the liquid in the mixing tank, and pumping the liquid into a disposal well
Data Source
AI summary
A shaker assembly and method, of which the shaker assembly includes a shaker tank, a mixing tank in fluid communication with the shaker tank and positioned adjacent thereto, an overflow weir positioned between and separating the shaker tank and the mixing tank, a first shaker positioned over the shaker tank, and a second shaker. The first and second shakers are configured to operate in parallel to partially separate a solid from a liquid of a drilling waste fluid. During normal operation, at least some of the liquid flows from the first and second shakers to the shaker tank, and from the shaker tank over the overflow weir and into the mixing tank.