Polymer Blending Monitoring for Hydration and Shear Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fracturing fluid formulation processes face challenges such as non-homogeneous mixing, polymer chain scission, and inefficient hydration of dry additives, leading to reduced viscosity and impaired proppant transport, particularly in remote sites with large fluid and proppant volumes.
Innovation Solution
A monitoring system is implemented to facilitate real-time monitoring and control of the blending process, using sensors and machine learning techniques to optimize the mixing of base fluids with additives, ensuring homogeneous fluid formation and efficient hydration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-shear blending protocols are used to provide effective polymer hydration, then polymer hydration efficiency is improved, but polymer chain scission occurs which reduces fluid viscosity and compromises proppant transport ability
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts blending parameters including shear rate, blend ratio, and hydration time based on real-time feedback from sensors monitoring viscosity and polymer concentration. This dynamic control allows the system to achieve effective hydration while maintaining polymer chain integrity by avoiding excessive shear forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system continuously measures fluid viscosity, polymer concentration, and blending parameters, providing real-time feedback to the control system. This feedback loop enables automatic adjustment of blending conditions to optimize hydration while preventing polymer chain scission, resolving the contradiction between hydration efficiency and chain integrity.
2Device complexity
If conventional fracturing fluid formulation processes are used, then process simplicity is maintained, but instantaneous hydration is not achieved necessitating wait time or multistage protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary blending and pre-hydration of polymer additives before final fluid formulation. By pre-mixing polymers with a portion of the water in controlled conditions, the system ensures instantaneous hydration is achieved when the complete fluid is assembled, eliminating wait times without requiring complex multistage protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system enables continuous blending and hydration processes rather than batch processing with waiting periods. The real-time monitoring ensures continuous optimal conditions for polymer hydration, eliminating idle wait times while maintaining process simplicity through automated continuous operation.
3Device complexity
If dry additives are mixed directly with water, then equipment requirements are reduced, but non-homogeneous mixing and lumping occur which reduces viscosity achievement and creates flow restrictions
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses an intermediary liquid phase or pre-dilution step where dry additives are first dispersed in a portion of the water or a carrier fluid before final mixing. This intermediary step prevents direct contact lumping while maintaining relatively simple equipment requirements, achieving homogeneous mixing without complex machinery.
4Manufacturing precision
If liquid forms of polymers are used instead of dry additives, then homogeneous mixing is achieved, but transport and handling complexity increases particularly at remote sites
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the physical state parameter of the polymer from solid (dry) to liquid (concentrate or pre-diluted solution) to achieve homogeneous mixing. This parameter change eliminates lumping issues while the monitoring system compensates for the increased handling requirements by providing precise control and feedback, effectively managing the trade-off between homogeneity and transport complexity.
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 enhances process control, achieves optimal fluid flow rates, and improves system throughput by ensuring uniform mixing and instantaneous hydration, reducing inefficiencies and equipment requirements.
Implementation Method 1
a monitoring device arranged within the second flow path and operable to capture information based on a flow of the additive within the second flow path
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
Data Source
AI summary
A system for blending fluids includes a hopper that contains an additive, a first flow path extending from the hopper and operable to receive the additive from the hopper and convey the additive along a length of the first flow path, a second flow path in fluid communication with the first flow path to receive the additive from the first flow path, a mixing unit in fluid communication with the second flow path to receive the additive from the second flow path, a monitoring device arranged within the second flow path and operable to capture information based on a flow of the additive within the second flow path, and a controller electronically coupled to the monitoring device and operable to process the captured information and output the information to a console screen.