Pressure Balancing Proppant Addition Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
In hydraulic fracturing, existing systems face challenges in precisely controlling proppant flow into the frac fluid, leading to inconsistent pressure differentials that can result in either excessive or insufficient proppant injection, affecting the efficiency and effectiveness of fracture propagation.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that utilize pressure sensors and a processor to control the input pressures from multiple sources, ensuring a predetermined pressure differential across the proppant supply passage, thereby regulating proppant flow into the process piping, using a combination of pressure sensors and a programmable logic controller to adjust the pump speed and input pressures to maintain optimal proppant flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If proppant is supplied into frac fluid from a proppant addition unit, then proppant injection is achieved, but pressure differential control is inconsistent leading to excessive or insufficient proppant injection
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs pressure sensors to continuously monitor the actual pressure differential across the proppant supply passage and feeds this information back to the controller. The controller compares the measured pressure differential with the target value and dynamically adjusts the first and second pressure sources to maintain the desired pressure differential, ensuring consistent and precise proppant flow control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts pressure parameters by independently controlling the first pressure source (affecting proppant addition unit pressure) and the second pressure source (affecting process piping pressure). By changing these pressure parameters in response to feedback, the system maintains optimal pressure differential for consistent proppant injection.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple pressure sources are used to control proppant flow, then pressure differential control is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves as an intermediary that coordinates the operation of multiple pressure sources and pressure sensors. It receives pressure signals from sensors, processes the information, and generates control signals to adjust the pressure sources, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture and making the complex multi-pressure-source system manageable and coherent.
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 ensures a controlled and consistent proppant flow, maintaining the desired pressure balance between the frac fluid and proppant addition unit, preventing oscillations and ensuring proper proppant distribution, thus enhancing the efficiency of fracture creation during hydraulic fracturing.
Implementation Method 1
a first sensor located to sense pressure on a first side of the proppant supply passage and having as output a first signal; a second sensor located to sense pressure on the process piping on a second side of the proppant supply passage
Implementation Method 2
the processor being further connected to output a control signal to at least one of the first pressure source and the second pressure source in response to the first signal and the second signal to control proppant flow into the process piping
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus is disclosed for controlling the flow of proppant into frac fluid during a frac. A first pressure source pressurizes fluid within a proppant addition unit. Process piping receives proppant through a proppant supply passage for supply to a frac pressure pump. A second pressure source pressurizes fluid within the process piping. A first sensor senses pressure on a first side of the proppant supply passage and outputs a first signal. A second sensor senses pressure on the process piping on a second side of the proppant supply passage and outputs a second signal. A processor receives the first signal and the second signal, and outputs a control signal to at least one of the first pressure source and the second pressure source in response to the first signal and the second signal to control proppant flow into the process piping.