Proppant Coating via Deflector Plate Dispersion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for providing dust-free proppants in hydraulic fracturing are inefficient and costly due to delays in coating and equipment maintenance, as they rely on traditional spraying techniques that do not effectively reduce dust at the fracturing site.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a fixed deflector plate to convert a dense stream of proppant into a thinner, more dispersed stream, allowing for efficient on-site spraying of a dust control solution, integrated with the proppant loading equipment to minimize downtime and maintenance, ensuring immediate shipment to the fracturing site.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional spraying techniques are used to coat proppant, then dust control is achieved, but coating efficiency is low and processing time is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The dense proppant stream is segmented into individual particles by passing through a dispersion zone created by the deflector plate, allowing each particle to be independently coated by the dust control solution, thereby significantly increasing coating efficiency while maintaining dust control
Solution Approach 2:
A deflector plate is introduced as an intermediary element between the proppant stream and the dust control solution. The plate creates a dispersion zone that facilitates uniform coating of individual particles, resolving the contradiction between maintaining dust control and improving coating efficiency
2Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional coating equipment is used, then dust control is provided, but equipment maintenance frequency is high and operational downtime is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the natural flow and gravity of the proppant material itself to achieve coating, eliminating the need for complex mechanical coating equipment that requires frequent maintenance. The proppant stream self-coats as it passes through the dispersion zone and dust control solution application point
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical coating equipment with a simplified system using gravity-fed proppant flow and liquid application, eliminating moving parts that require maintenance and increasing equipment availability while maintaining dust control functionality
3Object-affected harmful factors
If proppant is coated using conventional methods, then dust control is achieved, but time between coating and shipment is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The coating operation is merged with the loading operation by integrating the dust control solution application directly into the proppant discharge stream at the point of loading onto transport vessels. This eliminates separate coating and loading steps, reducing time between coating and shipment while maintaining dust control
Solution Approach 2:
The proppant stream is prepared for coating by creating the dispersion zone in advance through the deflector plate before the dust control solution is applied. This preliminary preparation ensures immediate and uniform coating upon solution contact, minimizing processing time and enabling rapid shipment
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 significantly reduces the time between coating and use of the proppant, decreases maintenance needs, and increases coating efficiency by dispersing particles, thereby reducing dust and operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
creates a vertically downward, unrestrained, particle full, or particle dense, first stream of free falling particulate material
Implementation Method 2
the first stream collides with the deflector plate and cascades over the edge or edges of the plate
Implementation Method 3
A plurality of nozzles located below the deflector plate and generally facing the second stream spray a dust control solution onto the material moving in the second stream
Data Source
AI summary
A system for adding dust control solution to a vertically falling first stream of a substantially dry particulate proppant, where the first stream has effective diameter, the system including a stationary, generally horizontal, deflector plate with drop-off edge, the plate mounted into the stream whereby the proppant collides with the plate and cascades from the plate around the drop-off edge to create a second stream of the particulate proppant having the general shape of the drop-off edge with a stream thickness and nozzles for spraying dust control solution into the second stream.