Hydraulic Fracturing Sand Wetting for Turbidity Reduction With Less Water
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional proppant sand processing methods consume large amounts of water and fail to effectively reduce turbidity below the recommended 250 FTU, with many operations using sands with turbidities exceeding 750 FTU, despite the need for cleaner sands in hydraulic fracturing.
Innovation Solution
A method involving wetting mined sand with controlled amounts of water, allowing it to rest, and allowing water to migrate through piles to remove contaminants, reducing turbidity without extensive water usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional sand washing processes are used to reduce turbidity, then turbidity reduction is achieved, but water consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by wetting the sand with a controlled amount of water before stacking, allowing the water to be absorbed and held within the sand structure. This preliminary wetting prepares the sand to undergo natural drainage and settling without requiring extensive additional water, thus reducing overall water consumption while achieving turbidity reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional horizontal washing processes to a vertical stacking approach. By stacking the wetted sand in piles and allowing water to drain vertically through gravity, the process utilizes the vertical dimension for separation and settling, reducing the need for large volumes of water that would be required for horizontal washing methods.
2Manufacturing precision
If more thorough washing processes are used to reduce turbidity, then turbidity reduction is improved, but water waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by allowing the sand pile to undergo natural drainage and settling processes without requiring external intervention or additional water input. The sand structure itself facilitates the separation and removal of contaminants through its own physical properties, eliminating the need for continuous water supply and reducing water waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent discards the need for continuous water supply and recovery systems by using a batch processing approach. The controlled water added initially is fully utilized and retained within the sand structure, eliminating the need to discard and replace water continuously, thus reducing overall water waste while achieving effective turbidity reduction.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional washing methods are used, then some turbidity reduction is achieved, but the process is inefficient and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by completing the wetting and stacking process before the actual drainage and settling occur. This preparation phase is completed quickly, and then the natural drainage process proceeds automatically over a shorter period, making the overall process more efficient and time-effective compared to continuous conventional washing methods.
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
Reduces turbidity of sand to acceptable levels using significantly less water than conventional methods, enabling the use of cleaner proppant sands in hydraulic fracturing operations.
Implementation Method 1
allowing water to migrate through piles to remove contaminants
Implementation Method 2
Turbidity is measured by the amount of light that is scattered by material, other than the proppant, in the water when incident light is shined through the water sample
Data Source
AI summary
A method for reducing the turbidity of as-mined sand comprising adding water to the as-mined sand to increase its moisture content to between about 5% and about 40% by weight, mixing the sand and water, piling the wet sand on the ground, allowing the sand to rest for a predetermined period of between about 12 hours and about 3 days, then harvesting less than all of the sand from the pile as reduced turbidity sand.