Slurry Injection System with Valve Timing Overlap

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Solution Overview

Problem

Slurry pumps used in high-pressure applications, such as hydraulic fracturing, experience severe wear due to abrasive slurries, leading to poor reliability and increased maintenance costs, and other system components like check valves and pipes suffer from erosion and metal fatigue.

Innovation Solution

A slurry injection system that uses a combination of clear fluid pumps and a slurry pressurizer to create high-pressure slurry by mixing high-pressure clear fluid with low-pressure slurry, minimizing wear on system components through controlled fluid distribution and pressure management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If slurry pumps are used to pump abrasive slurry at high pressure, then the slurry can be injected into the hydraulic fracturing process, but the pump components suffer severe wear and erosion leading to poor reliability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepump reliabilityVSAvoidabrasive wear

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the slurry handling into two separate paths: a low-pressure path for slurry transport and a high-pressure path for clear fluid. The slurry is pressurized indirectly by the action of clear fluid rather than direct pump contact, segmenting the wear-inducing function from the pressurization function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Clear fluid acts as an intermediary medium to transfer energy to the slurry. The clear fluid is pressurized by pumps and then used to pressurize the slurry through pressure communication, preventing direct contact between abrasive slurry and pump components at high pressure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If check valves and pipes are used to handle high-velocity slurry, then the slurry can be transported, but the components suffer rapid erosion and wire drawing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveslurry transport efficiencyVSAvoiderosion

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful abrasive slurry is extracted from the high-pressure flow path. Only clear fluid is circulated at high velocity through the pressure communication system, while slurry remains in the low-pressure transport path, removing the source of erosion from critical components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses hydraulic pressure communication where clear fluid under pressure transfers energy to the slurry through pressure equalization. This hydraulic mechanism eliminates the need for mechanical check valves and high-velocity pipe flow that cause erosion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

3Adaptability or versatility

If pressure vessels with multiple penetrations are used for slurry handling, then the system can accommodate various components, but the penetrations are subject to cracking failure from stress concentrations and metal fatigue

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem configuration flexibilityVSAvoidvessel integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

Clear fluid serves as an intermediary that transmits pressure to the slurry without requiring direct pressure vessel penetrations for slurry handling. This reduces the number of penetrations needed in pressure vessels, minimizing stress concentration points and potential failure locations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 reduces wear on components, enhancing the reliability and longevity of slurry pumps and other system parts, thereby decreasing overall process costs and maintaining high-pressure injection efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

The slurry pressurizer forms high pressure slurry by pressurizing the low pressure slurry from the low pressure slurry unit using high pressure manifold clear fluid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure energy conversion: Hydraulic Press

Implementation Method 2

The mixer mixes the high pressure slurry and clear fluid to form a mixture that is communicated to a slurry injection site

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid mixing: Stirring

Data Source

PatentUS10156132B2Method and system for injecting slurry using two tanks with valve timing overlap

Publication Date: 2018.12.18 FLUID EQUIPMENT DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LLC

AI summary

A slurry injection system has a plurality of slurry valves fluidically coupled to first and second elongated tanks. In the first state, the slurry valves communicate high pressure slurry from the second volume to a site and communicate low pressure slurry to the fourth volume. In the second state, the slurry valves communicate low pressure slurry to the second volume and high pressure slurry from the fourth volume to the slurry injection site and in the intermediate state communicating high pressure slurry simultaneously from the first elongated tank and the second elongated tank to the slurry injection site. In the first state clear fluid valves fluidically communicate high pressure clear fluid to the first volume and low pressure clear fluid from the third volume and, in a second state, communicate low pressure clear fluid from the first volume and high pressure clear fluid to the third volume.