Vibration-Induced Dripping for Uniform Ceramic Proppant Pellets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for forming ceramic proppant particles in hydraulic fracturing produce a wide range of pellet sizes and porosity, leading to reduced strength and increased recycling needs, which degrades the effectiveness of hydraulic fracturing treatments.
Innovation Solution
The method of vibration-induced dripping of a ceramic slurry through a nozzle to form uniform-sized, spherical pellets with reduced porosity, eliminating the need for extensive screening and recycling, and enhancing the strength of the proppant particles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional pellet-forming methods (dry mixing or spray fluidized bed) are used, then proppant particles can be produced, but the particles exhibit a wide size distribution and high porosity, leading to reduced strength and increased recycling needs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies mechanical vibration to a liquid slurry containing ceramic particles before it reaches the nozzle, causing the slurry to drip through the nozzle in uniform-sized droplets. This vibration-induced dripping mechanism ensures consistent droplet formation, which after drying and sintering produces proppant particles with uniform size and reduced porosity, thereby increasing particle strength while eliminating the need for extensive screening and recycling
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state and flow parameters of the ceramic material by using it in a liquid slurry form rather than as dry powder. By controlling the slurry viscosity, droplet size, and drying conditions, the process achieves uniform particle formation with controlled porosity, producing stronger proppant particles with narrow size distribution
2Productivity
If conventional pellet-forming methods are used, then proppant particles can be produced, but extensive screening and recycling are required, increasing process complexity and reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration-induced dripping process inherently produces uniform-sized droplets from the outset, eliminating the need for post-production screening and recycling operations. This direct formation of monodisperse particles simplifies the manufacturing process and increases productivity by removing complex separation and reprocessing equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the problematic screening and recycling steps from the conventional proppant manufacturing process. By producing particles with uniform size distribution directly during formation, the process removes the need for separate size classification and recycling subsystems, simplifying the overall manufacturing system
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 process produces proppant pellets with superior strength, uniform size, and smooth surface, significantly reducing permeability loss under stress, thereby improving the hydraulic fracturing treatment's efficiency and reducing the need for recycling.
Implementation Method 1
A method for forming proppant pellets from a slurry of ceramic raw materials is provided. The pellets produced have superior strength to prior proppant pellets made from a variety of ceramic raw materials using prior art pellet-forming methods. Uniform sized spherical pellets having a smooth surface may be made in commercial quantities.
Implementation Method 2
Uniform sized spherical pellets having a smooth surface may be made in commercial quantities
Data Source
AI summary
Proppant material for hydraulic fracturing is provided. The particles of the proppant are formed by drip casting. A slurry of finely divided ceramic particles is flowed through nozzles and formed into droplets under the influence of vibration. Uniform sized, smooth surface, spherical green particles are formed. The green particles are dried and sintered to form the proppant. The proppant is used in the process of hydraulic fracturing of wells.