Water Separation from Drilling Slurry via Chemical Reagents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for handling and disposing of slurry from drilling and excavation operations are inefficient due to high water content, making transportation and disposal costly and environmentally challenging, as they require large volumes of water and generate toxic materials that are difficult to treat.
Innovation Solution
A two-step process involving a chemical reagent composition and a superabsorbent polymer to separate water from particulate materials, reducing water content from 85-95% to 70-80% and transforming the slurry into a solid form suitable for transportation and disposal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If water is used in copious amounts to cool excavation equipment and transport slurry, then drilling and excavation operations can be performed, but large volumes of slurry are generated that are difficult and costly to transport and dispose of
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts water from the slurry mixture through chemical treatment and separation processes. Chemical reagents are added to alter the physical properties of the slurry, enabling water to be separated from particulate materials, thereby reducing the volume of slurry that needs to be transported and disposed of.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the slurry by adding chemical reagents that modify the properties of both the liquid and particulate components. This transformation allows for more effective separation and reduction of slurry volume, making transportation and disposal more feasible.
2Quantity of substance
If chemical reagents are added to separate water from slurry, then water can be removed and slurry volume reduced, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses chemical reagents as intermediaries to facilitate the separation process. These reagents mediate between the water and particulate materials in the slurry, altering their interactions to enable efficient separation. The chemical reagents act as a bridge that simplifies the overall separation process despite adding complexity to the treatment methodology.
3Productivity
If slurry is transported to surface for disposal, then excavation operations can continue, but transportation costs and environmental impact increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts water from the slurry to reduce its volume before transportation. By removing the liquid component, the weight and volume of material to be transported are significantly reduced, thereby lowering transportation costs and minimizing environmental impact during the transportation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the slurry through chemical treatment, transforming it from a liquid-rich mixture to a more concentrated form with reduced water content. This parameter change makes the material more suitable for transportation, reducing the harmful factors associated with moving large volumes of slurry.
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
Significantly reduces the volume of excavated slurry, making it easier to transport and dispose of, while allowing for potential water reuse and reducing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
the first step being accomplished by diffusing the first chemical reagent composition into the source stream
Implementation Method 2
a second step of transforming the first particulate material fraction from a substantially liquid form into a solid block form
Data Source
AI summary
A composition for solid pellets and a process for removing water from particulate material slurries produced by horizontal drilling, vertical drilling and dredging of bodies of water are disclosed. The composition comprises a precipitating agent, a purification agent and, optionally, a binding agent. The process comprises the steps of 1) water removal accomplished by diffusing a chemical reagent into the particulate material source stream that results in separating out a clean water fraction and 2) reacting the sludge with a demulsifier and a superabsorbent polymer that locks onto the water in the remaining slurry thus turning the slurry into a solid crust. The crust is ground into a particulate form and disposed in a landfill. The combined effect of the treatments is the thickening of the particulate material slurry from about 10% solids to about 25% solids. The removed water may be used for further drilling and drinking.