System and method for parallel power and blackout protection for electric powered hydraulic fracturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11449018-B2
Application number	US-201514881535-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2015
Priority date	Nov 16, 2012
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

A system for powering equipment used in a hydraulic fracturing operation, the system including at least one first generator in electrical communication with a first switchgear for providing power to primary components of a hydraulic fracturing operation, and at least one second generator in electrical communication with a second switchgear for providing power to backup components of a hydraulic fracturing operation. The at least one first generator is independent of the at least one second generator so that if the at least one first generator loses the ability to generate electricity, the at least one second generator can continue to generate electricity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for powering equipment used in a hydraulic fracturing operation, the system comprising:
at least one first generator in electrical communication with a first switchgear for providing power to primary components of a hydraulic fracturing operation;
at least one second generator in electrical communication with a second switchgear for providing power to backup components of a hydraulic fracturing operation; and
the at least one first generator being independent of the at least one second generator so that if the at least one first generator loses the ability to generate electricity, the at least one second generator can continue to generate electricity;
wherein the first and second switchgear channel electrical power from the at least one first generator and the at least one second generator, respectively, to a transformer;
wherein the first and second switchgear channel electrical power from the at least one first generator and the at least one second generator, respectively, to an auxiliary transformer; and
wherein the auxiliary transformer is connected to at least one of a data van, send equipment, and/or a blender.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a load shedding system for monitoring generator overload, the load shedding system having a load shed signal line that detects when a power draw will overload the system, and capable of shutting down electric power to a portion of the system to prevent an overload of the system.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the load shedding system includes a breaker, and is configured to send a signal to open the breaker to cut power to at least one of the primary or backup components.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the primary and backup components are selected from the group consisting of a pump, a data van, sand equipment, a blender, and a hydration unit.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the load shed signal line carries a signal of 4-20 mA to the breaker.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one transformer is connected to at least one pump.

7. A system for preventing failure in a hydraulic fracturing system, the system comprising:
a plurality of generators for transmitting power to a plurality of components of a hydraulic fracturing system, the plurality of generators in electrical communication with a plurality of switchgears;
a load shedding system for monitoring power draw of the plurality of components, the load shedding system including a load shed signal line; and
a breaker configured for activation by the load shed signal line to cut power to one or more of the plurality of components if the one or more of the plurality of components draws more than a predetermined acceptable amount of power to prevent overload of the system;
wherein the plurality of switchgears channel electrical power from the plurality of generators to a transformer
wherein the plurality of switchgears channel electrical power from the plurality of generators to an auxiliary transformer; and
wherein the auxiliary transformer is connected to at least one of a data van, sand equipment, and/or a blender.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of components are selected from the group consisting of a pump, a data van, sand equipment, a blender, and a hydration unit.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the load shed signal line carries a signal of 4-20 mA to the breaker.

Assignees

• Us Well Services Llc
• U S Well Services Llc

Inventors

• Oehring Jared
• Kurtz Robert
• Zaunbrecher Brennan

Classifications

• H02J2105/52

  for limitation of the power consumption in the networks or in one section of the networks, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving · CPC title

• E21B43/2607 Primary

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title

• H02J3/14 Primary

  by switching loads on to, or off from, the networks, e.g. progressively balanced loading · CPC title

• Y04S20/248

  UPS systems or standby or emergency generators · CPC title

• G05B15/02 Primary

  electric · CPC title