Fluid and solid material separator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11724217-B2
Application number	US-201816479818-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2018
Priority date	Jan 23, 2017
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

An apparatus includes a materials separator that includes a continuous filter belt disposed around a plurality of rollers. The apparatus also includes a pressure differential system operatively coupled to the separator and configured to adjust a pressure differential across the continuous filter belt. A vacuum is applied to the continuous filter belt and a fluid portion of the slurry on the continuous filter belt is drawn through the continuous filter belt. An apparatus includes a materials separator having a first deck with a first continuous filter belt and a second deck with a second continuous filter belt.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a materials separator having a frame, an inlet, and an outlet, the materials separator comprising:
a continuous filter belt disposed around a plurality of rollers;
a continuous carrier belt disposed underneath the continuous filter belt, wherein at least some of the plurality of rollers separate the filter belt from the carrier belt;
a motor operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of rollers; and
a pressure differential system operatively coupled to the separator and configured to adjust a pressure differential across the continuous filter belt.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the continuous filter belt is longer than the continuous carrier belt.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the continuous filter belt comprises two sections placed at an angle with respect to one another.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein a first section of the continuous filter belt comprises an inclined portion proximate the inlet of the separator and wherein a second section of continuous filter belt comprises a horizontal portion proximate the outlet of the separator.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pressure differential system comprises a collection pan disposed below at least a portion of the continuous filter belt, the collection pan having an opening fluidly coupled to a conduit connected to a vacuum source.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the collection pan is disposed below an inclined portion of the continuous filter belt and further comprising a second collection pan disposed below a horizontal portion of the continuous filter belt, each of the collection pans operatively connected to a vacuum.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the materials separator further comprises a retaining wall located proximate the inlet and extending a distance to a location proximate an upper surface of the continuous filter belt, and a sealing member disposed between and in contact with the retaining wall and the upper surface of the continuous filter belt.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a cleaning nozzle connected to a cleaning fluid source and configured to discharge a stream of cleaning fluid onto the continuous filter belt.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical brush in contact with the continuous filter belt.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a flipping mechanism for the continuous filter belt.

Assignees

• Mi Llc
• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Bingham Richard

Classifications

• B01D33/048 Primary

  with endless filtering bands · CPC title

• B01D33/056

  Construction of filtering bands or supporting belts, e.g. devices for centering, mounting or sealing the filtering bands or the supporting belts · CPC title

• B01D2201/204

  Systems for applying vacuum to filters · CPC title

• E21B21/065 Primary

  Separating solids from drilling fluids · CPC title

• B01D33/0565

  combined with means to fasten the opposite edges of the filtering band together, e.g. Zipper · CPC title