Electrically actuated valves for manifold trailers or skids

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12012952-B2
Application number	US-202017091926-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2020
Priority date	Nov 18, 2019
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

A hydraulic fracturing valve control system includes an electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump. The system also includes a manifold coupled to the hydraulic fracturing pump. The system further includes a valve associated with the manifold, the valve being operable to move between an open position, a closed position, and a plurality of intermediate positions. The system includes a valve actuator, coupled to the valve, the valve actuator being an electric actuator that is remotely controllable in response to one or more operational aspects of the hydraulic fracturing pump. The system also includes a control interface, the control interface forming at least a portion of a control system, the control interface being accessible from a location remote from the hydraulic fracturing pump and outside of a zone of pressure formed by the hydraulic fracturing pump during operation.

First claim

We claim:

1. A hydraulic fracturing valve control system comprising:
an electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump;
a manifold coupled to a discharge side of the electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump;
a valve forming at least a portion of the manifold, the valve being operable to between an open position, a closed position, and a plurality of intermediate positions;
a valve actuator, coupled to the valve, the valve actuator being an electric actuator that is remotely controllable in response to one or more operational aspects of the electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump;
a valve control distribution box, arranged at the manifold, configured to receive control signals from the electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump, the valve control distribution box relaying the control signals to the valve actuator; and
a control interface, the control interface forming at least a portion of a control system, the control interface being accessible from a location remote from the electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump and outside of a zone of pressure formed by the electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump during operation.

2. The hydraulic fracturing valve control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an interconnect box configured to receive a control signal from the control interface and to relay the control signal to the electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump.

3. The hydraulic fracturing valve control system of claim 2 , wherein the interconnect box is arranged at a data van or the manifold.

4. The hydraulic fracturing valve control system of claim 2 , wherein an Ethernet connection extends between the interconnect box and the electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump.

5. The hydraulic fracturing valve control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an external power source, the external power source providing operational power to the valve actuator in response to a control signal from the control interface.

6. The hydraulic fracturing valve control system of claim 1 , wherein operational power for the valve actuator is provided via the electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump.

7. The hydraulic fracturing valve control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a battery backup electrically coupled to the valve actuator, the battery backup providing operational energy to the valve actuator.

8. A hydraulic fracturing valve control system comprising:
a plurality of electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pumps;
a manifold coupled to a discharge side of the plurality of electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pumps;
a plurality of valves forming at least a portion of the manifold, each valve of the plurality, of valves being operable to move between an open position, a closed position, and a plurality of intermediate positions;
a plurality of valve actuators, coupled to respective valves of the plurality of valves, each of the valve actuators being electric actuators configured to be remotely controllable in response to one or more operational aspects of at least one electric powered; multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump of the plurality of electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pumps;
a valve control distribution box, arranged at the manifold, configured to receive control signals from the plurality of electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pumps, the valve control distribution box relaying the control signals to the plurality of valve actuators; and
a control interface, the control interface forming at least a portion of a control system, the control interface being accessible from a location remote from the plurality of electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pumps and outside of a zone of pressure formed by the plurality of electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pumps during operation.

9. The hydraulic fracturing valve control system of claim 8 , wherein a first electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump of the plurality of electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pumps is coupled to the control interface via a first connection and the first electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump of the plurality of electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pumps is coupled to a first valve actuator of the plurality of valve actuators via a second connection, different from the first connection.

10. The hydraulic fracturing valve control system of claim 8 , further comprising:
an external power source, the external power source providing operational power to at least one valve actuator of the plurality of valve actuators in response to a control signal from the control interface.

11. The hydraulic fracturing valve control system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a battery backup electrically coupled to at least one valve actuator of the plurality of valve actuators, the battery backup providing operational energy to the at least one valve actuator.

12. The hydraulic fracturing valve control system of claim 8 , wherein a first electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump of the plurality of electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump is configured, via an Ethernet connection, a control signal and, responsive to the control signal, transmit, via a second connection different from the Ethernet connection, a valve control signal to adjust a position of a first valve actuator of the plurality of valve actuators during fracturing operations.

13. The hydraulic fracturing valve control system of claim 8 , wherein the control interface is positioned within a data van, the control interface providing a graphical representation of a valve position.

14. A hydraulic fracturing valve control system, comprising:
an electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump;
a manifold coupled to the electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump;
a valve associated with the manifold, the valve being operable to move between an open position, a closed position, and a plurality of intermediate positions;
a valve actuator; coupled to the valve, the valve actuator being an electric actuator that is remotely controllable in response to one or more operational aspects of the electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump;
a valve control distribution box, arranged at the manifold, configured to receive control signals from the electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump, the valve control distribution box relaying the control signals to the valve actuator; and
a control interface, the control interface forming at least a portion of a control system, the control interface being accessible from a location remote from the electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump and outside of a zone of pressure formed by the electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump during operation.

15. The hydraulic fracturing valve control system of claim 14 , further comprising:
an interconnect box configured to receive a control signal from the control interface and to relay the control signal to the electric powered, multi-plunger hydraulic fracturing pump.

16. The hydraulic fracturing valve control system of claim 15 , wherein the interconnect box is arranged at a data van or the manifold.

17. The hydraulic fracturing valve control system of claim 15 , wherein an Ethernet connection extends between the interconnect box and the electric power

Assignees

• U S Well Services Llc

Inventors

• Brunty Jeremy
• Wright Jeremiah Luke
• Christinzio Alexander
• Hinderliter Brandon
• Robinson Lon
• Oehring Jared
• Albert Arden
• Watson Joshua

Classifications

• F04B49/06

  Control using electricity (regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04) · CPC title

• F16K31/02

  electric {(F16K31/004 takes precedence)}; magnetic · CPC title

• F16K27/003

  Housing formed from a plurality of the same valve elements · CPC title

• F04B49/22

  by means of valves (F04B49/03 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F15B21/08

  Servomotor systems incorporating electrically operated control means (F15B21/02, {F15B21/065} take precedence) · CPC title