Fluid system with a proppant mixing pump

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12584468-B2
Application number	US-202318175986-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2023
Priority date	Feb 28, 2023
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

A fluid system may include a first fluid path including a blender configured to mix fluid with proppant. The fluid system may include a second fluid path, fluidly isolated from the blender, including a pump. The fluid system may include a mixing pump configured to receive first fluid containing proppant from the first fluid path and second fluid free of proppant from the second fluid path. The mixing pump may include a cylinder defining a bore. The mixing pump may include a first intake valve configured to control flow of the first fluid, a second intake valve configured to control flow of the second fluid, and an outlet valve configured to control flow of a mixture of the first fluid and the second fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fluid system, comprising:
a first fluid path including a first pump and a blender configured to mix fluid with proppant; a second fluid path including a second pump, the second fluid path fluidly isolated from the blender; and a mixing pump configured to receive first fluid containing proppant from the first fluid path, receive second fluid free of proppant from the second fluid path, and mix the first fluid and the second fluid downstream of the second pump, the mixing pump comprising:
a cylinder defining a bore in fluid communication with a first fluid intake, a second fluid intake, and a fluid outlet;
a first intake valve configured to control flow of the first fluid containing proppant through the first fluid intake, wherein the first intake valve is configured to open and to close during a downstroke of a piston configured to reciprocate within the bore of the cylinder;
a second intake valve configured to control flow of the second fluid free of proppant through the second fluid intake, wherein the second intake valve is configured to open during the downstroke of the piston after, or concurrently with, closing of the first intake valve, and to close during an upstroke of the piston; and
an outlet valve configured to control flow of a mixture of the first fluid containing proppant and the second fluid free of proppant through the fluid outlet, wherein the outlet valve is configured to open at least for a duration in which the second intake valve is open.

2 . The fluid system of claim 1 , wherein the second fluid free of proppant has a greater pressure at the mixing pump than a pressure of the first fluid containing proppant at the mixing pump.

3 . The fluid system of claim 1 , further comprising: a prime mover configured to drive a camshaft system that is mechanically coupled to the piston configured to reciprocate within the bore of the cylinder.

4 . The fluid system of claim 3 , wherein a configuration of the camshaft system provides timings of opening and closing of the first intake valve, the second intake valve, and the outlet valve.

5 . The fluid system of claim 1 ,
wherein the outlet valve is configured to open with opening of the second intake valve.

6 . The fluid system of claim 1 , wherein a third fluid intake in the cylinder is in fluid communication with the bore, and
wherein the fluid system further comprises:
a fluid line, bypassing the blender, configured to direct fluid free of proppant to the mixing pump; and
a third intake valve configured to control flow of the fluid free of proppant through the third fluid intake.

7 . The fluid system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pressure relief line configured to direct the second fluid from a discharge line of the second pump to an intake line to the second pump; and a pressure relief valve in the pressure relief line.

8 . A pump, comprising:
a cylinder defining a bore in fluid communication with a first fluid intake, a second fluid intake, and a fluid outlet; a piston configured to reciprocate within the bore of the cylinder; a first intake valve configured to control flow of a first fluid containing proppant through the first fluid intake,
the first intake valve configured to open during a downstroke of the piston to cause the first fluid containing proppant to enter the cylinder;
a second intake valve configured to control flow of a second fluid free of proppant through the second fluid intake,
the second intake valve configured to open after, or concurrently with, closing of the first intake valve to cause the second fluid free of proppant to enter the cylinder and to expel the first fluid containing proppant and the second fluid free of proppant from the cylinder via the fluid outlet; and
an outlet valve configured to control flow of a mixture of the first fluid containing proppant and the second fluid free of proppant through the fluid outlet.

9 . The pump of claim 8 , wherein the second fluid free of proppant has a greater pressure than a pressure of the first fluid containing proppant.

10 . The pump of claim 8 , wherein the piston is configured to be driven by a camshaft system, and a configuration of the camshaft system provides timings of opening and closing of the first intake valve, the second intake valve, and the outlet valve.

11 . The pump of claim 8 , wherein the cylinder is a first cylinder and the piston is a first piston,
wherein the pump further comprises a second cylinder and a second piston configured to reciprocate within the second cylinder, and wherein the first piston is configured to reciprocate according to a first timing and the second piston is configured to reciprocate according to a second timing different from the first timing.

12 . The pump of claim 8 , wherein the first intake valve is configured to open and to close during the downstroke of the piston,
wherein the second intake valve is configured to open during the downstroke of the piston after, or concurrently with, closing of the first intake valve, and to close during an upstroke of the piston.

13 . The pump of claim 8 , wherein the outlet valve is configured to open at least for a duration in which the second intake valve is open.

14 . A pump system, comprising:
a prime mover; a camshaft system mechanically coupled to the prime mover; and a pump driven by the prime mover, the pump comprising:
a cylinder defining a bore in fluid communication with a first fluid intake, a second fluid intake, and a fluid outlet;
a piston configured to reciprocate within the bore of the cylinder;
a first intake valve configured to control flow of a first fluid containing proppant through the first fluid intake,
the camshaft system configured to cause the first intake valve to open and to close during a downstroke of the piston;

a second intake valve configured to control flow of a second fluid free of proppant through the second fluid intake,
the camshaft system configured to cause the second intake valve to open during the downstroke of the piston after, or concurrently with, closing of the first intake valve, and to close during an upstroke of the piston; and

an outlet valve configured to control flow of a mixture of the first fluid containing proppant and the second fluid free of proppant through the fluid outlet,
the camshaft system configured to cause the outlet valve to open at least for a duration in which the second intake valve is open.

15 . The pump system of claim 14 , wherein the second fluid free of proppant has a greater pressure than a pressure of the first fluid containing proppant.

16 . The pump system of claim 14 , wherein the piston is configured to reciprocate within the bore of the cylinder between a top dead center (TDC) position and a bottom dead center (BDC) position, and a middle position of the piston is equidistant from the TDC position and the BDC position, and
wherein the camshaft system is configured to cause the first intake valve to open during the downstroke of the piston between the TDC position and the middle position.

17 . The pump system of claim 14 , wherein the piston is configured to reciprocate within the bore of the cylinder between a top dead center (TDC) position and a bottom dead center (BDC) position, and a middle position of the piston is equidistant from the TDC position and the BDC position, and
wherein the camshaft system is configured to cause the first intake valve to close during the downstroke of the piston at approximately the middle position.

18

Assignees

• Spm Oil & Gas Inc

Inventors

• Hanson Andrew

Classifications

• E21B43/2607

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title

• F04B7/0057

  Mechanical driving means therefor, e.g. cams · CPC title

• F04B39/08

  Actuation of distribution members · CPC title

• F04B13/02

  of two or more fluids at the same time · CPC title

• F04B15/02

  the fluids being viscous or non-homogeneous · CPC title