Apparatus and methods for enhancing hydration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016129406-A1
Application number	US-201414539419-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 12, 2014
Priority date	Nov 12, 2014
Publication date	May 12, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus, which includes an aqueous fluid source, a hydratable material source, a fluid pathway transporting an aqueous solution comprising aqueous fluid from the aqueous fluid source and hydratable material from the hydratable material source, and an emitter operable to emit ultrasonic energy into the aqueous solution.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
an aqueous fluid source; a hydratable material source; a fluid pathway transporting an aqueous solution comprising the aqueous fluid and hydratable material sources; and an emitter operable to emit ultrasonic energy into the aqueous solution.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a receptacle fluidly connected with the fluid pathway downstream of the emitter, wherein the receptacle is at least one of a continuous mixing receptacle and a first-in-first-out continuous mixing receptacle.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a viscosity sensor operable for sensing a viscosity of the aqueous source between the emitter and the receptacle.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a viscosity sensor operable for sensing a viscosity of the aqueous source downstream from the emitter.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a mixer operable to mix the aqueous solution.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hydratable material substantially comprises guar.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hydratable material comprises at least one of a polymer, a synthetic polymer, a galactomannan, a polysaccharide, a cellulose, and/or a clay.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the emitter is operable to emit ultrasonic energy at up to about 50 watts per liter of aqueous solution per minute.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the emitter is operable to emit ultrasonic energy at up to about 200 watts.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a cavitator operable to induce cavitation in the aqueous solution.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the cavitator comprises a shear mixer.

12 . A method, comprising:
combining aqueous fluid and hydratable solid particles in a fluid pathway to form an aqueous solution conducted by the fluid pathway; and imparting ultrasonic energy to the aqueous solution with an emitter.

13 . The method of claim 12 further comprising:
measuring viscosity of the aqueous solution downstream of the emitter; and
increasing or decreasing a rate of communication of the aqueous solution through the fluid pathway based on the measured viscosity of the aqueous solution.

14 . The method of claim 12 further comprising imparting energy to the aqueous solution with a cavitator apparatus.

15 . A method, comprising:
communicating an aqueous solution comprising a hydratable material through a fluid pathway; and imparting ultrasonic energy to the aqueous solution with an emitter to enhance hydration of the hydratable material.

16 . The method of claim 15 further comprising combining the hydratable material with an aqueous fluid to form the aqueous solution.

17 . The method of claim 16 wherein combining the hydratable material with the aqueous fluid to form the aqueous solution comprises:
communicating the aqueous fluid into the fluid pathway through a first inlet; and
communicating the hydratable material into the fluid pathway through a second inlet to combine with the aqueous fluid to thereby form the aqueous solution.

18 . The method of claim 15 further comprising:
measuring viscosity of the aqueous solution downstream of the emitter; and
increasing or decreasing a rate of communication of the aqueous solution through the fluid pathway based on the measured viscosity of the aqueous solution.

19 . The method of claim 15 wherein imparting ultrasonic energy to the aqueous solution with the emitter to enhance hydration of the hydratable material comprises imparting up to about fifty watts of ultrasonic energy per liter of the aqueous solution per minute with the emitter.

20 . The method of claim 15 further comprising imparting energy to the aqueous solution with a cavitator apparatus.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Chong Jonathan Wun Shiung
• Joseph Jijo Oommen
• Sridhar Garud Bindiganavale
• Huey William Troy

Classifications

• B01F11/02 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B01F23/59

  Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams · CPC title

• B01F27/2722

  provided with ribs, ridges or grooves on one surface · CPC title

• B01F23/551 Primary

  using vibrations · CPC title

• B01F35/2136

  Viscosity · CPC title