Method and apparatus for improving mixing of cement slurry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016288369-A1
Application number	US-201315038297-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 20, 2013
Priority date	Dec 20, 2013
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for a mixing system with a recirculation pump and a sensor configured to measure a property of a fluid discharged from the recirculation pump, wherein the sensor may transmit the property to a control system to allow an operator to adjust the mixing system in response to changes in the measurement signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
providing a mixing system, comprising:
a recirculation tub;
a recirculation cement mixer fluidly connected to the recirculation tub, wherein the recirculation cement mixer has a recirculation fluid inlet, a water inlet, and a cement powder inlet;
a recirculation pump fluidly connected to the recirculation tub via a recirculation manifold, wherein the recirculation manifold directs fluid towards the recirculation pump;
a recirculation discharge manifold in fluid communication with the recirculation pump and the recirculation fluid inlet, wherein the recirculation pump directs fluid toward the recirculation inlet via the recirculation discharge manifold; and
a sensor attached to the recirculation discharge manifold, wherein the sensor is configured to measure a property of a fluid in the recirculation discharge manifold; and
recirculating the fluid from the recirculation tub to the recirculation fluid inlet through the recirculation pump; measuring the property of the fluid in the recirculation discharge manifold with the sensor; transmitting signal representing the property being measured from the sensor to a control system; and adjusting the mixing system in response to the measurement signal.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an air entrainment sensor, and wherein the property of the fluid being measured comprises an air entrainment measurement.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the mixing system is adjusted in response to the measurement signal indicating that the air entrainment is above about 6%

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein adjusting the mixing system in response to the measurement signal comprises removing air from the fluid.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein adjusting the mixing system in response to the measurement signal comprises reducing the fluid mixing rate.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein adjusting the mixing system in response to the measurement signal comprises adjusting the fluid agitation speed.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor, and wherein the property of the fluid comprises a pressure measurement.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the mixing system is adjusted in response to the measurement signal indicating that the pressure measurement is outside the range of about 25 psi to about 50 psi.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein adjusting the mixing system in response to the measurement signal comprises removing air from the fluid.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein adjusting the mixing system in response to the measurement signal comprises reducing the fluid mixing rate.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein adjusting the mixing system in response to the measurement signal comprises adjusting the fluid agitation speed.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a cement slurry.

13 . A mixing system, comprising:
a recirculation tub; a recirculation cement mixer fluidly connected to the recirculation tub, wherein the recirculation cement mixer has a recirculation fluid inlet, a water inlet, and a cement powder inlet; a recirculation pump fluidly connected to the recirculation tub via a recirculation manifold, wherein the recirculation manifold directs fluid towards the recirculation pump; a recirculation discharge manifold in fluid communication with the recirculation pump and the recirculation fluid inlet, wherein the recirculation pump directs fluid toward the recirculation inlet via the recirculation discharge manifold; a sensor attached to the recirculation discharge manifold, wherein the sensor is configured to measure a property of a fluid in the recirculation discharge manifold; and a control system configured to receive a measurement signal from the sensor

14 . The mixing system of claim 13 , wherein the sensor comprises an air entrainment sensor.

15 . The mixing system of claim 13 , wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor.

16 . The mixing system of claim 13 , wherein the control system receives the measurement signal from the sensor in intervals of about 0.1 seconds and about 10 seconds.

17 . A method, comprising:
providing a mixing system, comprising:
a recirculation tub;
a recirculation cement mixer fluidly connected to the recirculation tub, wherein the recirculation cement mixer has a recirculation fluid inlet, a water inlet, and a cement powder inlet;
a recirculation pump fluidly connected to the recirculation tub via a recirculation manifold, wherein the recirculation manifold directs fluid towards the recirculation pump;
a recirculation discharge manifold in fluid communication with the recirculation pump and the recirculation fluid inlet, wherein the recirculation pump directs fluid toward the recirculation inlet via the recirculation discharge manifold; and
a sensor attached to the recirculation discharge manifold, wherein the sensor is configured to measure a property of a fluid in the recirculation discharge manifold; and
recirculating the fluid from the recirculation tub to the recirculation fluid inlet through the recirculation pump; measuring the property of the fluid in the recirculation discharge manifold; transmitting a mixing problem indication signal from the sensor to a control system; and adjusting the mixing system in response to the mixing problem indication signal.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein transmitting the mixing problem indication signal occurs if an air entrainment measurement of the fluid is above about 6%.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein transmitting the mixing problem indication signal occurs if a pressure measurement of the fluid out of the range of about 25 psi to about 50 psi.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein adjusting the mixing system in response to the mixing problem indication signal comprises removing air from the fluid.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Brown Paul Alan
• Padgett Paul Orman
• Sneed Craig Allen

Classifications

• E21B47/005

  Monitoring or checking of cementation quality or level · CPC title

• G05D11/135

  by sensing at least one property of the mixture (G05D11/139 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B28C7/024

  by measuring properties of the mixture, e.g. moisture, electrical resistivity, density · CPC title

• B28C5/06 Primary

  the mixing being effected by the action of a fluid (in combination with driven mechanical means, producing cellular concrete B28C5/38) · CPC title

• B01F2003/1285

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic