Sequencing bulk material containers for continuous material usage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018305142-A1
Application number	US-201515765915-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 25, 2015
Priority date	Nov 25, 2015
Publication date	Oct 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

In accordance with presently disclosed embodiments, systems and methods for sequencing portable containers of bulk material to provide continuous bulk material usage at an outlet are provided. The disclosed sequencing techniques may involve identifying a sequence for opening different portable containers of bulk material (or identifying the “next” portable container to open) and automatically actuating the discharge gates of the portable containers in the desired sequence to provide a continuous flow of bulk material to the outlet (e.g., blender unit). The identified sequence may be executed through a control system communicatively coupled to actuators used to open/close the discharge gates of the portable bulk material containers. A GUI may be communicatively coupled to the control system to allow an operator to select the desired sequence for execution by the control system and to display information regarding the portable bulk material containers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system, comprising:
a plurality of portable containers of bulk material, wherein the plurality of portable containers are separate from each other and independently transportable, and wherein the plurality of portable containers each comprise a discharge gate; a plurality of actuators for independently adjusting a position of the discharge gates on the plurality of portable containers; and a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of actuators for sequencing the discharge gates on the plurality of portable containers between open and closed positions to release bulk material to an outlet.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) communicatively coupled to the controller for providing operator selected instructions from the GUI to the controller, displaying data related to the plurality of portable containers, or both.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the GUI comprises an input device for enabling operator selection of a sequence in which the plurality of portable containers are to be opened to release bulk material to the outlet and closed when emptied or when an inventory of discharged bulk material is reached.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the GUI comprises a display indicating which one of the plurality of portable containers is open to release bulk material to the outlet at a given time, and a display indicating a time until the open portable container is emptied or until an inventory of discharged bulk material is reached.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors, wherein the controller is communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors for determining a timing of when to open or close the discharge gates on the plurality of portable containers based on feedback from the one or more sensors.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise load cells, fill level sensors, cameras, digital switches, or a combination thereof.

7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more support structures, wherein the plurality of portable containers of bulk material are removably disposed on the one or more support structures.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more support structures comprise at least one indicator for indicating which one of the plurality of portable containers is open to release bulk material to the outlet at a given time.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of actuators are disposed on the one or more support structures.

10 . A method, comprising:
feeding bulk material from a first portable container of a plurality of portable containers of bulk material to an outlet via a gravity feed, wherein the plurality of portable containers are separate from each other and independently transportable; identifying, via a controller, a second portable container from the plurality of portable containers to be opened after the first portable container in a sequence; outputting a first control signal to automatically close a discharge gate on the first portable container; and outputting a second control signal to automatically open a discharge gate on the second portable container.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein identifying the second portable container comprises receiving an operator initiated selection of the second portable container from a GUI.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising displaying an error message on the GUI if the operator initiated selection does not correspond with a portable container that is physically in place to be opened at a predetermined time.

13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising identifying the second portable container based on a pre-loaded schedule and sensor data indicative of a type or quantity of bulk material disposed in the plurality of containers.

14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising displaying data related to each of the plurality of containers on a GUI.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the data comprises a predictive estimate of time remaining until the first portable container is emptied.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the data comprises an indication that the first portable container is empty and ready for removal from a support structure.

17 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising outputting the first and second control signals such that the discharge gate on the second portable container opens following a time delay after the discharge gate on the first portable container closes.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising calculating the time delay based on a rate of use of bulk material at the outlet.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining whether a type of bulk material is being changed between the first portable container and the second portable container, and calculating the time delay such that a minimal amount of bulk material is present in a hopper when the flow of bulk material from the second portable container arrives in the hopper.

20 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising outputting the first and second control signals in parallel such that the discharge gate on the second portable container opens at approximately the same time that the discharge gate on the first portable container closes.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Belcher Donald Anthony
• Warren Wesley John
• Lucas Bryan Chapman
• Lewis Bryan John
• Hunter Timothy

Classifications

• B65G65/34 Primary

  Emptying devices (conveyor construction B65G15/00 - B65G35/00; devices similar to vehicle tipplers B65G67/48) · CPC title

• B65D90/48

  Arrangements of indicating or measuring devices · CPC title

• B65D88/26

  Hoppers, i.e. containers having funnel-shaped discharge sections (B65D88/34 - B65D88/78 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65G65/30 Primary

  Methods or devices for filling or emptying bunkers, hoppers, tanks, or like containers, of interest apart from their use in particular chemical or physical processes or their application in particular machines, e.g. not covered by a single other subclass (devices for tilting and emptying containers B65G65/23; such containers having means facilitating filling or emptying B65D88/54) · CPC title

• B65D88/126

  by rigid element, e.g. lid · CPC title