Shaker and degasser combination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9512687-B2
Application number	US-201314138048-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2013
Priority date	Sep 29, 2006
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

Abstract

A system for separating components of a slurry is disclosed, the system including a housing; a basket for holding at least one shaker screen, the basket movably mounted in the housing; at least one vibrator coupled to the basket; a sump disposed below the basket to collect at least a portion of the slurry passing through the at least one shaker screen; a pressure differential device fluidly connected to the sump for developing a pressure differential across the at least one shaker screen; and a toggling device for toggling the pressure differential across the screen. A system including a degassing chamber fluidly connected to a sump and a pressure differential device, wherein the degassing chamber is disposed between the sump and the pressure differential device, and a fluid conduit fluidly connected to the degassing chamber for recovering a degassed fluid is also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a vibrating basket having an open side exposed to atmosphere;
a first screen disposed in the vibrating basket;
a sump located below the first screen; and
a pressure differential device connected to the sump to generate a pressure differential between a vapor space above the first screen adjacent the open side and a vapor space between the first screen and the sump and to pull all of liquid and air or vapor from the sump.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sump is coupled to the vibrating basket.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a valve coupled between the sump and the pressure differential device operable to adjust the pressure differential to reduce stalling of a slurry on the screen.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sump is located proximate a discharge end of the screen.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second screen disposed in the vibrating basket; and
a second sump disposed below the second screen,
the pressure differential device connected to the second pump to generate a pressure differential between a vapor space above the second screen and a vapor space between the second screen and the second sump and to pull air or vapor and liquid collected in the second sump together from the sump.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pressure differential is adjustable and further comprising a chamber external to the vibrating basket and connected to the pressure differential generator, the pressure differential generator creating a pressure differential in the chamber to generate the pressure differential across the first screen and to move all of the fluid and vapor of the sump into the chamber.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a degassing chamber coupled between the sump and the pressure differential device; and
a vent valve coupled to the degassing chamber.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid flow line in fluid communication with an outlet of the sump and the pressure differential device through which the pressure differential is applied to the screen and through which the liquid and air or vapor is pulled from the sump.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a valve coupled to the fluid flow line to vent the vapor or air.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the valve is located inside the vibratory separator.

11. A system comprising:
a screen disposed in a vibratory separator having at least one open side;
a sump disposed below the screen, the sump comprising an outlet for discharging collected material;
a pressure differential device coupled to the outlet of the sump to generate a pressure differential across the screen while pulling the collected material through the outlet; and
a valve coupled between the pressure differential device and the sump to adjust the pressure differential applied to the screen to prevent stalling of a slurry on the screen.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the sump is integrally formed with a frame of the vibratory separator.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the pressure differential device pulls air and/or vapor through the outlet of the sump together with the collected material.

14. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a degassing chamber and a flow line coupled to the outlet of the sump and an inlet of the degassing chamber to transfer the collected material and air or vapor from the sump to the degassing chamber and a flow line coupled between the degassing chamber and the pressure differential device.

15. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a second screen disposed in a second vibratory separator; and
a second sump coupled to the second vibratory separator and disposed below the second screen,
wherein the pressure differential device generates a pressure differential across the second screen to pull liquid and air or vapor from the second sump.

16. A method comprising:
flowing a slurry of drill cuttings and fluid over a first screen disposed in a vibratory separator;
collecting a portion of the fluid of the slurry and air or vapor passing through the first screen in a sump below the first screen; and
actuating a pressure differential device connected to a first sump coupled to the vibratory separator and disposed below the first screen, the actuating comprising:
creating a pressure differential across the first screen;
pulling all of the portion of the fluid of the slurry and the air or vapor from the first sump to a degassing chamber external to the vibratory separator; and
adjusting the pressure differential across the first screen during the collecting to prevent stalling of the slurry on the first screen; and

separating at least a portion of the air or vapor from the portion of the fluid in the degassing chamber.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising opening a valve coupled to a fluid line disposed between the first sump and the pressure differential device to adjust the pressure differential across the first screen to prevent stalling of the slurry on the first screen.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the actuating a pressure differential device further comprises:
creating a pressure differential across a second screen; and
pulling a liquid component separated from the slurry by a second screen from a second sump disposed below the second screen together with vapor or air to a location external to the vibratory separator.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second screen and the second sump are disposed in a second vibratory separator.

20. A system comprising:
a vibratory separator having a side open to atmosphere and a screen mounting;
a sump located below the screen mounting, the sump having an outlet;
a pressure differential device to generate a pressure differential across the screen by pulling air or vapor from above the sump; and
a fluid flow line in fluid communication with the outlet of the sump and the pressure differential device through which the pressure differential is pulled and through which all liquid and vapor or air in the sump is pulled from the sump.

Assignees

• M-I L L C

Inventors

• Carr Brian S

Classifications

• B01D19/0036 Primary

  Flash degasification (the other groups take precedence) · CPC title

• B04C5/14

  Construction of the underflow ducting; Apex constructions; Discharge arrangements {; discharge through sidewall provided with a few slits or perforations (provided with a great number of slits or perforations B04C5/10)} · CPC title

• E21B21/065 Primary

  Separating solids from drilling fluids · CPC title

• E21B21/067

  Separating gases from drilling fluids · CPC title

• B01D33/72

  for feeding · CPC title