Conveyor with integrated dust collector system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9845210-B2
Application number	US-201715398835-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 5, 2017
Priority date	Jan 6, 2016
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure a system for capturing proppant dust particles when positioned at a fracking operation site including a proppant delivery assembly to receive one or more containers having proppant stored therein. The system dispenses the proppant from the one or more containers and delivers the proppant to other fracking operation equipment. Moreover, the system includes a dust collection assembly positioned proximate and associated with the proppant delivery assembly to capture dust particles released by movement and settling of the proppant when being dispensed and delivered by the proppant delivery assembly. The dust collection assembly is positioned to direct an air flow in a flow path overlying the dust particles to capture the dust particles and move the dust particles away from the proppant thereby reducing risk of dust exposure to fracking operation site personnel.

First claim

That claimed is:

1. A method of capturing proppant dust particles when positioned at a fracking operation site, the method comprising:
delivering proppant stored in one or more containers to fracking operation equipment via a proppant delivery assembly, the proppant delivery assembly positioned to include an externally sealed end portion to deliver the proppant to the fracking operation equipment thereby to reduce the risk of releasing proppant dust particles, formed during delivery of the proppant, into atmospheric air;
directing an air flow, via a dust collection assembly connected to the sealed end portion of the proppant delivery assembly, in a flow path positioned to overlie the delivered proppant;
capturing the proppant dust particles via a plurality of dust receptacle inlets in fluid communication with the dust collection assembly and positioned to form a pathway for the proppant dust particles to exit the fracking operation equipment; and
removing the proppant dust particles from the fracking operation equipment via the air flow through the plurality of dust receptacle inlets and away from the fracking operation equipment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of delivering proppant comprises:
positioning the one or more containers on a top surface of a cradle, the cradle positioned to receive a plurality of containers in a side-by-side arrangement along the top surface when each of the one or more containers is individually positioned on the top surface of the cradle;
opening a gate arranged at a respective bottom of the one or more containers when positioned on the top surface of the cradle, the gate being moveable between an open position and a closed position to enable proppant to flow out of the one or more containers; and
moving the proppant away from the one or more containers via a proppant mover positioned at an elevation below the one or more containers and the top surface of the cradle such that the proppant flows from the one or more containers to the proppant mover by gravity feed.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising arranging a hood assembly connected to the sealed end portion of the proppant delivery assembly to direct the air flow toward the flow path, the hood assembly being in fluid communication with and connected to an air mover positioned to generate the air flow to draw a vacuum in the flow path to capture the dust particles, the air mover positioned adjacent a first end portion of the cradle, the first end portion of the cradle positioned opposite to a second end portion of the cradle, the second end portion of the cradle positioned adjacent a location where the fracking operation equipment is positioned.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising collecting the captured proppant dust particles in a location positioned a distance away from the fracking operation equipment for disposal.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising catching dust particles downstream of the fracking operation equipment in a catch box positioned between a proppant mover that carries proppant away from the one or more containers and the fracking operation equipment, the catch box arranged below an inclined portion of the proppant mover to catch proppant and dust particles as they are transferred to a chute arranged at a distal end of the proppant delivery assembly, the catch box also being sealed thereby to reduce the risk of releasing proppant dust particles into the atmospheric air.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of removing the proppant dust particles from the fracking operation equipment comprises:
directing the proppant dust particles via the air flow through the plurality of inlets and further through a conduit fluidly coupled with the plurality of inlets positioned to extend along a length of the proppant delivery assembly.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of directing the air flow comprises:
generating a suction pressure generated by the air flow, the suction pressure sufficient to capture the dust particles but light enough to reduce a risk of capturing the proppant.

8. The method of claim 1 , the suction pressure being within a range of approximately 3 Pa to 9 Pa above a static pressure of the proppant delivery assembly and the dust collection assembly.

9. The method of claim 3 , the step of capturing the proppant dust particles via the plurality of dust receptacle inlets comprising:
capturing the proppant dust particles via a first hood section, a second hood section region adjacent the first hood section, and a third hood section region adjacent the first hood section and opposite the second hood section, each of the first hood section, second hood section, and third hood section positioned to allow capture of proppant dust particles that disperse away from one of more of the first hood section, second hood section, and third hood section, and to direct dust particles to the air mover; and
removing the proppant dust particles from the fracking operation equipment via the air flow through each of the first hood section, second hood section, and third hood section and away from the fracking operation equipment.

10. The method of claim 3 , wherein the hood assembly includes one or more transfer members thereby to allow the hood assembly to be relocated for use at an alternate location.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the hood assembly includes a curtain extending around a periphery of the hood assembly and overlying a portion of the fracking operation equipment.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more transfer members comprises one or more slots positioned in the hood assembly to receive forks of a forklift to enable lifting and movement of the hood assembly to the alternate location.

13. A method of capturing proppant dust particles when positioned at a fracking operation site, the method comprising:
delivering proppant stored in one or more containers to fracking operation equipment via a proppant delivery assembly, the proppant delivery assembly including a sealed end portion to deliver the proppant to the fracking operation equipment thereby to reduce the risk of releasing proppant dust particles, formed during delivery of the proppant, into atmospheric air;
generating a suction pressure, via an air mover, in an air flow path positioned to overlie the delivered proppant, the suction pressure in a range above a static pressure of the proppant delivery assembly sufficient to capture the proppant dust particles but light enough to reduce the risk of capturing the delivered proppant;
capturing the proppant dust particles via a plurality of dust receptacle inlets associated with the dust collection assembly and positioned to form a pathway for the proppant dust particles to exit the fracking operation equipment; and
removing the proppant dust particles from the fracking operation equipment via the pathway through the plurality of dust receptacle inlets and away from the fracking operation equipment.

14. The method of claim 13 , the suction pressure being within a range of approximately 3 Pa to 9 Pa above a static pressure of the proppant delivery assembly and the dust collection assembly.

Assignees

• Oren Tech Llc

Inventors

• Oren Joshua
• Boros Marty
• Berveiler Pete
• Hansen Dave
• Campbell Colin
• Edwards Mike
• Massalone Thomas

Classifications

• E21B43/2607

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title

• B65C11/00

  Manually-controlled or manually-operable label dispensers, e.g. modified for the application of labels to articles (special furniture, fittings, or accessories for shops, storehouses, bars, or the like A47F; for paper towels or toilet paper A47K10/32; for playing cards A63F; movable-strip writing or reading apparatus B42D19/00; adhesive tape dispensers B65H35/002; dispensers for tickets G07B; coin-operated dispensers for stamps G07F {; dispensing devices for pamphlets from vehicles G09F21/22}) · CPC title

• B65G15/00

  Conveyors having endless load-conveying surfaces, i.e. belts and like continuous members, to which tractive effort is transmitted by means other than endless driving elements of similar configuration (having load-conveying surfaces formed by interconnected longitudinal links B65G17/06) · CPC title

• B65G69/182 Primary

  with aspiration means · CPC title

• B65G53/26

  operating with fluidisation of the materials · CPC title