Rotatable magnet cradle for swarf separation
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsMichael J. Farquhar, Derek Mackay
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rotatable magnet cradle assembly that can be used to separate swarf from a flow of fluid is provided. The cradle of magnets can be rotated a certain amount about a rotational axis from an operational position to a cleaning position. The magnet cradle may include a tube extending between two brackets, a shaft to which the two brackets are attached, and a magnet bar extending through the tube. In the operational position, the magnet provides a magnetic field that attracts swarf to an outer surface of the tube. Once it is desired to clean the assembly, the shaft is rotated to move the two brackets and tube out of the fluid flow and to a position proximate a discharge location, where the magnet bar can be removed from the tube to release the swarf.
Claims20
A magnet cradle assembly, comprising:
- a shaft extending along a rotational axis;
- at least one bracket having an end fixed to the shaft and extending from the shaft in a radial direction with respect to the rotational axis;
- an elongated first tube fixed to the at least one bracket and located a first distance away from the shaft in a radial direction with respect to the rotational axis;
- a first magnet bar disposed in the first tube;
- an elongated second tube fixed to the at least one bracket and located a second distance away from the shaft in a radial direction with respect to the rotational axis, the second distance being different than the first distance;
- and
- a second magnet bar disposed in the second tube.
A swarf removal system, comprising:
- a housing;
- a fluid flow path at least partially located in the housing;
- a discharge chute located proximate the fluid flow path;
- a first magnet cradle assembly rotatably coupled to the housing, the first magnet cradle assembly comprising an elongated first tube and a magnet bar disposed in the first tube;
- wherein the first magnet cradle assembly is rotatable with respect to the housing from a position in which the first tube is positioned within the fluid flow path to a position in which the first tube is positioned out of the fluid flow path and vertically above the discharge chute;
- and
- a second magnet cradle assembly rotatably coupled to the housing, the second magnet cradle assembly comprising an elongated second tube and a magnet bar disposed in the second tube;
- wherein the second magnet cradle assembly is rotatable with respect to the housing independent of the first magnet cradle assembly from a position in which the second tube is positioned within the fluid flow path to a position in which the second tube is positioned out of the fluid flow path and vertically above the discharge chute.
A method, comprising:
- positioning a magnet cradle assembly at least partially within a fluid flow, the magnet cradle assembly comprising:
- a shaft extending along a rotational axis;
- at least one bracket extending from the shaft in a radial direction with respect to the axis;
- an elongated tube fixed to the at least one bracket;
- and
- a magnet bar disposed in the tube, wherein the magnet bar is selectively removable from the tube;
- attracting swarf from within the fluid flow to an external surface of the tube via a magnetic field from the magnet bar;
- allowing the magnet cradle assembly to be rotated about the axis in a first direction from a first rotational stop position about the axis to a second rotational stop position about the axis such that the tube and the attracted swarf is moved out of the fluid flow and to a position vertically above a discharge chute;
- and
- allowing the magnet cradle assembly to be rotated in a second direction about the axis opposite the first direction from the second rotational stop position back to the first rotational stop position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.