Reloadable containerized system for wet and dry proppants and methods of making and using same

A system for reloading a container with a proppant, comprising:

• a reloader, comprising:
• a rectangular frame comprising a bottom surface and a back surface, a top and a front of the frame being generally open, and at least one divider thereby defining a plurality of reloading bays;
• a load cell disposed in each of the plurality of reloading bays;
• and
• an indicator in operable communication with the load cell;
• and
• a bulk material storage bin configured to be positioned atop the reloader, the bulk material storage bin comprising:
• a proppant receiving area comprising a plurality of funnels and a proppant dispensing device extending from each of the plurality of funnels, each of the proppant dispensing devices comprising an expandable loading tube with a diffuser at a distal end thereof and a gate for controlling the flow of the proppant through the expandable loading tube;
• wherein a respective proppant dispensing device of the plurality of proppant dispensing devices is configured to extend downwardly into the frame for each of the plurality of reloading bays;
• wherein each funnel comprises a plurality of angled wall sections;
• and
• wherein an angle of each of the plurality of angled wall sections is independently adjustable based on the characteristics of the proppant.

A system for reloading a container with a proppant, comprising:

• a reloader, comprising:
• a rectangular frame comprising a bottom surface and a back surface, a top and a front of the frame being generally open, and at least one divider thereby defining a plurality of reloading bays;
• a load cell disposed in each of the plurality of reloading bays;
• and
• an indicator in operable communication with the load cell;
• and
• a bulk material storage bin configured to be positioned atop the reloader, the bulk material storage bin comprising:
• a proppant receiving area comprising a plurality of funnels and a proppant dispensing device extending from each of the plurality of funnels, each of the proppant dispensing devices comprising an expandable loading tube with a diffuser at a distal end thereof and a gate for controlling the flow of the proppant through the expandable loading tube;
• wherein a respective proppant dispensing device of the plurality of proppant dispensing devices is configured to extend downwardly into the frame for each of the plurality of reloading bays;
• wherein each funnel comprises a plurality of angled wall sections;
• wherein the bulk material storage bin further comprises a measurement device for determining a characteristic of the proppant and an actuating device;
• and
• wherein an angle of each of the plurality of angled wall sections is automatically independently adjustable via the actuating device based on the characteristic of the proppant as determined by the measurement device.

A method for reloading a container with proppant, comprising:

• providing a system for reloading containers, comprising:
• a transloader having a conveyer belt and a discharge device;
• and
• a reloading system, comprising:
• a reloader, comprising:
• a rectangular frame comprising a bottom surface and a back surface, a top and a front of the frame being generally open, and at least one divider thereby defining a plurality of reloading bays;
• a load cell disposed in each of the plurality of reloading bays;
• and
• an indicator in operable communication with the load cell;
• and
• a bulk material storage bin configured to be positioned atop the reloader, the bulk material storage bin comprising:
• a proppant receiving area comprising a plurality of funnels and a proppant dispensing device extending from each of the plurality of funnels, each of the proppant dispensing devices comprising an expandable loading tube with a diffuser at a distal end thereof and a gate for controlling the flow of the proppant from the proppant receiving area and through the expandable loading tube;
• wherein a respective proppant dispensing device of the plurality of proppant dispensing devices is configured to extend downwardly into the frame for each of the plurality of reloading bays;
• wherein:
• the load cell determines an amount of proppant discharged into the container from the bulk material storage bin;
• and
• the indicator is activated when the load cell determines the amount of proppant discharged into the container from the bulk material storage bin is at a predetermined threshold;
• situating a container in at least one of the plurality of loading bays atop the load cell;
• setting an angle of an angled surface of each of the plurality of funnels based on a moisture content of the proppant;
• activating the transloader discharge device to discharge proppant into the bulk material storage bin;
• causing at least one of the plurality of expandable loading tubes to expand towards the container;
• causing the gate of the at least one of the plurality of proppant dispensing devices to at least partially open to allow proppant from the bulk material storage bin to flow into the container;
• determining an amount of proppant in the container via the load cell;
• causing the gate of the at least one of the plurality of proppant dispensing devices to close to stop flow of proppant from the bulk material storage bin once the amount of proppant in the container reaches a predetermined threshold;
• and
• activating the indicator once the amount of proppant in the container reaches the predetermined threshold.