# US 12,000,221 B2 · System and method for processing a slurry > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,000,221 B2 - Document ID: US12000221B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/404,723 - Filed: 2021-08-17 - Published: 2021-12-02 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2011-11-04 - Assignees: Flowback Fluids LLC - Applicants: Flowback Fluids LLC - Inventors: Terry Gordon Culver - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000221B2 ## CPC - E21B 21/065: {Separating solids from drilling fluids} - B03B 5/34: Applications of hydrocyclones - C02F 1/38: by centrifugal separation - C02F 1/56: Macromolecular compounds - C02F 1/72: by oxidation {(C02F1/4672 takes precedence)} - C02F 1/722: {Oxidation by peroxides} - B01D 21/267: {by using a cyclone} - C02F 2103/10: from quarries or from mining activities - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - B03B: SEPARATING SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract A system and method for separating two or more materials, such as a solid from a liquid, or a solid from a slurry, are provided. An exemplary system and method for separating drill cuttings from drilling fluids are provided, as well as a system and method of processing such separated drill cuttings. In another implementation, a system and method is provided for separating gold (or another mineral, element, or solid) from a slurry or liquid that includes mining cuttings. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for processing a fluid that includes one or more constituents, the system comprising: a receiving vessel configured to receive the fluid, that includes the one or more constituents, the receiving vessel comprising at least a first chamber of the receiving vessel, the first chamber at least partially defined by a dividing wall positioned at least partially within the receiving vessel, the receiving vessel operable to provide at least a portion of the fluid from the first chamber at one or more output openings of the receiving vessel; and a separator configured to receive the at least the portion of the fluid provided from the one or more output openings of the receiving vessel, and to separate at least a portion of the one or more constituents of the fluid to provide a first constituent output, and to provide a remaining fluid to the receiving vessel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a pump configured to pump at least the at least the portion of the fluid provided from the one or more output openings of the receiving vessel and to the separator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the receiving vessel further comprises a second chamber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the second chamber is at least partially defined by the dividing wall, wherein the dividing wall is inside the receiving vessel and shared by both the first and second chambers, wherein the first and second chambers are at least partially separated by the dividing wall, and wherein the separator is further configured to provide the remaining fluid to the receiving vessel at the second chamber of the receiving vessel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein a mixing aperture defined by a bottom distal end of the dividing wall and an interior surface of the second chamber fluidically connects the second chamber to the first chamber inside of the receiving vessel at the bottom distal end of the dividing wall. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising an injection port configured to receive a substance to add to the fluid. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the substance comprises at least one of a coalescing agent, a polymer, and an oxidizing agent. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the substance includes one or more from a group that consists of a permanganate, a potassium permanganate, a hydrogen peroxide, a soap, a surfactant, a soluble oxidizing agent, a polymer, a coalescing agent, and a flocculent. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the injection port is at a location before the fluid is received at the separator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, further comprising an injection port configured to receive a substance to add to the fluid, wherein the injection port is at a location before the pump. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the receiving vessel includes a mixing volume operable to receive a portion of a content of the first chamber of the receiving vessel and a portion of a content of the second chamber of the receiving vessel so that the fluid from the first chamber and the fluid from the second chamber will come in contact with one another prior to exiting at the one or more output openings of the receiving vessel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more constituents of the fluid includes at least one of (i) one or more salts, (ii) drill cuttings, and (iii) sand. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more constituents of the fluid includes at least one of (i) flowback water, (ii) produced water, and (iii) waste water. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid comprises water and the one or more constituents of the fluid comprises salt. ### Claim 15 A method for separating at least a portion of one or more constituents of a fluid, the method comprising: receiving the fluid that includes the one or more constituents at a receiving vessel, the receiving vessel comprising at least a first chamber of the receiving vessel, the first chamber at least partially defined by a dividing wall positioned at least partially within the receiving vessel, the receiving vessel operable to provide at least a portion of the fluid from the first chamber at one or more output openings of the receiving vessel; moving at least a portion of the fluid from the one or more output openings of the receiving vessel to a separator; separating the fluid between at least a separated liquid and a portion of the one or more constituents; providing at least a portion of the portion of the one or more constituents to a first location; providing at least a portion of the separated liquid to the receiving vessel, and mixing the at least the portion of the separated liquid and at least a second portion the fluid. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the receiving vessel further comprises a second chamber. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the second chamber is at least partially defined by the dividing wall, wherein the dividing wall is inside the receiving vessel and shared by both the first and second chambers, wherein the first and second chambers are at least partially separated by the dividing wall, and wherein the at least the portion of the separated liquid that is provided to the receiving vessel is provided to the second chamber of the receiving vessel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the mixing the at least the portion of the separated liquid and the at least the portion of the fluid is via a mixing aperture that fluidically connects the second chamber to the first chamber. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the mixing the at least the portion of the separated liquid and the at least the portion of the fluid is via a mixing aperture that fluidically connects the second chamber to the first chamber, and wherein the mixing aperture is defined by a bottom distal end of the dividing wall and an interior surface of the second chamber such that the second chamber is fluidically connected to the first chamber inside of the receiving vessel at the bottom distal end of the dividing wall. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising providing an oxidizing agent to at least the portion of the fluid, the oxidizing agent including one or more from a group that consists of permanganate, a potassium permanganate, a hydrogen peroxide, a soap, a surfactant, and a water soluble oxidizing agent. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more constituents of the fluid includes salt. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the fluid is a slurry that originates at least partially from a geologic formation that is accessed from an oil or natural gas well. ### Claim 23 A system for processing a fluid that includes one or more constituents, the system comprising: a receiving vessel configured to receive the fluid, that includes the one or more constituents, the receiving vessel comprising at least a first chamber of the receiving vessel, the receiving vessel operable to provide at least a portion of the fluid from the first chamber at one or more output openings of the receiving vessel; an injection port configured to receive a substance to add to the fluid, wherein the substance bonds with one or more of the one or more constituents; and a separator configured to receive the at least the portion of the fluid provided from the one or more output openings of the receiving vessel, and to separate at least a portion of the one or more constituents of the fluid to provide a first constituent output, and to provide a remaining fluid to the receiving vessel. ### Claim 24 A method for separating at least a portion of minerals from a slurry that includes both mining cuttings with solids that contain the minerals and a fluid, the method comprising: receiving an input material, which includes at least the slurry of mining cuttings with solids that contain the minerals and the fluid, at a receiving hopper; combining the input material and a transport liquid to create a conveyable slurry; moving the conveyable slurry to a separator; separating the conveyable slurry between at least a portion of the transport liquid and at least a portion of the mining cuttings that includes at least a portion of the minerals; and filtering the at least the portion of the mining cuttings that includes at least a portion of the minerals to provide at least a portion of the solids of the mining cuttings that are above a specified size, and to provide at least a portion of the fluid and the solids of the mining cuttings that are below the specified size. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the minerals is at least one of gold, silver, diamonds, iron, and a precious metal.