Electrically driven oilfield blender system
AssigneeTwin Disc, Incorporated
InventorEdwin E. Wilson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrically driven oilfield blender system is configured to utilize electric motors as electric prime movers to prepare frac slurry and move the frac slurry to an oilfield pressure pumping system or pressure pumper that pumps the frac slurry into a subterranean formation. Each of the prime mover electric motors may operate at a fixed or constant rated speed and may be connected to a transmission that can drive a device such as a feed pump for a mixing tub or an auxiliary device at a variable speed. An electro-hydraulic motor start system includes an electric motor that powers a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump drives hydraulic motors that pre-rotate the prime mover electric motors to their rated speeds before they are energized.
Claims11
An electrically driven oilfield blender system for preparing a slurry used by an oilfield pressure pumping system that delivers the slurry into a subterranean formation, the blender system comprising:
- a mixing tub that receives multiple constituents of the slurry;
- a mixing tub agitator that mixes the multiple constituents in the tub to prepare the slurry;
- a first electric motor that includes an output section provides power for delivering at least one of the multiple constituents to the mixing tub;
- a start motor mounted to the first electric motor output section;
- a transmission arranged in a power path between the first electric motor and the mixing tub for selectively delivering power from the first electric motor in a downstream direction;
- and
- a second electric motor that communicates with the start motor and delivers power to the first electric motor to pre-rotate the first electric motor independent of the transmission by way of the start motor before the first electric motor is energized so the first electric motor is energized while rotating.
An electrically driven oilfield blender system comprising:
- a blender mixing system for preparing a frac slurry for use in subterranean fracturing of a geological formation, the electrically driven oilfield blender system including:
- a wet additive system providing a frac fluid used to make the frac slurry;
- a dry additive system providing frac sand used to make the frac slurry;
- and
- a mixing tub that receives and mixes the frac fluid and frac sand to make the frac slurry;
- a blender drive system that provides power to the blender mixing system to make the frac slurry, the blender drive system including:
- a wet feed drive including a wet feed electric motor that powers a tub feed pump that directs the frac fluid from the wet additive system to the mixing tub;
- an auxiliary drive including an auxiliary electric motor that powers an auger that directs the frac sand from the dry additive system to the mixing tub;
- a motor start drive including:
- a start drive electric motor that powers pre-rotation of each of the wet feed electric motor and the auxiliary electric motor;
- and
- a mode selector valve arranged between the motor start drive and each of the wet feed electric motor and the auxiliary electric motor, wherein the mode selector valve is actuatable to selectively deliver power from the motor start drive to each of the wet feed electric motor and the auxiliary electric motor as a function of an operational mode of the electrically driven oilfield blender system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.