# US 2014/0151129 A1 · Sieve cloth and method of using same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151129 A1 - Document ID: US20140151129A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/129,590 - Filed: 2012-06-28 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-29 - Assignees: Cubility AS - Inventors: Jan Kristian Vasshus; Arne Malmin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151129A1 ## CPC - B01D 33/41: in series connection - B01D 29/09: with filtering bands, e.g. movable between filtering operations - B01D 33/04: with filtering bands or the like supported on cylinders which are impervious for filtering - B01D 33/056: Construction of filtering bands or supporting belts, e.g. devices for centering, mounting or sealing the filtering bands or the supporting belts - B07B 1/10: Screens in the form of endless moving bands - B07B 1/46: Constructional details of screens in general; Cleaning or heating of screens - B07B 1/4645: {Screening surfaces built up of modular elements} - B07B 13/18: Control - E21B 21/065: {Separating solids from drilling fluids} - B01D 2201/188: Multiple filtering elements having filtering areas of different size - Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining - 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) - B07B: SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL (wet separating processes, sorting by processes using fluent material in the same way as liquid B03; combinations of dry separating apparatus with wet separating apparatus B03B; using liquids B03B, B03D; sorting by magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges or vortex apparatus for carrying out physical processes B04; hand sorting, postal sorting, sorting by switching or other devices actuated in response to detection or measurement of some feature of articles or samples of material B07C) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A method of controlling separation of solid particles from a fluid is described, wherein the separation is carried out by means of a sieve apparatus (10) which includes an endless sieve cloth (1) structured in a manner allowing it to rotate around at least two spaced-apart turning rollers (14), wherein the method comprises: arranging at least two sieve cloth sheets (1′) in series in the direction of movement of the sieve cloth (1), wherein at least two of the at least two sieve cloth sheets (1′) have dissimilar filtering characteristics; controlling the endless sieve cloth (1) by rotating the turning rollers (14) in such a manner that a desirable amount of solid particles and fluid is supplied to at least one of, or is distributed between two or more of, the at least two sieve cloth sheets having desirable filtering characteristics. A sieve cloth for use in the method is also described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of controlling separation of solid particles from a fluid, wherein the separation is carried out by means of a sieve apparatus (10) which includes an endless sieve cloth (1) structured in a manner to rotate around at least two spaced-apart turning rollers (14), the method comprises: arranging at least two sieve cloth sheets (1′) in series in a direction of movement of the sieve cloth (1), wherein at least two of the at least two sieve cloth sheets (1′) have dissimilar filtering characteristics; and controlling the endless sieve cloth (1) by adjusting the direction of rotation and speed of rotation of the turning rollers (14) in such a manner that a desirable amount of solid particles and fluid is supplied to at least one, or is distributed between two or more, of the at least two sieve cloth sheets having a desirable filtering characteristics. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further includes the step of providing the sieve cloth sheets (1′) with a signal transmitter (19) to communicate with a receiver (21) connected to a control system for controlling a driving device (22) for rotation of at least one of the turning rollers (14). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the method further comprises allowing a desirable portion of the sieve cloth to be brought to a stop in a predetermined position in the sieve apparatus. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the sieve cloth (1) is of a type being supported by a support belt (12) bearing against the turning rollers (14), wherein the method further includes the following steps: bringing at least a portion of at least one of the sieve cloth sheets (1′) into engagement with a portion of the support belt (12); positioning the sieve cloth sheet (1′) against the support belt (12) by moving the support belt (12) around the turning rollers (14); and bringing at least two adjoining end portions (3, 5) of the sieve cloth sheets (1′) into engagement with each other until the at least two sieve cloth sheets (1′) form an endless sieve cloth (1). ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the method further comprises releasing the sieve cloth from said engagement with the support belt (12). ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of releasing the sieve cloth (1) from engagement with the support belt (12) is an active step on behalf of an operator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of releasing the sieve cloth (1) from engagement with the support belt (12) occurs in response to an engagement having a strength being less than a force arising between the support belt (12) and the endless sieve cloth (1) when both are set in motion around the turning rollers (14). ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein engagement between the sieve cloth (1) and the support belt (12) is provided by means of an attachment means (16, 16′) releasably connected to a portion of the support belt (12). ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the method further comprises connecting at least one signal transmitter (20) to a portion of the support belt (12); putting the at least one signal transmitter (20) into communication with a receiver (21) connected to a control system, wherein the control system is structured to control a driving device (22) providing rotation of the support belt (12), and in such a manner that the driving device (22) is brought to a stop when the signal transmitter (20) is located in a predetermined position in the sieve apparatus (10). ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one signal transmitter (20) is releasably connected to a portion of the support belt (12). ### Claim 11 A sieve apparatus (10) for separating solid particles from a fluid, wherein the sieve apparatus (10) is of a type provided with an endless sieve cloth (1) to be moved around two spaced-apart turning rollers (14), the sieve cloth (1) comprises: at least two sieve cloth sheets (1′) arranged in series in a direction of movement of the sieve cloth (1), and wherein at least two of the at least two sieve cloth sheets (1′) have dissimilar filtering characteristics; and a control means for adjusting a direction of rotation and a speed of rotation of the turning rollers (14) to allow sieve cloth sheets (1′) having a desired filtering characteristic to receive the solid particles and fluid to be sieved. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The sieve apparatus according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the sieve cloth sheets (1′) has a square shape with a width being equal to a length. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The sieve apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a size, in a longitudinal direction, of at least some of the openings of the cloth is dissimilar to the size, in a widthwise direction, of at least some of the openings of the cloth. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The sieve apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a surface area of at least one of the sieve cloth sheets (1′) is larger than a basic outline of the sieve cloth sheet (1′), the outline of which is defined by the extent of the cloth in a longitudinal direction and in a widthwise direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The sieve apparatus according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the sieve cloth sheets (1′) is provided with one or more dividing profiles. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) A drilling rig for use in context of drilling a well for recovery of petroleum, wherein the drilling rig includes a sieve apparatus (10) for cleaning drilling mud, wherein the sieve apparatus (10) includes the sieve cloth (1) according to claim 11.