# US 2014/0190904 A1 · Drilling Fluid Reclaimer

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- Number: US 2014/0190904 A1
- Document ID: US20140190904A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/150,441
- Filed: 2014-01-08
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-08
- Assignees: The Charles Machine Works, Inc.
- Applicants: The Charles Machine Works, Inc.
- Inventors: Cody L. Sewell
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190904A1

## CPC

- B01D 33/62: for drying
- B01D 33/0376: {supported}
- B01D 33/41: in series connection
- B01D 33/72: for feeding
- B01D 33/802: {Device for changing the inclination of the filtering element}
- B01D 35/20: Vibrating the filters (regenerating filter material by vibrations in filters with stationary filtering elements B01D29/72; discharging the filter cake by vibrations in filters with moving filtering elements B01D33/54, B01D33/76)
- B07B 1/42: Drive mechanisms, regulating or controlling devices, or balancing devices, specially adapted for screens
- B07B 1/46: Constructional details of screens in general; Cleaning or heating of screens
- B07B 1/4609: {constructional details of screening surfaces or meshes}
- B08B 15/02: using chambers or hoods covering the area {(B08B15/002 takes precedence)}
- E02F 3/8816: {Mobile land installations}
- E02F 3/907: {Measuring or control devices, e.g. control units, detection means or sensors (E02F3/902 takes precedence)}
- E02F 3/9262: {with jets}
- E02F 3/9268: {with rotating cutting elements}
- E02F 3/94: Apparatus for separating stones from the dredged material {, i.e. separating or treating dredged material (screening plants mounted on dredger therefor E02F7/06)}
- E02F 7/06: Delivery chutes or screening plants {or mixing plants} mounted on dredgers or excavators ({for back-filling E02F5/226 takes precedence}; separating equipment in general B03; delivery chutes in general B65G)
- E21B 21/065: {Separating solids from drilling fluids}
- E21B 21/066: {with further treatment of the solids, e.g. for disposal}
- E21B 21/067: {Separating gases from drilling fluids}
- B07B 2201/04: Multiple deck screening devices comprising one or more superimposed screens
- B07B 2230/01: Wet separation
- 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)
- B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- E02F: DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING (winning peat E21C49/00)
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

The present invention is directed to a drilling fluid reclaimer. The reclaimer has at least one adjustable screen assembly for providing a leveling filter for reclaimed drill fluid. Used drill fluid is placed at the screen assembly at the front the of the screen assembly. The at least one screen is vibrated to separate large particulate matter from liquid drilling fluid. A second screen is provided for additional filtering. Large particulate matter is expelled by a chute at the back of the screen assembly. Drilling fluid passing through the screen is “reclaimed” for use with a drilling system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A mud reclaimer located proximate a drill site, the reclaimer comprising:
a screen assembly;
a conduit for transporting used drill fluid from the drill site to the screen assembly;
a vibrator operatively attached to the screen assembly; and
a leveling assembly for adjusting an orientation of the screen assembly.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the screen assembly comprises a first screen and a second screen.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a mud pump for moving used drill fluid from the drill site to the screen assembly through the conduit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a frame supporting the screen assembly wherein the leveling assembly comprises a cylinder extending between the screen assembly and the frame.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a vacuum system and an airlock, wherein the vacuum system maintains a vacuum pressure inside the airlock and wherein the airlock comprises a float positioned to prevent used drill fluid from entering the vacuum system and wherein the airlock further comprises a rotating impeller to allow the used drill fluid to exit the airlock without depressurization of the airlock.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the drill site comprises a soft excavation location.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the drill site comprises a horizontal directional drilling location.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first screen and second screen are parallel.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the screen assembly is tilted downward from a front of the mud reclaimer to a back of the mud reclaimer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the screen assembly comprises a chute.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a mud pump for moving used drill fluid from the drill site to the screen assembly through the conduit.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drill site comprises a soft excavation location.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drill site comprises a horizontal directional drilling location.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a frame supporting the screen assembly wherein the leveling assembly comprises a slotted connection between the screen assembly and the frame.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a level sensor.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a vacuum system and an airlock.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the airlock comprises a rotating impeller.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the airlock comprises a float.

### Claim 19

A method for handling drill fluid comprising:
using drill fluid in an excavation operation at a location;
removing a used drill fluid from the location;
placing the used drill fluid on a first screen;
maintaining a level side-to-side orientation of the first screen;
vibrating the first screen to separate the used drill fluid into a particulate portion and a slurry portion; and
processing the slurry portion for reuse in the earth removal operations.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19 further comprising placing the slurry portion of the used drill fluid on a second screen.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20 further comprising vibrating the second screen to remove a second particulate portion from the slurry portion of the used drilling fluid.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19 wherein the excavation operation comprises horizontal directional drilling.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19 wherein the excavation operation comprises soft excavation.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 wherein removing the used drill fluid from the location comprises applying a vacuum pressure to the used drill fluid.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24 further comprising processing the used drill fluid in an airlock such that the used drill fluid is placed on the first screen at ambient pressure.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25 comprising sealing a chamber in the airlock using a rotating impeller and monitoring a fluid level in the airlock using a float.

### Claim 27 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19 further comprising drying the particulate portion in a mixer.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27 further comprising applying a drying agent to the particulate portion in the mixer.

### Claim 29

An apparatus for processing used drill fluid from an excavation location, the apparatus comprising:
a vacuum system to apply a vacuum pressure;
an airlock in communication with the vacuum system such that a vacuum pressure is maintained within the airlock; and
a reclaimer to receive used drill fluid from the airlock comprising:
a screen assembly comprising a first end and a second end;
a first vibrator operatively attached to the screen assembly; and
a leveling assembly for adjusting the level of the screen assembly;
wherein used drill fluid is received from the airlock proximate the first end of the screen assembly and vibrated toward the second end of the screen assembly to separate the used drill fluid into a particulate portion and a slurry portion.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the airlock comprises a rotating impeller in communication with the vacuum pressure maintained within the airlock and an ambient pressure outside the airlock.

### Claim 31 (depends on 29)

The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the airlock comprises a vacuum exit and a float ball sized to block the vacuum exit.

### Claim 32 (depends on 29)

The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the screen assembly comprises at first screen and a second screen, wherein the first screen is disposed above the second screen.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the first and second screen each comprise a mesh, and wherein the mesh of the second screen is finer than the mesh of the first screen.

### Claim 34 (depends on 29)

The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising a mixer located proximate the second end of the screen assembly.

### Claim 35 (depends on 29)

The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising a second vibrator operatively attached to the screen assembly, wherein the second vibrator vibrates at a different frequency from the first vibrator.