Hydraulic fracturing system and method
OwnerKevin Larsoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a fracturing unit for hydraulic fracturing having an engine and a fracturing pump connected to the engine through a variable speed torque converter. Also disclosed is a hydraulic fracturing system using multiple fracturing units which are sized similar to ISO containers. A hydraulic fracturing system may also force flow back water, produced water, or fresh water through a heat exchanger so that heat from the fracturing engines can be transferred to these liquids in order to vaporize them. A force cooled fractioning unit then can accept the vapor/steam in order to condense the various components and produce distilled water for re-use in the fracturing process or for release into the environment.
Claims13
1-8. (canceled)
A hydraulic fracturing system comprising:
- a plurality of fracturing units, each unit comprising:
- an engine,
- a fracturing pump connected to the engine,
- a low pressure inlet connected to the fracturing pump and supplying the fracturing pump with fracturing fluid,
- a high pressure outlet connected to the fracturing pump and providing the pressurized fracturing fluid,
- a fuel tank supplying fuel to the engine, and
- a heat exchanger which accepts exhaust from the engine and transfers heat from the engine exhaust to flow back water and produced water from a well to produce steam;
- and
- a low pressure manifold connected to the low pressure inlets on each fracturing pump;
- a high pressure manifold connected to the high pressure outlets on each fracturing pump and collecting them into a single outlet to the well head;
- a steam manifold which collects the steam produced within each fracturing unit;
- and
- a forced cooling fractioning unit (FCFU) which accepts the steam and cools the steam.
(canceled)
(canceled)
16-17. (canceled)
A hydraulic fracturing system comprising:
- a plurality of fracturing units, each unit comprising:
- an engine,
- a fracturing pump connected to the engine,
- a low pressure inlet connected to the fracturing pump and supplying the fracturing pump with fracturing fluid,
- a high pressure outlet connected to the fracturing pump and providing the pressurized fracturing fluid,
- a fuel tank supplying fuel to the engine,
- a tube and shell heat exchanger which accepts engine coolant and transfers heat from the engine coolant to the FBW/PW from a well,
- a water heater which accepts the heated FBW/PW from the tube and shell heat exchanger and adds further heat to increase purification rates,
- a engine exhaust heat exchanger which accepts the heated FBW/PW from the water heater and produces steam,
- a pump which forces water through the heat exchanger and water heater,
- an AC generator coupled to the engine and providing power to the water heater and the pump;
- and
- a steam manifold which collects the steam produced within each fracturing unit.
20-23. (canceled)
A hydraulic fracturing system comprising:
- a plurality of fracturing units, each unit comprising:
- an engine,
- a fracturing pump connected to the engine,
- a low pressure inlet connected to the fracturing pump and supplying the fracturing pump with fracturing fluid,
- a high pressure outlet connected to the fracturing pump and providing the pressurized fracturing fluid,
- a fuel tank supplying fuel to the engine, and
- a heat exchanger which accepts exhaust from the engine and transfers heat from the engine exhaust to fresh water to produce steam;
- and
- a steam manifold which collects the steam produced within each fracturing unit and directs the steam into a forced cooled fractioning unit for condensation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.