Integrated automatic tank cleaning skip
AssigneeM-I Drilling Fluids UK Limited
InventorMartin Hunter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system includes a skip, a first sensor and a conveying section. The skip includes a hollow interior to store solids therein. The skip further includes an inlet and an outlet. The first sensor is located adjacent the inlet to indicate that the interior is filled with solids up to a predetermined level. The conveying section is located downstream of the outlet and is in solids communication with the interior. After the first sensor indicates that the interior is filled with solids up to the predetermined level, the conveying section conveys solids away from the skip and the skip is emptied. A method of using the aforementioned system is also disclosed.
Claims19
A system including:
- a skip including a hollow interior to store solids therein, the skip further including an inlet and an outlet;
- a first sensor located adjacent the inlet to indicate that the interior is filled with the solids up to a predetermined level;
- a conveying section located downstream of the outlet and in solids communication with the interior,
- wherein, after the first sensor indicates that the interior is filled with the solids up to the predetermined level, the conveying section conveys the solids away from the skip and the skip is emptied.
A method including:
- cleaning a tank to remove solids therefrom;
- filling a skip with the solids from the tank, the skip including a hollow interior;
- sensing whether the interior is filled with the solids up to a first predetermined level;
- stopping the filling;
- and
- conveying the solids away from the skip after the interior is filled with the solids up to a first predetermined level.
A system including:
- a tank;
- a tank cleaning machine to clean the tank with water and generate slop therefrom;
- a water recycling unit to separate slop from the tank into water and solids;
- a skip with a hollow interior to store the solids therein, the skip in solids communication with the water recycling unit and including a conveying section;
- and
- a disposal section to which the conveying section conveys the solids and which disposes of the solids.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.