# US 2021/0275978 A1 · A Polymer Dispresion System for Use in a Hydraulic Fracturing Operation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0275978 A1 - Document ID: US20210275978A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/093,512 - Filed: 2020-11-09 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-04 - Assignees: ZL EOR Chemicals Ltd. - Applicants: ZL EOR Chemicals Ltd. - Inventors: Fang Fang LIU; Songyin LIU - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210275978A1 ## CPC - B01F 25/31243: {Eductor or eductor-type venturi, i.e. the main flow being injected through the venturi with high speed in the form of a jet} - C09K 8/62: Compositions for forming crevices or fractures - B01F 23/50: Mixing liquids with solids (displacing one liquid by another in dispersions of solids in liquids B01D12/00) - B01F 23/59: {Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams} - B01F 35/2112: {Level of material in a container or the position or shape of the upper surface of the material} - B01F 35/2206: {Use of stored recipes for controlling the computer programs, e.g. for manipulation, handling, production or composition in mixing plants (B01F33/846 takes precedence)} - B01F 35/2217: {Volume of at least one component to be mixed} - B01F 35/71745: {using pneumatic pressure, overpressure, gas or air pressure in a closed receptacle or circuit system} - B01F 35/71775: {using helical screws} - B01F 35/71805: {using valves, gates, orifices or openings} - B01F 35/7544: {using pumps} - B01F 35/90: Heating or cooling systems - C09K 8/68: containing organic compounds - E21B 21/062: {by mixing components} - E21B 43/2607: {Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations} - B01F 2025/913: {Vortex flow, i.e. flow spiraling in a tangential direction and moving in an axial direction} - B01F 2035/99: {Heating} - B01F 2101/49: Mixing drilled material or ingredients for well-drilling, earth-drilling or deep-drilling compositions with liquids to obtain slurries - B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06) - C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A polymer dispersion system for use in a hydraulic fracturing operation is disclosed. The system comprises: (a) a first sub-system comprising an ingress and an egress; (b) a second sub-system comprising an ingress and an egress; (c) an eductor mixing device comprising a first inlet in fluid communication with the egress of the first sub-system, a second inlet in fluid communication with the egress of the second subsystem, and an egress; (d) a tank assembly comprising an ingress and an egress, the ingress of the tank assembly being in fluid communication with the egress of the eductor mixing device; and (e) a transfer sub-system comprising an ingress that is coupled to the egress of the tank assembly. The transfer sub-system comprises a first transfer pump and a second transfer pump. In addition, method for operating the polymer dispersion system is disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for use in a hydraulic fracturing operation, the system comprising: (a) tank assembly comprising a first ingress, a second ingress, an egress, and an interior volume for collecting mother solution; (a) a first sub-system comprising an ingress and an egress, and configured to receive liquid medium; (b) a second sub-system comprising an ingress and an egress, and configured to receive particulate material; (c) an eductor mixing device comprising (i) a first inlet coupled with the egress of the first sub-system, (ii) a second inlet coupled with the egress of the second sub-system, and (iii) an egress coupled with the first ingress of the tank assembly, the eductor mixing device, when activated, being capable of generating a negative pressure for drawing liquid medium and particulate material into it and mixing said liquid medium and said particulate material by vortex for forming mother solution; (d) a storage container for collecting and storing excess mother solution, the storage container comprising an egress that is coupled to the second ingress of the tank assembly, and that can be in fluid communication with the interior volume of the tank assembly; (f) a first transfer pump coupled with the egress of the tank assembly; and (g) a second transfer pump coupled with the egress of the tank assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first transfer pump is coupled to both a missile unit and a blender unit downstream thereof but in fluid communication with only one of such units at any given time, and wherein the second transfer pump is coupled to both the missile unit and the blender unit downstream thereof but in fluid communication with only one of such units at any given time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, the tank assembly further comprising a liquid level meter for regulating the volume of mother solution flowing towards the first transfer pump, the second transfer pump, or both. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first transfer pump and the second transfer pump each operates at a pressure between 0 and 150 PSI. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, the first sub-system comprising a plurality of water line segments that are interconnected and for transporting liquid medium, at least two of such water line segments being positioned in parallel to one another, at least two of such waterline segments being positioned in series to one another, and a first pump disposed along a first water line segment that is a part of the plurality of water line segments and a second pump disposed along a second water line segment that is a part of the plurality of water line segments, the first pump and the second pump being positioned in parallel to one another. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system as claimed in claim 5, each of the water lines comprising one or more valves for regulating the flow of the liquid medium therethrough. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system as claimed in claim 5, the first sub-system further comprising a first filter disposed in a third water line segment that is a part of the plurality of water line segments and a second filter disposed in a fourth water line segment that is a part of the plurality of water line segments, the first filter and the second filter being positioned in parallel to one another. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, the second sub-system comprising: (a) a containing unit comprising an ingress and an egress; (b) a feeder unit comprising an ingress that is in fluid communication with the egress of the containing unit via a conduit; and (c) a conveying unit in fluid communication with an egress of the feeder unit, the conveying unit configured for receiving material from the feeder unit, the conveying unit in fluid communication with the eductor mixing device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system as claimed in claim 8, the containing unit further comprising: (a) a level meter for controlling the volume of particulate material passing through the egress of the containing unit and into the feeder unit; and (b) a vibrator for agitating particulate material that is contained in the containing unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the feeder unit is a screw feeder. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the conveying unit is a pneumatic conveying unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the conveying unit is in fluid communication with a dust collection unit, the dust collective unit for receiving any particulate material that is not received into the feeder unit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the eductor mixing device is in fluid communication with the conveying unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein an interior surface of one or more parts of the second sub-system is coated with a non-stick coating. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein one or more parts of the second sub-system is coupled to a heating device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, the tank assembly further comprising an overflow pipe having an ingress that is in fluid communication with the interior volume of the tank assembly, the overflow pipe for receiving excess mother solution that cannot be contained within the tank assembly. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a programmable logic controller configured to control the system and functionality thereof. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A method of operating the system as claimed in claim 1, the method comprising: (a) receiving liquid medium in the first sub-system; (b) receiving particulate material in the second sub-system; (c) transporting liquid medium and particulate material into the eductor mixing device; (d) mixing liquid medium and particulate material by vortex to form the mother solution; and (e) transporting the mother solution to the first transfer pump, the second transfer pump, or both. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second transfer pump has a pump volume capacity that is greater than the first transfer pump, wherein the second transfer pump is configured to operate at a higher pump pressure than the first transfer pump, and wherein the first pump and the second transfer pump are operational one at a time to permit continuous operation of the system when one of the first and second transfer pumps is offline. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the overflow pipe has an egress that is coupled to an ingress of the storage container, and that can be in fluid communication with an interior volume of the storage container.