US 4,671,665 A · Machine for mixing particles with a fluid composition

Abstract

The machine disclosed herein is useful for blending a particle containing stream, especially a stream of solid particles, with fluids. In a typical operation, sand is mixed with a gel composition to obtain a fluid mixture suitable for stimulation treatments of oil and gas wells. The machine includes a slinger with a topside surface which may be of toroidal concave configuration. The machine also includes an impeller, of a vortex configuration, that is fastened underneath the slinger. In this machine, entrained gas is carried into the fluid phase by the particle containing stream, but the gas is then "exhausted" from the mixture through interior and exterior air exhaust channels and spaces that are built into the machine. A slinger which is particularly adapted for use in such a machine is also disclosed.

Claims37

Dependent claims

A generally circular slinger useful for a machine which can mix particles in a particle-containing stream with a liquid composition, comprising:

(a) a topside shaped so as to hold back the liquid composition above and adjacent the topside, when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition;
(b) an underside which slopes inward and downward at least part way from adjacent the outer periphery of the topside;
(c) a gas exhaust means communicating between at least one outlet position adjacent the center of the slinger topside, and at least one inlet position on the slinger underside, for conveying gas adjacent each inlet position to an outlet position when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition.

A slinger and impeller apparatus useful for a machine which can mix particles in a particle-containing stream with a liquid composition comprising:

(a) a generally circular slinger having a topside shaped so as to hold back the liquid composition and create an eye therein above and adjacent the topside, when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition;
(b) a generally circular impeller connected to an underside surface of the slinger, and having an underside shaped so as to produce a vortex below and adjacent thereto, when the impeller is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition;
(c) an outer side defined by at least a portion of the underside of the slinger and at least a portion of the topside of the impeller, which outer side slopes inward and downward at least part way from adjacent the outer periphery of the slinger topside;
and
(d) a gas exhaust means communicating between at least one outlet position adjacent the center of the slinger topside, and at least one inlet position on the outer side, for conveying gas adjacent each inlet position to an outlet position when the slinger and impeller are rotated about their axes in the liquid composition.

2 more elements

A machine which can mix particles in a particle containing stream with a liquid composition, which includes means for exhausting entrained gas from the mixture, the machine comprising:

(a) a housing member having
(i) an inlet eye in an upper side, which defines a stream inlet and an exhaust gas outlet;
(ii) a liquid composition inlet disposed in a lower side of the housing and axially aligned with the inlet eye;
and
(iii) a mixture outlet;
(b) a generally circular slinger and impeller apparatus axially aligned with the inlet eye and liquid composition inlet, comprising:
(i) a circular slinger having a topside shaped so as to hold back the liquid composition and create an eye therein above and adjacent the topside when the slinger is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition, the topside including a topside surface and a plurality of blades extending upward and radially outward thereon;
(ii) a circular impeller of diameter less than the slinger connected to an underside of the slinger to rotate synchronously therewith, the impeller having an underside shaped so as to produce a vortex adjacent thereto when the impeller is rotated about its axis in the liquid composition;
(iii) an outer side defined by a portion of the underside of the slinger and a portion of the topside of the impeller, which outer side slopes inward and downward part way from adjacent the outer periphery of the slinger topside to an innermost portion of the outer side, then slopes outward and downward to adjacent the underside of the impeller;
(iv) a gas exhaust means communicating between at least one outlet position adjacent the center of the slinger topside and at least one inlet position each of which is disposed at the innermost portion of the outer side, for conveying gas adjacent each inlet position to an outlet position when the slinger and impeller are rotated about their axes in the liquid composition to mix the particles in the stream with the liquid composition;
(c) a drive means connected to the slinger and impeller apparatus for rotating the slinger and impeller.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Machine for mixing particles with a fluid composition

Life of this patent

Machine for mixing particles with a fluid composition

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37