Backflow collection system and method for reclaiming the same
AssigneeGranbury Thompson Group, LLC
InventorBruce Thompson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure provides a collection receptacle and a method for reclaiming backflow from a wellbore. The collection receptacle, in one embodiment, includes an enclosure configured to collect solid and liquid matter, and an elevated auger extending into the enclosure and configured to remove the solid matter from the enclosure. In this embodiment, the auger includes a housing having an outside radius rh, a flighting having a radius rf, and a shaft of the flighting having a radius of rs wherein a ratio (rs/rf) ranges from about 0.5 to about 0.6, and further wherein a relationship between the flighting radius rf and shaft radius rs promotes separation of the solid matter from the liquid matter as the solid matter travels up the auger and out of the enclosure.
Claims12
A collection receptacle, comprising:
- an enclosure configured to collect solid and liquid matter;
- and
- an elevated auger extending into the enclosure and configured to remove the solid matter from the enclosure, wherein the auger includes a housing having an outside radius rh, a flighting having a radius rf, and a shaft of the flighting having a radius of rs, wherein a ratio (rs/rf) ranges from about 0.5 to about 0.6, and further wherein a relationship between the flighting radius rf and shaft radius rs promotes separation of the solid matter from the liquid matter as the solid matter travels up the auger and out of the enclosure.
A method for reclaiming backflow from a wellbore, comprising:
- collecting solid and liquid matter from a wellbore within a collection receptacle, the collection receptacle including;
- an enclosure;
- and
- an elevated auger extending into the enclosure and configured to remove the solid matter from the enclosure, wherein the auger includes a housing having an outside radius rh, a flighting having a radius rf, and a shaft of the flighting having a radius of rs, wherein a ratio (rs/rf) ranges from about 0.5 to about 0.6, and further wherein a relationship between the flighting radius rf and shaft radius rs promotes separation of the solid matter from the liquid matter as the solid matter travels up the auger and out of the enclosure;
- and
- operating the elevated auger in a manner configured to remove at least a portion of the solid matter from the enclosure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.