U.S. patent application number 15/767015 was filed with the patent office on 2018-10-25 for soft-sided bulk material storage container.
The applicant listed for this patent is Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.. Invention is credited to Tim H. Hunter, Bryan John Lewis, Bryan Chapman Lucas, Austin Carl Schaffner, Calvin L. Stegemoeller, Wesley John Warren.
Application Number | 20180305118 15/767015 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 58797609 |
Filed Date | 2018-10-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180305118 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lucas; Bryan Chapman ; et
al. |
October 25, 2018 |
SOFT-SIDED BULK MATERIAL STORAGE CONTAINER
Abstract
In accordance with presently disclosed embodiments, a stackable
bulk material storage container is provided. The bulk material
storage container includes a panel-less frame having a top portion
and a bottom portion, which is supported by cross bracing. A hatch
is coupled to the top portion of the frame. The hatched is opened
when loading the bulk material into the container and closed during
transport. A gravity feed outlet is coupled to the bottom portion
of the frame. The outlet is opened to dispense the bulk material
out of the container and closed during transport. A containment
structure is further provided, which has a greater storage capacity
over conventional containers. The containment structure is defined
by an upper portion formed of a soft material and a bottom portion
formed of a rigid material. The containment structure is attached
to the frame at least at the hatch and the gravity feed outlet.
Inventors: |
Lucas; Bryan Chapman;
(Duncan, OK) ; Stegemoeller; Calvin L.; (Duncan,
OK) ; Schaffner; Austin Carl; (Duncan, OK) ;
Warren; Wesley John; (Marlow, OK) ; Lewis; Bryan
John; (Duncan, OK) ; Hunter; Tim H.; (Duncan,
OK) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. |
Houston |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
58797609 |
Appl. No.: |
15/767015 |
Filed: |
December 3, 2015 |
PCT Filed: |
December 3, 2015 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US2015/063773 |
371 Date: |
April 9, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 88/022 20130101;
B65D 90/205 20130101; B65D 88/28 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65D 90/20 20060101
B65D090/20; B65D 88/28 20060101 B65D088/28 |
Claims
1. A bulk material storage container, comprising: a frame having a
top portion and a bottom portion; an inlet disposed at the top
portion of the frame; an outlet disposed at the bottom portion of
the frame; and a containment structure defined by an upper portion
comprising a soft material and a lower portion comprising a rigid
material.
2. The bulk material storage container of claim 1, wherein the
frame further comprises a plurality of sides each of which is
reinforced with diagonal bracing.
3. The bulk material storage container of claim 1, wherein the
inlet further comprises one or more hatches which has an open
position and a closed position, bulk material capable of being
dispensed into the container in the open position and bulk material
loss from the container being minimized in the closed position.
4. The bulk material storage container of claim 1, further
comprising an upper end of the upper portion which is secured to a
rim of the inlet, the upper end of the upper portion being folded
over an upper backing plate with an upper portion of the fold being
sandwiched between the rim and the upper backing plate and a lower
portion of the fold being sandwiched between the upper backing
plate and a lower backing plate.
5. The bulk material storage container of claim 1, further
comprising a lower end of the upper portion which is secured to a
rim of the rigid material, the lower end of the upper portion being
folded over the rim with an upper portion of the fold being
sandwiched between an upper backing plate and the rim and a lower
portion of the fold being sandwiched between the rim and a lower
backing plate.
6. The bulk material storage container of claim 1, wherein the
upper portion of the containment structure comprises a pair of
cross-bracing tension members, which minimize bulging of the upper
portion when the containment structure contains bulk material.
7. The bulk material storage container of claim 1, wherein the
lower portion of the containment structure is formed of a plurality
of interconnected rigid panels, which taper downwardly to form a
funnel.
8. The bulk material storage container of claim 1, wherein the
upper portion is formed of a material selected from the group
consisting of a cloth, a canvas, a canvas coated with a rubber
material, a canvas coated with an elastomeric material, a woven
nylon, woven polyethylene, a vinyl coated polyester, a plastic, a
woven glass coated with a rubber material, a woven glass coated
with an elastomeric material, a gunny sack and combinations
thereof.
9. The bulk material storage container of claim 1, further
comprising a first plurality of hangers arranged along an upper
outer perimeter of the upper portion and the first plurality of
hangers are attached to the frame.
10. The bulk material storage container of claim 9, further
comprising a second plurality of hangers arranged along a lower
outer perimeter of the upper portion and attached to the frame,
wherein sidewalls are formed between the upper and lower plurality
of hangers.
11. The bulk material storage container of claim 10, wherein the
first and second plurality of hangers are disposed within pockets
formed into the upper portion along the upper and lower outer
perimeters of the upper portion.
12. The bulk material storage container of claim 1, wherein the
rigid panels attach to the outlet.
13. A bulk material containment structure, comprising: an upper
portion formed of a soft material; and a lower portion coupled to
the upper portion, the lower portion formed of a rigid material and
having a plurality of interconnected rigid panels, which taper
downwardly to form a funnel.
14. The bulk material containment structure of claim 13, further
comprising a pair of cross-bracing tensioner members, which are
capable of minimizing bulging of the upper portion when containing
bulk material.
15. The bulk material containment structure of claim 13, wherein
the upper portion comprises a lower end which is secured to a rim
of the rigid material, the lower end of the upper portion being
folded over the rim with an upper portion of the fold being
sandwiched between an upper backing plate and the rim and a lower
portion of the fold being sandwiched between the rim and a lower
backing plate.
16. The bulk material containment structure of claim 13, wherein
the upper portion is formed of a material selected from the group
consisting of a cloth, a canvas, a canvas coated with a rubber
material, a canvas coated with an elastomeric material, a woven
nylon, woven polyethylene, a vinyl coated polyester, a plastic, a
woven glass coated with a rubber material, a woven glass coated
with an elastomeric material, a gunny sack and combinations
thereof.
17. The bulk material containment structure of claim 13, further
comprising a first plurality of hangers arranged along an upper
outer perimeter of the upper portion of the bulk material
containment structure.
18. The bulk material containment structure of claim 17, further
comprising a second plurality of hangers arranged along a lower
outer perimeter of the upper portion of the bulk material
containment structure, wherein sidewalls are formed between the
upper and lower plurality of hangers.
19. The bulk material containment structure of claim 18, wherein
the first and second plurality of hangers are disposed within
pockets formed into the upper portion along the upper and lower
outer perimeters of the upper portion.
20. The bulk material containment structure of claim 13, wherein an
upper section of the upper portion is tapered upwardly and a bottom
section of the upper portion is tapered downwardly.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to the handling of
dry bulk materials, and more particularly, to a soft-sided bulk
material storage container for use in the storage, transportation
and dispensation of such dry bulk materials.
BACKGROUND
[0002] During the drilling and completion of oil and gas wells,
various wellbore treating fluids are used for a number of purposes.
For example, high viscosity gels are used to create fractures in
oil and gas bearing formations to increase production. High
viscosity and high density gels are also used to maintain positive
hydrostatic pressure in the well while limiting flow of well fluids
into earth formations during installation of completion equipment.
High viscosity fluids are used to flow sand into wells during
gravel packing operations. The high viscosity fluids are normally
produced by mixing dry powder and/or granular materials and agents
with water at the well site as they are needed for the particular
treatment. Systems for metering and mixing the various materials
are normally portable, e.g., skid- or truck-mounted, since they are
needed for only short periods of time at a well site.
[0003] The powder or granular treating material is normally
transported to a well site in a commercial or common carrier tank
truck. Once the tank truck and mixing system are at the well site,
the dry powder material (bulk material) must be transferred or
conveyed from the tank truck into a supply tank for metering into a
blender as needed. The bulk material is usually transferred from
the tank truck pneumatically. More specifically, the bulk material
is blown pneumatically from the tank truck into an on-location
storage/delivery system (e.g., silo). The storage/delivery system
may then deliver the bulk material onto a conveyor or into a
hopper, which meters the bulk material through a chute into a
blender tub.
[0004] Recent developments in bulk material handling operations
involve the use of portable containers for transporting dry
material about a well location. The containers can be brought in on
trucks, unloaded, stored on location, and manipulated about the
well site when the material is needed. The containers are generally
easier to manipulate on location than a large supply tank trailer.
The containers are eventually emptied by dumping the contents
thereof onto a mechanical conveying system (e.g., conveyor belt,
auger, bucket lift, etc.). The conveying system then moves the bulk
material in a metered fashion to a desired destination at the well
site.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure
and its features and advantages, reference is now made to the
following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0006] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a soft-sided bulk material
storage container, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
disclosure;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a cutaway perspective view of the soft-sided bulk
material storage container shown in FIG. 1 revealing the inside of
a containment structure of the bulk material storage container;
[0008] FIG. 3 is a top isometric view of the containment structure
illustrating cross-bracing tensioner panels which reinforce an
upper portion of the containment structure, which is formed of a
soft material;
[0009] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an attachment mechanism
used to secure a top of the upper portion of a soft-sided
containment structure to an inlet comprising a hatch; and
[0010] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an attachment mechanism
used to secure the bottom of the soft material forming the upper
portion to a rigid material forming a lower portion of the
containment structure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] Illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure are
described in detail herein. In the interest of clarity, not all
features of an actual implementation are described in this
specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the
development of any such actual embodiment, numerous implementation
specific decisions must be made to achieve developers' specific
goals, such as compliance with system related and business related
constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another.
Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort
might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a
routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having
the benefit of the present disclosure. Furthermore, in no way
should the following examples be read to limit, or define, the
scope of the disclosure.
[0012] Certain embodiments according to the present disclosure may
be directed to systems and methods for efficiently managing bulk
material (e.g., bulk solid or liquid material). Bulk material
handling systems are used in a wide variety of contexts including,
but not limited to, drilling and completion of oil and gas wells,
concrete mixing applications, agriculture, and others. The
disclosed embodiments are directed to systems and methods for
efficiently moving bulk material into a blender inlet of a blender
unit at a job site. The systems may include a portable support
structure used to receive one or more portable containers of bulk
material and output bulk material from the containers directly into
the blender inlet. The disclosed techniques may be used to
efficiently handle any desirable bulk material having a solid or
liquid constituency including, but not limited to, sand, proppant,
gel particulate, diverting agent, dry-gel particulate, liquid
additives and others.
[0013] In currently existing on-site bulk material handling
applications, dry material (e.g., sand, proppant, gel particulate,
or dry-gel particulate) may be used during the formation of
treatment fluids. In such applications, the bulk material is often
transferred between transportation units, storage tanks, blenders,
and other on-site components via pneumatic transfer, sand screws,
chutes, conveyor belts, and other components. Recently, a new
method for transferring bulk material to a hydraulic fracturing
site involves using portable containers to transport the bulk
material. The containers can be brought in on trucks, unloaded,
stored on location, and manipulated about the site when the
material is needed. These containers generally include a discharge
gate at the bottom that can be actuated to empty the material
contents of the container at a desired time.
[0014] In existing systems, the containers are generally supported
above a mechanical conveying system (e.g., moving belt, auger,
bucket lift, etc.) prior to releasing the bulk material. The
discharge gates on the containers are opened to release the bulk
material via gravity onto the moving mechanical conveying system.
The mechanical conveying system then directs the dispensed bulk
material toward a desired destination, such as a hopper on a
blender unit. This process can release a relatively large amount of
dust into the air and result in unintended material spillage. In
addition, the mechanical conveying system is generally run on
auxiliary power and, therefore, requires an external power source
to feed the bulk material from the containers to the blender.
[0015] The material handling systems having the portable support
structure disclosed herein are designed to address and eliminate
the shortcomings associated with existing container handling
systems. The portable support structure may include a frame for
receiving and holding one or more portable bulk material storage
containers in an elevated position proximate the blender inlet
(e.g., blender hopper or mixer inlet), as well as one or more
gravity-feed outlets for routing the bulk material from the
containers directly into the blender inlet. In some embodiments,
the portable support structure may be transported to the well site
on a trailer, unloaded from the trailer, and positioned proximate
the blender unit. In other embodiments, the portable support
structure may be a mobile support structure that is integrated into
a trailer unit. The portable support structure may be designed with
an open space at one side so that the blender unit can be backed up
until the blender inlet is in position directly under the
gravity-feed outlet(s) of the support structure.
[0016] The disclosed portable support structure may provide an
elevated location for one or more bulk material storage containers
to be placed while the proppant (or any other liquid or solid bulk
material used in the fluid mixtures at the job site) is transferred
from the containers to the blender. The support structure may
elevate the bulk material storage containers to a sufficient height
above the blender inlet and route the bulk material directly from
the containers to the blender inlet. This may eliminate the need
for any subsequent pneumatic or mechanical conveyance of the bulk
material (e.g., via a separate mechanical conveying system) from
the containers to the blender. This may improve the energy
efficiency of bulk material handling operations at a job site,
since no auxiliary power sources are needed to move the material
from the containers into the blender inlet. In addition, the
portable support structure may simplify the operation of
transferring bulk material, reduce material spillage, and decrease
dust generation.
[0017] Furthermore, the containers in accordance with the present
disclosure are intended to be stackable, when being transported or
stored and also when being placed on a frame above a blender or
mixer for dispensing. To facilitate their stacking, each container
frame must be robust enough to carry the weight of its stack.
Furthermore, each frame is equipped with alignment pins to
facilitate the stacking of the containers.
[0018] Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic
diagram of a soft-sided bulk material storage container 10 in
accordance with the present disclosure. The container 10 includes a
frame 12, which includes a top 14, bottom 16 and plurality of sides
18. The frame is formed of a plurality of rigid bars 20, which in
one exemplary embodiment may be formed of steel. As those of
ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, however, alternative
rigid materials may be used in the construction of the frame 12.
The grade/weight of steel or other rigid material utilized should
be able to carry the weight of multiple containers such as when the
containers are stacked. A pair of parallel tubes 21 is attached to
the bottom 16 of the frame 12 at generally opposite sides, as shown
in FIG. 2. The tubes 21 have a general rectangular cross-section
and are designed to accommodate the forks of a forklift. This
enables the containers 10 to be easily hoisted onto and off
transportation units (not shown) and also moved around a well
site.
[0019] One of the features of the frame 12 is that the rigid bars
20 are formed at least on the sides into a cross-bar configuration.
These cross-bars reinforce the frame 12. Unlike prior art bulk
material storage containers, whose frames are made up of solid
panels, frame 12 simply relies on the cross-bars to give it form
and strength. This configuration results in a lighter-weight
container 10 which has a greater capacity for storage of bulk
material. Indeed, the reduction in material making up the frame 12
together with the use of a soft material for the storage
containment structure 22 reduces the overall weight of the
container by approximately 31% over prior art containers. This
weight savings will allow an approximate additional 2,000 lbs. of
dry bulk material to be transported in each container, which
results in an approximate 5% increase over current capacity of
existing conventional bulk material storage containers.
Furthermore, the fabrication expenses associated with the design of
the present bulk material storage container 10 will also result in
a significant reduction in the fabrication cost for the containers.
It is estimated that by eliminating the conventional side panels
and associated welding of same, that a reduction of approximately
100 hours of fabrication time will result in connection with the
manufacture of the bulk storage material containers 10, in
accordance with the present disclosure.
[0020] An inlet 24 is located in the top 14 of the frame 12. The
inlet 24 is formed by two orthogonal pairs of parallel cross bars.
One or more hatches 26 may be mounted to the inlet 24 by a pair of
hinges 28 and 30. The pair of hinges 28 and 30 enables the hatch to
swing between an open position and a closed position. In the open
position, dry bulk material can be disposed into the container 10
through the opening 24. In the closed position, the dry bulk
material is contained within the container 10 thereby preventing it
from being lost to the environment or exposed to undesired
moisture. Bulk material loss can be an issue during transport and
in windy environments. Thus, the hatch 26 assists in the
containment of the bulk material storage. The container 10 is also
formed with a plurality of alignment pins 25 disposed on the top 14
of the frame 12 and an associated plurality of alignment recesses
27 disposed on the bottom of the frame 12. The associated alignment
recesses 27 are designed to receive the alignment pins 25 from
another container 10 to thereby enable stacking of the containers
10.
[0021] The storage containment structure 22 is formed of an upper
portion 40 and a lower portion 42, which are best seen in FIG. 2.
The upper portion 40 is formed of a soft material. Suitable
materials for the soft material include, but are not limited to, a
cloth, a canvas, a canvas coated with a rubber material, a canvas
coated with an elastomeric material, a woven nylon, woven
polyethylene, a vinyl coated polyester, a plastic, a woven glass
coated with a rubber material, a woven glass coated with an
elastomeric material, a gunny sack and combinations thereof. The
bottom portion is formed of a rigid material, which in one
exemplary embodiment is a sheet metal. As those of ordinary skill
in the art will appreciate, other suitable materials may be
used.
[0022] The upper portion 40 of the storage containment structure 22
has a top section 44, a mid-section 46 and bottom section 48. The
mid-section 46 is formed of a plurality of side panels, which are
attached to each other at adjacent corners. The side panels are
attached at right angles to each other (i.e., 90.degree. angles).
The top section 44 is formed of a plurality of upwardly tapered
panels, which are attached on their sides to each other at adjacent
corners. The upwardly tapered panels are also attached to the side
panels of the mid-section along a bottom perimeter and to a rim 50,
which forms part of the inlet 24 and hatch 26 along a top
perimeter. The bottom section 48 is similar in shape to the top
portion 44. It is formed of a plurality of downwardly tapered
panels which are attached to each other at adjacent corners. The
downwardly tapered panels are also attached to the side panels of
the mid-section along a top perimeter and to the lower portion 42
of the storage containment structure 22 along a bottom perimeter.
The bottom section 48 is funnel-shaped and acts to direct the bulk
material downwardly towards the bottom of the container 10 and
ultimately out of the container upon dispensing.
[0023] The upper portion 40 is formed with a first plurality of
pockets 50 which are formed along a top perimeter of the
mid-section 46 and a second plurality of pockets 52, which are
formed along a bottom perimeter of the mid-section 46, as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 3. The pockets 50 and 52 are attached to the upper
portion 40 by sewing them onto the material forming the upper
portion or by use of an epoxy or other suitable chemical attachment
means. Thermal processes could also be used for bonding the pocket.
Support hangers 54 are disposed in the pockets 50 and 52. The
support hangers 54 attach to the sides 18 of the frame 12. They
help to give form as well as support to the upper portion 40 of the
storage containment structure 22. They also carry the load of bulk
material stored within containment structures 22 formed of soft
material.
[0024] The upper portion 40 of the containment structure 22 may
also be formed with a plurality of tensioner members or panels 60,
as shown in FIG. 3. The panels 60 are formed in a cross-bracing
configuration so as to minimize bulging of the containment
structure 22 when it contains bulk material. The panels 60 can be
made of the same soft material that forms the rest of the upper
portion 40, or alternatively can be formed of a more rigid
material. Indeed, in at least one alternative embodiment, the
panels 60 are formed of a rigid material.
[0025] When the soft material is ;Conned of a cloth, fabric or
other similar soft material, the upper portion 40 of the storage
containment structure 22 is attached at its top to the frame 12 at
the inlet 24, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. The attachment is
accomplished as follows. An upper end 70 of the soft material
forming the upper portion 40 is secured to a rim 72 which forms
part of the inlet 24 and to which the hatch 26 is attached, as
shown in FIG. 4. The upper end 70 of the upper portion 40 is folded
over an upper backing plate 74. An upper portion of the fold is
sandwiched between the rim 72 and the upper backing plate 74. A
lower portion of the fold is sandwiched between the upper backing
plate 74 and a lower backing plate 76. A bolt or other fastening
means (not shown) secures the upper end 70 to the rim 72 and upper
and lower backing plates 74 and 76.
[0026] When the soft material is formed of a cloth, fabric or other
similar soft material, the upper portion 40 of the storage
containment structure 22 is attached at its bottom to the lower
portion 42, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. The attachment is
accomplished as follows. A lower end 80 of the soft material
forming the upper portion 40 is secured to a rim 82 of the rigid
material making up the lower portion 42, as shown in FIG. 5. The
lower end 80 of the upper portion 40 is folded over the rim 82 with
an upper portion of the fold being sandwiched between an upper
backing plate 84 and the rim 82. A lower portion of the fold in
turn is sandwiched between the rim 82 and a lower backing plate 86.
A bolt or other fastening means (not shown) secures the lower end
80 to the rim 82 and the upper and lower backing plates 84 and
86.
[0027] The lower portion 42 is formed of a plurality of rigid
panels 90, which are best seen in FIG. 2. In one exemplary
embodiment, the lower portion 42 is formed of four rigid panels 90,
which are interconnected at adjacent corners. Each panel 90 is
generally trapezoidal in shape. The rigid panels 90 taper in a
downward direction thereby forming a funnel, which is designed to
direct the dry bulk material downwardly and out of the container 10
through an outlet 92, shown in FIG. 2. The rigid panels 90 may be
formed of a sheet metal or other suitable lightweight and durable
material.
[0028] It should be noted that the disclosed container 10 may be
utilized to provide bulk material for use in a variety of treating
processes. For example, the disclosed systems and methods may be
utilized to provide proppant materials into fracture treatments
performed on a hydrocarbon recovery well. In other embodiments, the
disclosed techniques may be used to provide other materials (e.g.,
non-proppant) for diversions, conductor-frac applications, cement
mixing, drilling mud mixing, and other fluid mixing
applications.
[0029] Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been
described in detail, it should be understood that various changes,
substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing
from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the
following claims.
* * * * *