Patent ID: 11970917
Assignee: ELAVO ENERGY SOLUTIONS LTD.
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC E  B | IPC B  E

Claim 0:
1. A method for removing drilling fluid from wet drill cuttings, comprising:
at a pressure above atmospheric pressure:
using an internal combustion engine,
combusting an air-fuel mixture comprising air and a hydrocarbon-based fuel, thereby producing a combustion exhaust at a first temperature;
providing the combustion exhaust to the wet drill cuttings to contact and directly heat the wet drill cuttings by convection so that at least some fluid is evaporated therefrom and at least some dry solid drill cuttings remain, the evaporated fluid comprising drilling fluid and water;
agitating the wet drill cuttings while providing the combustion exhaust to the wet drill cuttings,
condensing at least a portion of the evaporated fluid to produce condensed drilling fluid, water and non-condensable inert gas; and
separately recovering the condensed drilling fluid, the water and the dry solid drill cuttings,
wherein the step of providing the combustion exhaust to the wet drill cuttings comprises:
providing the combustion exhaust to a fixed bed of a fixed stage configured to receive the combustion exhaust, and
providing the combustion exhaust to an agitator stage upstream of and in fluid communication with the fixed bed and configured to receive the combustion exhaust therefrom, the agitator stage having a mechanical mixing device configured to agitate the wet drill cuttings during the agitating.