Patent ID: 9592479
Date: 2017-03-14
CPC Classifications: B01F,C09K,E21B,F16K,F17D,Y10T

Claim:
1. A system for mixing fracturing gel, the system comprising: a dry gel mixing chamber comprising a bladed impeller carried to rotate in the mixing chamber; a dry gel inlet in fluid communication with the mixing chamber, the dry gel inlet directly connected to a tank containing dry, non-hydrated, particulate material, such that, when particulate material is dispensed from the tank, the dispensed particulate material is provided to the dry gel inlet in a non-hydrated state and introduced to the mixing chamber for contact by the bladed impeller; a hydrating fluid inlet in fluid communication with the mixing chamber; a hydrating fluid source pump fluidly coupled to the hydrating fluid inlet to circulate a hydrating fluid through the dry gel mixing chamber as the bladed impeller rotates, the pump configured to operate at multiple different values of a flow condition to the hydrating fluid inlet; a valve fluidly coupled to the hydrating fluid inlet and coupled to a controller that senses a flow condition of the valve and is configured to automatically adjust a flow area through the valve in response to a change in an operating flow condition of the pump so that, as the hydrating fluid source pump operates at the multiple different values of the flow condition to the hydrating fluid inlet, the valve maintains a constant specified flow condition of hydrating fluid into the mixing chamber; and a mixed gel outlet oriented outward from the mixing chamber, and leading to a fluid conduit extending to a hydration tank.