Patent Number: 063226936
Section: description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numbers designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and particularly, the FIG. 1 wherein the waste processing system in accordance with the present invention, generally designated 1, comprises a first mixing tank system 9 having at least one mixing tank 10. Each of the mixing tanks 10 have an agitation system situated within the tanks. The agitation system of the present invention both mixes and shears. The agitation system of the present invention includes shearing devices and shearing systems. The agitation system comprises at least one motor, a gear box and a plurality of blades. The motor can be a Blue Chip Motor manufactured by Marathon. The first separation tank may also have a grading situated across the top of the tanks. The size of the mixing tank 10 is dependent upon how fast the operator wants to process the waste and the size and type of particles of waste being processed. At least one modified centrifugal pump 5 is attached to the first mixing tank system 9. The modified centrifugal pump is modified by increasing the spacing between the holder and impeller of a centrifugal pump. The centrifugal pump may be a Magnum 250 Pump which is manufactured by Harrisburg, Inc. There are jet lines and re-circulation lines attached to the first mixing tank system 9. A first separation system 11 comprising at least one separation device 12 is attached to the first mixing tank system 9. The separation device 12 can be any vibrating screen such as shale shaker. The separation device may be a Scalping Shaker manufactured by Fluid Systems Corp. A manifold can be attached to the first separation device to control the speed and flow of the waste processing system 1. A slurry tank system 13 is connected to the first separation system 11. The slurry is tank system 13 comprises at least one slurry tank 14 having a shearing system situated within each tank 14. The shearing system comprises a gear box, at least one motor, a plurality of blades, a shearing mixer and gun lines. The motor may also be a Blue Chip Motor manufactured by Marathon. The shearing Mixer may be a Rotostat mixer manufactured by Admix. The gun lines may be Mud Guns manufactured by Harrisburg. At least one shearing pump 25 is attached to the slurry tank system 13. The slurry tank system 13 has a plurality of outlets whereby re-circulation lines and conduits can be attached. A manifold system is also attached to the slurry tank system 13. A second separation system 15 comprising at least one separation device 16 is attached to the slurry tank system 13. The separation device 16 in the second separation system is similar to the separation device in the first separation system 11. A second mixing tank system 17 comprising at least one mixing tank 18 is attached to the second separation system 15. The size of the mixing tank 18 is contingent upon the size and type of particles of waste being processed. The second mixing tank system 17 has an agitation system situated with the mixing tanks 18. The agitation system is similar to the agitation system of the first mixing tank system 9. A centrifugal pump 35 is attached to the second mixing tank system 17 and a manifold system is attached to the centrifugal pump 35. A holding tank 20 is attached to the second mixing tank system 17. The first mixing system 9, the first separation system 11, the slurry tank system 13, the second separation system 15, the second tank system 17 and the holding tank 20 are connected by conduits 7. The re-circulation lines and conduits 7 can be connected to any of the tanks using the manifold system. The holding tank 20 may have a plurality of compartments 20a-20d respectively and each compartment may have gauges to measure the amount of solids that are injected into the well. The holding tank 20 can also have a manifold system. At least one of the compartments can retain water to control the pressure within the compartments 20a-d. The waste processing system 1 can have a motor control room or a (SCR) service control room wherein control boxes, power sources, etc. are stored. Referring now to FIG. 2, the waste material is fed to the first 250 bbl mix tank 10 by a conveyor belt or by a pump 5. The main objective of this tank 10 is to fragment the clumps of clay pit solids and mix the solids with water. The tank 10 has two agitators within the tank and at least two centrifugal pumps 5. As the agitators rotated, the clumps of clay solids were battered by the paddles and broken up into smaller solids. The centrifugal pumps 5 are multifunctional. First, the pump sucks the solids from a bottom manifold and the solids are then pumped to the first stage separation device 12. To relieve the amount of flow, a circulating or manifold system was installed outside the tank 10. The circulation or manifold system functions to mix the solids in the 250 bbl tank 10. Second, the pump 5 is used as a back up pump and to assist in the mixing process within the tank. Third, the pump 5 may also function as a circulation pump. After the material is pumped over the first stage separation device 12, the device 12 equipped with large mesh screens functions to separate any large debris and unwanted metals out of the slurry mix before allowing the processable waste to enter into the slurry tanks 14. The debris is collected into an area to be disposed of in another manner or can be further processed. The processable waste is then drained into the slurry tanks 14 at a controlled rate. The slurry tank system 13 has valves to control the amount of flow or the direction of processed waste. Each slurry tank 14 is equipped with a centrifugal pump 25 with a manifold system. The pump 25 has carbon tip blades which assists in the life extension of the blades. The high energy mixing and the grinding action of the slurry unit 14 causes the slurry material to be sheared and therefore reduced in particle size. From the slurry tanks 14, the slurry is pumped over a second stage separation device 16 where the slurry passes over another set of screens that are sized accordingly to the well specification. The screens catch and separate any coarse fractions that escaped the grinding action from the slurry tank 14. The coarse fraction can be stockpiled or re-circulate through the waste processing system 1 of the present invention. The fine fractions that passes through the second stage separation device 16 are then fed into the 150 bbl mixing tank 18 which are equipped with agitators and centrifugal pumps 35. The second mixing tank 18 is used to regulate the control of all the slurry that will be injected into a wellbore. The second mix tank 18 also has a manifold system that enables us to feed the pumps 35 or re-circulate mud to any stage of the waste processing system 1. The manifold can be use to re-circulate the waste product to the 250 bbl mix tank 10. The processed slurrified fine particles are sent to the 400 bbl holding tank. The holding tank 20 is set up with four compartments 20a-d, each compartment being at 100 bbls. The holding tank 20 is set up with a suction manifold that is valved at each compartment. It is also manifolded to discharge into each compartment or back into the receiving line. The compartments of the holding tank 20 has an agitation system. The agitation system comprises a gear box, a motor and a plurality of blades. The 400 bbl holding tank 20 has at least two centrifugal pumps 35 that feed injection pumps 45 that are used for injecting the slurry into the wellbore. Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that with the scope of the claims appended hereto, the invention may be practical otherwise then as specifically disclosed herein.