Patent ID: 6892887

Claim:
A polymer bead recovery apparatus comprising: a housing comprising a low-profile and portable recovery tank having an internal cavity and an exterior surface, said recovery tank having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, said recovery apparatus having at least one device for creating a force within said internal cavity of said recovery tank, said housing further comprising a walkway situated on the exterior surface of said recovery tank, said recovery tank comprising a shaker deck, said shaker deck comprising a plurality of interchangeable screens and said walkway providing access to said screens, said recovery tank further comprising an opening on its topside, said opening leading into said internal cavity and said shaker deck being situated on said topside of said recovery tank thereby covering at least a portion of said opening, said shaker deck being integrally constructed to said recovery tank and said screens of said shaker deck substantially covering the topside of said recovery tank; wherein a mixture of solid particulate material, drilling fluids, polymer beads and drilled solids are separated by a first screen of said shaker deck and the remaining mixture of small materials, fluids and beads enters said recovery tank and are further separated by the force created by said device, the undesired small particulate materials are removed from said recovery tank and then separated and isolated by a second screen of said shaker deck, and then the polymer beads are isolated and then recovered and collected.