Vibratory separator screens

Abstract

Methods for making a screen assembly for a vibratory separator, a screen assembly made by such methods, and a method for separating components of a fluid with a vibratory separator with such a scren assembly; the method in certain aspects including sewing together with sewing material at least two layers of screening material (e.g., two, three, four or more layers; e.g, but not limited to, layers of fine stainless steel screening material), placing the sewn-together layers of screening material in a heating apparatus, placing a coarse mesh layer adjacent the layers of screening material on the heating apparatus, optionally placing adjacent the coarse mesh layer a support with heat activated material thereon for adhering the support to the coarse mesh layer, and heating the coarse mesh layer and the layers of screening material to adhere them together; and, if a support is present, also heating the support to adhere the support to the coarse mesh layer, and, optionally, with some adherence of the coarse mesh layer to the layers of screening material with the heat activated material.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for making a screen assembly for a vibratory separator, the method comprising 
 sewing together with sewing material at least two layers of fine screening material,    placing said sewn-together at least two layers of fine screening material in a heating apparatus,    placing a coarse mesh layer adjacent the at least two layers of screening material on the heating apparatus,    placing adjacent the coarse mesh layer a support with heat activated material thereon for adhering the support to the coarse mesh layer, and    heating the coarse mesh layer, the at least two layers of fine screening material, and the support to adhere the support to the coarse mesh layer and the at least two layers of fine screening material to the coarse mesh layer.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said sewn-together at least two layers of fine screening material are preheated prior to placing them on the heating apparatus.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the sewn-together at least two layers of fine screening material are preheated for between thirty and sixty seconds.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising 
 applying glue to the coarse mesh layer.  
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the glue is applied in at least one line on the coarse mesh layer.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the at least one line is at least two spaced-apart lines.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the at least one line is applied lengthwise on the coarse mesh layer.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the at least one line is applied in an amount sufficient to effect a barrier to solids migration between the coarse mesh layer and a lowermost layer of the at least two layers of fine screening material, said lowermost layer adjacent the coarse mesh layer.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least two layers of fine screening material are comprised of a plurality of interwoven wires and wherein the preheating is sufficient to effect elongation of the wires of the at least two layers of fine screening material.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the coarse mesh layer ranges between 15 mesh and 25 mesh.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least two layers of fine screening material comprises a first layer and a second layer.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the first layer ranges between 30 mesh and 200 mesh and the second layer ranges between 50 mesh and 300 mesh.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the support is a frame.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the heat activated material is epoxy adhesive.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein, following adhering of the coarse mesh layer to the support, cure of the epoxy adhesive is accelerated.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each of the at least two layers of fine screening material are comprised of interwoven wires, the coarse mesh layer is comprised of interwoven wires, and wires of the coarse mesh layer have a diameter at least three times a diameter of wires of the at least two layers of fine screening material.  
     
     
         17 . A method for separating components of a fluid, the method comprising 
 introducing the fluid to a vibratory separatory, the vibratory separatory comprising a screen assembly mount, vibrating apparatus for vibrating the screen assembly mount, and a screen assembly mounted to the screen assembly mount, the screen assembly made by a method as in  claim 1 , and    vibrating the screen assembly mount thereby vibrating the screen assembly as the fluid is fed onto the screen assembly.    
     
     
         18 . A screen assembly made by the method of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         19 . A method for making a screen assembly for a vibratory separator, the method comprising 
 sewing together with sewing material at least two layers of fine screening material,    placing a coarse mesh layer on the at least two layers of screening material,    the coarse mesh layer having at least one line of glue material thereon,    placing the at least two layers of sewn-together fine screening material and the coarse mesh layer in a heating apparatus, and    heating the coarse mesh layer and the at least two layers of sewn-together fine screening material to adhere the coarse mesh layer to the at least two layers of sewn-together fine screening material.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising 
 placing on the coarse mesh layer a support with heat activated material thereon for adhering the support to the coarse mesh layer, and  
 heating the coarse mesh layer and the support to adhere the support to the coarse mesh layer.  
 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising 
 pre-heating the sewn-together at least two layers of fine screening material prior to placing the coarse mesh layer on the sewn-together at least two layers of fine screening material  
 
     
     
         22 . Any invention disclosed herein.