Automatic vibratory separator

Abstract

A vibratory separator and methods for using it, the separator in certain aspects having a base, a basket on the base, motor apparatus for vibrating the basket and screen apparatus thereon, variable frequency drive apparatus for selectively driving the vibratory motor apparatus, and, in certain aspects, angle adjustment apparatus for adjusting angle of the basket; and, in certain aspects, for sensing a parameter indicative of operation of the vibratory separator, and control apparatus for receiving signals from the sensor apparatus, for controlling the separator based on said signals; and, in certain aspects, for automatically signalling a drive apparatus to change the speed of the motor apparatus; and, in certain aspects, the vibratory motor apparatus connectible to the basket at a plurality of locations so that a motion profile of the basket is selectively variable between linear, elliptical, and circular motion.

1 . A vibratory separator comprising 
 a base,    a basket movably mounted on the base and for supporting screen apparatus for treating material introduced into the vibratory separator, the basket on the base and pivotable with respect thereto,    screen apparatus supported by the basket, the material flowing onto the screen apparatus for treatment,    vibratory motor apparatus connected to the basket for vibrating the basket and the screen apparatus,    variable frequency drive apparatus for selectively driving the vibratory motor apparatus at a selected speed,    angle adjustment apparatus connected to the basket for adjusting angle of the basket,    sensor apparatus connected to the vibratory separator for sensing a parameter indicative of operation of the vibratory separator for providing a signal corresponding to said parameter, and    control apparatus for receiving signals from the sensor apparatus, for controlling the vibratory separator based on said signals, and for automatically signalling the variable frequency drive apparatus to change the speed of the vibratory motor apparatus so that force applied to the basket is changed.    
   
   
       2 . The vibratory separator of  claim 1  wherein the basket is tilted at a largest possible uphill angle.  
   
   
       3 . The vibratory separator of  claim 2  wherein the control apparatus includes timing apparatus that indicates the basket has been maintained at the largest possible uphill angle for a pre-set time period and actuation apparatus for actuating the variable frequency drive apparatus to increase the speed of the vibratory motor apparatus upon said pre-set time being achieved.  
   
   
       4 . The vibratory separator of  claim 3  wherein said actuating is done for a pre-set period of time or until a pre-set flow of material to the material introduction end is sensed by the sensor apparatus.  
   
   
       5 . The vibratory separator of  claim 1  wherein the vibratory separator is a shale shaker and the material is drilling fluid with drilled cuttings therein.  
   
   
       6 . The vibratory separator of  claim 5  wherein the vibratory apparatus comprises two motors for vibrating the basket, the two motors providing dual motion capability.  
   
   
       7 . The vibratory separator of  claim 1  wherein the sensor apparatus comprises a plurality of sensor apparatuses.  
   
   
       8 . The vibratory separator of  claim 1  wherein the measurement sensor apparatus is from the group consisting of electrical, optical, electromagnetic, ultrasonic, acoustic, and pulse-echo apparatus.  
   
   
       9 . The vibratory separator of  claim 1  further comprising 
 flow sensor apparatus connected to the vibratory separator for sensing the flow of material onto the screen apparatus,    the flow sensor apparatus controlled by and in communication with the control apparatus, and    the control apparatus for adjusting shaker operation in response to signals from the flow sensor apparatus.    
   
   
       10 . The vibratory separator of  claim 1  further comprising 
 the vibratory motor apparatus connectible to the basket at a plurality of locations so that a motion profile of the basket is selectively variable between linear, elliptical, and circular motion.    
   
   
       11 . The vibratory separator of  claim 10  wherein the motion profile of the basket includes a first shape at a material introduction end of the basket and a second shape at a material exit end of the basket.  
   
   
       12 . The vibratory separator of  claim 10  wherein the basket has a middle area between the material introduction end and the fluid exit end and the motion profile of the basket includes 
 a thin ellipse shape at the material introduction end,    a medium ellipse shape at the middle area, and    a fatter ellipse shape at the material exit end.    
   
   
       13 . The vibratory separator of  claim 1  further comprising 
 the vibratory motor apparatus including bearing apparatus for enhancing operation of the vibratory motor apparatus,    the sensor apparatus including temperature sensor apparatus for sensing temperature of the bearing apparatus during operation, and    the control apparatus for providing a notification to an operator of the vibratory separator that the bearing apparatus is to be greased.    
   
   
       14 . The vibratory separator of  claim 1  further comprising 
 the control apparatus for monitoring total operational time of the vibratory separator and for providing a notification of said total operational time.    
   
   
       15 . The vibratory separator of  claim 1  further comprising 
 the control apparatus including web interface apparatus for an interface between on-site personnel at a location of the vibratory separator and an entity remote therefrom.    
   
   
       16 . The vibratory separator of  claim 1  further comprising 
 the vibratory separator on a drilling rig, the control apparatus for monitoring and analyzing a plurality of signals from the sensor apparatus and for transmitting signals indicative of information related to operation of the vibratory separator to a processor on the drilling rig, the processor including a set of health check rules for health checks comprising logical rules, inputs and outputs for defining events associated with the status of the vibratory separator,    the processor for determining a severity code for each event and for reporting the events and severity codes to a central server, the events reported by the processor to the central server in a protocol defining a data structure, the data structure comprising a hierarchical tree node structure wherein results from application of the health check rules are a bottommost node of the tree node structure, and    displaying the event severity codes on a display.    
   
   
       17 . The vibratory separator of  claim 16  further comprising 
 the processor for providing to the central server the results as records containing node information regarding an appropriate location for the results in the tree node structure.    
   
   
       18 . The vibratory separator of  claim 16  further comprising 
 the control apparatus running the health checks in real time to provide results regarding on-going status of the vibratory separator to indicate a potential failure of the vibratory separator.    
   
   
       19 . A vibratory separator comprising 
 a base,    a basket movably mounted on the base and for supporting screen apparatus for treating material introduced into the vibratory separator, the basket on the base and pivotable with respect thereto,    screen apparatus supported by the basket, the material flowing onto the screen apparatus for treatment,    vibratory motor apparatus connected to the basket for vibrating the basket and the screen apparatus,    sensor apparatus connected to the vibratory separator for sensing a parameter indicative of operation of the vibratory separator for providing a signal corresponding to said parameter,    control apparatus for receiving signals from the sensor apparatus, for controlling the vibratory separator based on said signals,    wherein the vibratory separator is a shale shaker and the material is drilling fluid with drilled cuttings therein,    wherein the sensor apparatus comprises a plurality of sensor apparatuses, and    the vibratory motor apparatus connectible to the basket at a plurality of locations so that a motion profile of the basket is selectively variable between linear, elliptical, and circular motion.    
   
   
       20 . A method for treating material introduced to a vibratory separator, the method comprising 
 introducing material to a vibratory separator, the vibratory separator comprising a base, a basket movably mounted on the base and for supporting screen apparatus for treating material introduced into the vibratory separator, the basket on the base and pivotable with respect thereto, vibratory motor apparatus connected to the basket for vibrating the basket, screen apparatus supported by the basket, the material flowing onto the screen apparatus for treatment, variable frequency drive apparatus for selectively driving the vibratory motor apparatus at a selected speed, angle adjustment apparatus connected to the basket for adjusting angle of the basket, sensor apparatus connected to the vibratory separator for sensing a parameter indicative of operation of the vibratory separator for providing a signal corresponding to said parameter, and control apparatus for receiving signals from the sensor apparatus, for controlling the shaker based on said signals, and for automatically signalling the variable frequency drive apparatus to increase the speed of the vibratory motor apparatus so that force applied to the basket is increased,    treating the material in the vibratory separator, and    adjusting the angle of the basket with the angle adjustment apparatus.