Drill cuttings treatment systems

Abstract

A thermal treatment system for receiving liquid from drill cuttings material in which a metering screw system feeds material to a vessel of a thermal reactor. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b).

1 . Each invention disclosed herein. 
   
   
       2 . A thermal treatment system for removing liquid from drill cuttings material, the thermal treatment system having a metering screw apparatus for receiving and feeding drill cuttings material to a reactor system, including apparatus and a control system for controlling the metering screw apparatus and for insuring that the metering screw apparatus is maintained full or nearly full of material and/or for controlling the mass flow rate into a reactor of the thermal treatment system by adjusting the speed of the metering screw apparatus. 
   
   
       3 . A thermal treatment system for treating drill cuttings material in which apparatus and a control system are provided to maintain an airlock at a material inlet to a thermal reactor of the thermal treatment system by maintaining a desired amount of material in a container above a feeder system that feeds material into the thermal reactor. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein apparatus and a control system provide for control of temperature in the thermal reactor by controlling the mass flow rate of material into the thermal reactor by controlling a metering screw system that feeds material into the thermal reactor. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the thermal treatment system has an engine that rotates friction elements within a reactor vessel of the thermal reactor and performance of said engine is optimized by controlling a metering screw system that feeds material into the reactor vessel (e.g., based on sensed speed in rpm's of said engine). 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 3  including at least one load cell apparatus or two load cell apparatuses beneath the container to provide information to indicate an amount of material in the container. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 3  including at least one load cell apparatus or two load cell apparatuses beneath the thermal reactor to provide information to assist in control of the discharge rate of solids from the thermal reactor. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 6  wherein a control system controls the amount of material in the thermal reactor. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the control system controls said amount to maintain an airlock at the discharge from the thermal reactor. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 3  including apparatus and a control system to maintain a desired temperature in the thermal reactor. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 3  including a first feed of drilling cuttings material into the container. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the first feed is from drilling operations solids control equipment which is at least one of shale shaker, centrifuge, vortex dryer, and hydrocyclone. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the first feed is from a cuttings conveyance system. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 11  including a secondary feed into the container from a cuttings storage or transfer system. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 1  wherein apparatus and a control system provide for control of temperature in the thermal reactor by controlling the mass flow rate of material into the thermal reactor by controlling a metering screw system that feeds material into the thermal reactor. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the thermal treatment system has an engine that rotates friction elements within a reactor vessel of the thermal reactor and performance of said engine is optimized by controlling a metering screw system that feeds material into the reactor vessel (e.g., based on sensed speed in rpm's of said engine). 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 1  including at least one load cell apparatus or two load cell apparatuses beneath the container to provide information to indicate an amount of material in the container. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 1  wherein a control system controls the amount of material in the thermal reactor. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 1  including apparatus and a control system to maintain a desired temperature in the thermal reactor. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 1  including a first feed of drilling cuttings material into the container,
 wherein the first feed is from drilling operations solids control equipment which is at least one of shale shaker, centrifuge, vortex dryer, and hydrocyclone, and   including a secondary feed into the container from a cuttings storage or transfer system.