Fluid delivery device for a hydraulic fracturing system

Abstract

A fluid delivery device for a hydraulic fracturing system includes a fluid conduit having a fracking fluid outlet configured to be fluidly connected to a well head for delivering a fracking fluid to the well head. The fluid conduit includes a base fluid inlet configured to be fluidly connected to the outlet of a frac pump such that the fluid conduit is configured to receive a flow of base fluid from the frac pump. An injection system is fluidly connected to the fluid conduit downstream from the base fluid inlet and upstream from the fracking fluid outlet. The injection system is configured to be fluidly connected to a material source. The injection system is configured to inject at least one material of the fracking fluid from the material source into the fluid conduit downstream from the frac pump to generate the fracking fluid within the fluid conduit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An injection system for a hydraulic fracturing system, the injection system operable between an injection phase and a delivery phase, the injection system comprising:
 a base fluid inlet fluidly connected to the outlet of a frac pump configured to receive a flow of base fluid from a frac pump;   a fracking fluid outlet fluidly connected to a wellhead and configured to deliver a fracking fluid to the wellhead during the delivery phase;   a mixing segment disposed between and in fluid communication with the base fluid inlet and the fracking fluid outlet; and   a material inlet downstream from the frac pump, the material inlet fluidly connecting a material source to the mixing segment to provide the material to the mixing segment during the injection phase;   wherein when the injection system is in the injection phase, the material from the material source is injected into the mixing segment to mix with the base material to generate the fracking fluid and wherein when the injection system is in the delivery phase, the fracking fluid is directed from the mixing segment through the fracking fluid outlet to the wellhead.   
     
     
         2 . The injection system of  claim 1 , further comprising a base fluid outlet fluidly connecting the mixing segment to an inlet of the frac pump to direct the flow of base fluid into the inlet of the frac pump during the injection phase. 
     
     
         3 . The injection system of  claim 1 , further comprising a particle sensor configured to detect that the mixing segment contains base fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The injection system of  claim 1 , further comprising a particle sensor configured to detect that the mixing segment contains the fracking fluid. 
     
     
         5 . The injection system of  claim 1 , wherein the mixing segment alternates between a lower-pressure state during the injection phase and a higher-pressure state wherein the fracking fluid is delivered to the wellhead. 
     
     
         6 . The injection system of  claim 1 , wherein the injection system is mounted to a skid. 
     
     
         7 . The injection system of  claim 1 , wherein the injection system is mounted to a trailer. 
     
     
         8 . The injection system of  claim 1  further comprising a material inlet valve positioned between the material source and the mixing segment, and a base fluid outlet valve disposed between the mixing segment and the frac pump inlet and wherein when the injection system is in the injection phase, the material inlet valve and the base fluid outlet valve are in an open position to enable fluid flow therethrough. 
     
     
         9 . The injection system of  claim 1 , further comprising a material inlet valve positioned between the material source and the mixing segment, and a base fluid outlet valve disposed between the mixing segment and the frac pump inlet and wherein when the injection system is in the delivery phase, the material inlet valve and the base fluid outlet valve are in a closed position to prevent fluid flow therethrough 
     
     
         10 . The injection system of  claim 1  further comprising a base fluid inlet valve and a fracking fluid outlet valve, and wherein when the injection system is in the delivery phase, the base fluid inlet valve and the fracking fluid outlet valve are in an open position to enable flow through the valves. 
     
     
         11 . A method for operating a hydraulic fracturing system, the method comprising:
 providing at least two injection systems for injecting at least one material of a fracking fluid into a fluid conduit downstream from a frac pump, each injection system in fluid communication with a material source and a corresponding fluid conduit;   operating the at least two injection systems in an offset timing pattern to deliver a substantially continuous supply of fracking fluid to a wellhead.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein operating the at least two injection systems in an offset timing pattern to deliver a substantially continuous supply of fracking fluid to a wellhead comprises operating a first injection system in a high-pressure state to deliver the fracking fluid from the first injection system to the wellhead while simultaneously operating a second injection system in a low-pressure state to draw the at least one material into the corresponding fluid conduit. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising operating a third injection system in an offset timing pattern different from the offset timing pattern of the at least two injection systems. 
     
     
         14 . A hydraulic fracturing system comprising:
 a material source containing at least one material for a fracking fluid;   a frac pump having a pump outlet and a pump inlet;   at least three fluid conduits, each conduit having a fracking fluid outlet configured to be fluidly connected to a wellhead for delivering the fracking fluid to the wellhead, each fluid conduit comprising a base fluid inlet fluidly connected to the pump outlet of the frac pump such that the fluid conduit is configured to receive a flow of base fluid from the frac pump through the base fluid inlet; and   an injection system fluidly connected to the material source for receiving a flow of at least one material of the fracking fluid from the material source, the injection system being fluidly connected to a corresponding fluid conduit downstream from the base fluid inlet and upstream from a corresponding fracking fluid outlet, the injection system is configured to inject the at least one material of the fracking fluid into the corresponding fluid conduit downstream from the frac pump, each injection system comprising a base fluid outlet fluidly connected to the fluid conduit and configured to direct the flow of base fluid from the fluid conduit into an inlet of the frac pump.   
     
     
         15 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 14 , wherein each fluid conduit alternates between a lower-pressure state wherein the injection system draws the at least one material of the fracking fluid into the fluid conduit and a higher-pressure state wherein the fluid conduit delivers the fracking fluid to the wellhead. 
     
     
         16 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 14 , wherein the injection system comprises a material inlet valve and a base fluid outlet valve, and each fluid conduit comprises a base fluid inlet valve and a fracking fluid outlet valve, wherein each injection system is configured to draw the at least one material of the fracking fluid into the corresponding fluid conduit when the material inlet valve and the base fluid outlet valve are open and the base fluid inlet valve and the fracking fluid outlet valve are closed, and wherein each fluid conduit is configured to deliver the fracking fluid to the wellhead when the material inlet valve and the base fluid outlet valve are closed and the base fluid inlet valve and the fracking fluid outlet valve are open. 
     
     
         17 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 14 , wherein injection system comprises a syringe. 
     
     
         18 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 14 , wherein the injection system comprises a syringe having a material chamber fluidly connected to a corresponding fluid conduit downstream from the frac pump, the material chamber being fluidly connected to the material source, the syringe comprising a piston that is configured to retract to draw the at least one material of the fracking fluid into the material chamber from the material source, the piston being configured to extend to push the at least one material of the fracking fluid from the material chamber into the corresponding fluid conduit downstream from the frac pump. 
     
     
         19 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 14 , wherein the injection system is configured to be operated in an offset timing pattern to deliver a substantially continuous supply of fracking fluid to the wellhead. 
     
     
         20 . The hydraulic fracturing system of  claim 14 , further comprising a particle sensor configured to detect the base fluid.