System and method for portable dry chemical injection

Abstract

The present invention provides a system to precisely deliver dry chemicals, and to an apparatus and method to reliably and accurately deliver dry chemicals used during drilling operations. An additional aspect of the present invention is to provide a dry chemical delivery system that is modular and portable. Further, the apparatus may be configured to automatically meter and control multiple dry chemicals into a common line for use in drilling operations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dry product delivery system, comprising:
 a first receiving container having a receiving portion and delivery portion, the first receiving portion adapted to receive a first dry product;   a first sensor engaged with the first receiving container and adapted to measure at least the weight of the first dry product;   a first meter engaged with the first container delivery portion and configured to receive the first dry product and deliver a user-selectable volume or rate of the first dry product;   a first air channel interconnected to the first meter and adapted to receive the first dry product from the first meter;   a first hose interconnected to the first air channel and adapted to receive the first dry product from the first air channel; and   a blower fan interconnected with the first air channel and adapted to urge the first dry product in the first air channel downstream and into the first hose;   wherein the first dry product in the first hose is delivered to a delivery site.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a diffuser interconnected with the first hose and adapted to decrease the speed of the first dry product. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a computer in communication with at least one of the first meter, a blower fan and the first sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the computer records the measurement of the weight of the first dry product. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first dry product is delivered to a blending hopper. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first dry product is a first dry chemical. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the computer is in communication with the first meter and the first sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second receiving container having a receiving portion and a delivery portion, the second receiving portion adapted to receive a second dry product; a second sensor engaged with the second receiving container and adapted to measure at least the weight of the second dry product; a second meter interconnected with the second container delivery portion and configured to receive the second dry product and deliver a user-selectable volume or rate of second dry product; a second air channel interconnected with the second meter and adapted to receive the second dry product from the second meter; a second hose interconnected with the second air channel and configured to receive the second dry product from the second air channel and the first dry product from the first hose;
 wherein the first hose and the second hose are in communication, wherein the blower fan is further adapted to urge the second dry product downstream and into the second hose, wherein a blended dry product of the first dry product and the second dry product is delivered to a delivery site.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a diffuser positioned proximate to the second hose and adapted to interconnect to the second hose and decrease the speed of the blended dry product. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a computer in communication with at least the first meter, the second meter, the first sensor, and the second sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first dry product is a first dry chemical and the second dry product is a second dry chemical. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the computer records a measurement of the weight of at least one of the first dry product and the second dry product. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the computer is in communication with the first meter and the first sensor. 
     
     
         14 . A method for delivery of a dry product to a delivery site, comprising:
 positioning a dry product delivery system proximate to a delivery site, the dry product delivery system comprising: a first receiving container having a receiving portion and a delivery portion, the first receiving portion adapted to receive a first dry product; a first sensor engaged with the first receiving container and adapted to measure at least the weight of the first dry product; a first meter engaged with the first container delivery portion and configured to receive the first dry product and deliver a user-selectable volume or rate of the first dry product; a first air channel interconnected to the first meter and adapted to receive the first dry product from the first meter; a first hose interconnected to the first air channel and adapted to receive the first dry product from the first air channel; a blower fan interconnected with the first air channel and adapted to urge the first dry product in the first air channel downstream and into the first hose; and a computer in communication with the first meter, the computer adapted to receive a user-selectable volume or rate of first dry product to the first air channel;   inputting a selected volume or rate of first product to the first air channel;   providing a first dry product to the first receiving container;   wherein the first dry product as contained in the first hose is delivered to the delivery site.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising a diffuser interconnected with the first hose and adapted to decrease the speed of the first dry product. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the computer records the measurement of the weight of the first dry product. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first dry product is a first dry chemical. 
     
     
         18 . A dry product delivery system, comprising:
 a first receiving container having a receiving portion and delivery portion, the first receiving portion adapted to receive a first dry product;   a first sensor engaged with the first receiving container, and adapted to measure at least the weight of the first dry product;   a first meter engaged with the first container delivery portion, receive the first dry product, and deliver a user-selectable volume or rate of the first dry product;   a computer in communication with the first meter, the computer adapted to receive a user-selectable volume or rate of first dry product to the first air channel;   a first air channel interconnected to the first meter and adapted to receive the first dry product from the first meter;   a first hose interconnected to the first air channel and adapted to receive the first dry product from the first air channel; and   a blower fan interconnected with the first air channel and adapted to urge the first dry product in the first air channel downstream and into the first hose;   wherein the computer records the measurement of the weight of the first dry product, wherein the first dry product is delivered to a delivery site.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the first dry product is a first dry chemical. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the first air channel is interconnected to at least one of a hose, auger and conveyor.