Screened Enclosure With Vacuum Ports For Use In A Vacuum-Based Drilling Fluid Recovery System

Abstract

A screened vacuum enclosure for use in separating drilling fluid from drill cuttings in a vacuum-based shaker system, the screened vacuum enclosure including: a) a rectangular frame including downstream and upstream longitudinal outer frame members and transverse outer frame members, with one or more vacuum ports extending through or into one of the longitudinal outer frame members, the vacuum ports communicating vacuum suction to the interior of the screened vacuum enclosure; b) one or more inner frame support members connected to the outer frame members; c) a screen attached to the top surface of the frame; and d) a floor attached to at least part of the bottom surface of the frame.

1 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A screened enclosure for use in separating drilling fluid from drill cuttings in a shaker system, the screened enclosure comprising:
 a) a rectangular frame including downstream and upstream longitudinal outer frame members and transverse outer frame members, with one or more ports extending through or into an outside front surface of a downstream longitudinal frame member to the interior of the frame, the ports communicating a pressure differential to the interior of the screened enclosure;   b) one or more inner frame support members connected to the outer frame members;   c) a screen attached to the top surface of the frame; and   d) a floor attached to at least part of the bottom surface of the frame.   
     
     
         35 . The screened enclosure of  claim 34 , wherein at least some of the outer frame members are at least partially hollow and are joined to form a continuous hollow space within the rectangular frame, and wherein the ports join the hollow space for communication of the pressure differential via one or more additional openings in the interior of the rectangular frame. 
     
     
         36 . The screened enclosure of  claim 34 , wherein the floor comprises a plurality of sloped portions to promote flow of drilling fluid towards the center of the floor. 
     
     
         37 . The screened enclosure of  claim 35 , wherein the additional openings are three to six openings. 
     
     
         38 . The screened enclosure of  claim 35 , wherein conduits are connected to the additional openings. 
     
     
         39 . The screened enclosure of  claim 35 , wherein the additional openings are provided by one or more slots located in one or more of the longitudinal or transverse outer frame members. 
     
     
         40 . The screened enclosure of  claim 34 , wherein the one or more inner frame support members is four to seven transverse inner frame support members. 
     
     
         41 . The screened enclosure of  claim 40 , further comprising four to seven spacer elements located between corresponding transverse inner frame support members and the floor, the spacer elements having a length less than the length of the transverse inner frame support members, thereby providing upstream and downstream spaces between the transverse inner frame support members and the floor. 
     
     
         42 . The screened enclosure of  claim 34 , wherein the floor covers between about one quarter to about three quarters of the interior area of the rectangular frame and is bounded by the entire length of the downstream longitudinal member, the entire length of an opposing inner longitudinal support member and opposing portions of the transverse outer frame members. 
     
     
         43 . The screened enclosure of  claim 42 , wherein the floor covers about half of the interior area. 
     
     
         44 . The screened enclosure of  claim 39 , wherein the one or more slots is provided by a pair of opposing slots located in the portions of the transverse outer frame members, and wherein the portions of the transverse outer frame members each have an interior boundary limiting the interior hollow space. 
     
     
         45 . The screened enclosure of  claim 44 , wherein the interior boundary in each transverse outer frame member is located adjacent to the upstream end of each of the opposing slots. 
     
     
         46 . The screened enclosure of  claim 34 , wherein the floor has two sloped portions increasing in height from the opposing portions of the transverse outer frame members to a substantially central apex. 
     
     
         47 . The screened enclosure of  claim 46 , wherein the floor is supported by a central reinforcing member attached to the underside of the floor and the upstream interior area of the rectangular frame not covered by the floor includes one or more transverse inner frame members. 
     
     
         48 . A screened enclosure for use in separating drilling fluid from drill cuttings in a shaker system, the screened enclosure comprising:
 a) a rectangular frame including downstream and upstream longitudinal outer frame members and transverse outer frame members, with a single port formed in an adapter inserted in a slot in the downstream outer frame member, the port for communicating a pressure differential to the interior of the screened enclosure via one or more additional openings in the interior of the rectangular frame;   b) one or more inner frame support members connected to the outer frame members;   c) a screen attached to the top surface of the frame; and   d) a floor attached to at least part of the bottom surface of the frame,   
     
     
         49 . The screened enclosure of  claim 48 , wherein the adapter includes (i) an elongated base with a plug portion configured to fit into the slot and (ii) an outward extending funnel-shaped portion terminating with the port. 
     
     
         50 . The screened enclosure of  claim 48 , wherein the floor covers between about one quarter to about three quarters of the interior area of the rectangular frame and is bounded by the entire length of the downstream longitudinal member, the entire length of an opposing inner longitudinal support member and opposing portions of the transverse outer frame members. 
     
     
         51 . The screened enclosure of  claim 48 , wherein the floor covers about half of the interior area. 
     
     
         52 . The screened enclosure of  claim 48 , wherein the floor comprises a plurality of sloped portions to promote flow of drilling fluid towards the center of the floor. 
     
     
         53 . The screened enclosure of  claim 48 , wherein the additional openings are three to six openings.