초록 ▼

A method and apparatus of treating oil field wastes and particularly spent drilling fluids which contain barite and hydrocarbons which includes placing the drilling fluids into the upper end of a downwardly directed rotating kiln. Fuel and pressurized air are inserted into a furnace connected to the

A method and apparatus of treating oil field wastes and particularly spent drilling fluids which contain barite and hydrocarbons which includes placing the drilling fluids into the upper end of a downwardly directed rotating kiln. Fuel and pressurized air are inserted into a furnace connected to the upper end of the kiln for supplying a fire to the drilling fluids in the kiln for igniting and burning the hydrocarbons in the drilling fluids as fuel until the drilling fluid is dry. The high weight impurities are separated from the dried drilling fluid by gravity from the kiln and the light weight fines and more valuable components including the barite are removed from the kiln by suction. The more valuable components are mixed with new components for providing a recycled drilling fluid. The gases separated from the light weight dry drilling fluids are washed to remove any pollutants before exhaustion to the atmosphere. The particulates cleaned from the gases may be recycled to the kiln. The present apparatus and method uses the hydrocarbons in the drilling fluid as a source of fuel, recovers valuable constituents of the drilling fluid, such as barite and clay which can be recycled into new drilling fluids, and produces a residue that is environmentally safe.

대표청구항 ▼

CM,4. Apparatus for treating wastes containing carbonaceous materials comprising: (a) a rotary kiln having a first end higher than a second end whereby material rotating therein will flow from the first to the second end, said kiln having an inlet at the first end; (b) means for injecting burning fu

CM,4. Apparatus for treating wastes containing carbonaceous materials comprising: (a) a rotary kiln having a first end higher than a second end whereby material rotating therein will flow from the first to the second end, said kiln having an inlet at the first end; (b) means for injecting burning fuel and air into said first end of the kiln and cause subsantially complete combustion of all carbonaceous materials in said wastes and leaving only dry solid non-combustible residue and gasses; (c) outlet means at the second end of the kiln; (d) separating means connected to said outlet means for separating heavier solid materials exiting said kiln from lighter solid materials exiting said kiln, said separating means including suction means for entraining said lighter materials in air and gasses exhausted from said kiln while permitting heavier solid materials to separate therefrom by gravity; and (e) means downstream from said suction means for separating said lighter solid materials from said gasses.