1. An apparatus for a proppant storage chamber, comprising:
a proppant reduction cover adapted for installation over a first aperture of the proppant storage chamber to reduce emission of airborne proppant during transfer of proppant into the proppant storage chamber, the proppant reduction cover having an attachment mechanism adapted to removably attach the proppant reduction cover adjacent the vent hatch, the proppant reduction cover comprising a permeable filter material adapted to facilitate a first flow of displaced air therethrough generated responsive to a flow of the proppant into the proppant storage chamber and to nominally prevent airborne proppant dust from escaping the proppant storage chamber;
a vent sock adapted for installation over a second aperture of the proppant storage chamber to further reduce said emission of airborne proppant during the transfer of proppant into the proppant storage chamber, the vent sock comprising a permeable filter material adapted to facilitate a second flow of displaced air therethrough generated responsive to the flow of the proppant into the proppant storage chamber and to nominally prevent airborne proppant dust from escaping the proppant storage chamber; and
a vacuum adapter configured for installation over a third aperture of the proppant storage chamber to further reduce said emission of airborne proppant during the transfer of proppant into the proppant storage chamber, the vacuum adapter attachable to a vacuum line connected to a vacuum source to supply a negative pressure to an interior of the proppant storage chamber during said transfer.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first aperture comprises a first vent hatch disposed on a top surface of the proppant storage chamber, the second aperture comprises a vent port disposed on a side surface of the proppant storage chamber, and the third aperture comprises a second vent hatch disposed on the top surface of the proppant storage chamber.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pressure regulating valve connected to the vacuum line between the vacuum adapter and the vacuum source to regulate the negative pressure supplied by the vacuum source to the interior of the proppant storage chamber.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proppant reduction cover has a viewing window through which the proppant level in the proppant storage chamber can be viewed.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a weather cover adapted for placement over the proppant reduction cover during inclement weather, the weather cover comprising a layer of fluid impermeable fabric adapted to reduce exposure of the proppant reduction cover to moisture.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the weather cover has at least one slot to facilitate flow of air from the proppant storage chamber as proppant is loaded therein and a viewing window through which the proppant level in the proppant storage chamber can be viewed.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proppant storage chamber comprises a moveable conveyor to receive a flow of the proppant through an aperture extending through the proppant storage chamber, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a skirt cover adapted to be attached adjacent the proppant storage chamber to substantially enclose the moveable conveyor retain airborne proppant as the proppant is discharged from the proppant storage chamber onto the moveable conveyor.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proppant storage chamber comprises a moveable conveyor to receive a flow of the proppant through an aperture extending through the proppant storage chamber, wherein a blender receptacle is disposed adjacent a distal end of the moveable conveyor to receive the flow of the proppant, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a sand catcher receptacle mounted between the distal end of the moveable conveyor and the blender receptacle to accumulate proppant that fails to reach the blender receptacle from the distal end of the moveable conveyor.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a vacuum source which supplies a negative pressure to an interior of the sand catcher using a vacuum line connected between the vacuum source and the sand catcher to remove airborne proppant from the interior of the sand catcher.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proppant storage chamber comprises a moveable conveyor to receive a flow of the proppant through an aperture extending through the proppant storage chamber, wherein a blender receptacle is disposed adjacent a distal end of the moveable conveyor to receive the flow of the proppant, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a blender cover which surrounds and encloses the blender receptacle to reduce emission of airborne proppant during transfer of proppant into the blender receptacle, the blender cover comprising at least one surface in facing relation to the distal end of the moveable conveyor comprising a plurality of adjacent flexible transparent members adapted to hang as a curtain and which are moveable from a first orientation in which the members hang in a nominally sealing engagement to enclose the blender receptacle to a second orientation in which the members are displaced to provide an opening to facilitate communication between the distal end of the moveable conveyor and the blender receptacle.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a vacuum source which supplies a negative pressure to an interior of the blender receptacle using a vacuum line connected between the vacuum source and the blender receptacle to remove airborne proppant from the interior of the blender receptacle and the blender cover.
12. An apparatus for reducing emission of airborne proppant from a proppant storage chamber during a blow-in process in which proppant is introduced into an interior of the proppant storage chamber from a proppant source, the apparatus comprising:
a textile filter comprising a rectilinear arrangement of filter media configured for attachment to a first vent hatch aperture on a top surface of the proppant storage chamber using an attachment mechanism, the filter media of the textile filter facilitating a first flow of displaced air therethrough generated responsive to a flow of the proppant into the proppant storage chamber and to nominally prevent airborne proppant dust from escaping the proppant storage chamber;
a vent sock comprising an elongated substantially cylindrical arrangement of filter media configured for attachment to a vent aperture on a side surface of the proppant storage chamber using an attachment mechanism, the filter media of the vent sock facilitating a second flow of displaced air therethrough generated responsive to the flow of the proppant into the proppant storage chamber and to nominally prevent airborne proppant dust from escaping the proppant storage chamber; and
a vacuum adapter configured for installation over a second vent hatch aperture on the top surface of the proppant storage chamber; and
a vacuum source connected to the vacuum adapter via a vacuum line to supply to supply a negative pressure to an interior of the proppant storage chamber during said blow-in process.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a pressure regulating valve connected to the vacuum line between the vacuum adapter and the vacuum source to regulate the negative pressure supplied by the vacuum source to the interior of the proppant storage chamber.
14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the proppant reduction cover has a viewing window through which the proppant level in the proppant storage chamber can be viewed.
15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a weather cover adapted for placement over the proppant reduction cover during inclement weather, the weather cover comprising a layer of fluid impermeable fabric adapted to reduce exposure of the proppant reduction cover to moisture.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the weather cover has at least one slot to facilitate flow of air from the proppant storage chamber as proppant is loaded therein and a viewing window through which the proppant level in the proppant storage chamber can be viewed.
17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the proppant storage chamber comprises a moveable conveyor to receive a flow of the proppant through an aperture extending through the proppant storage chamber, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a skirt cover adapted to be attached adjacent the proppant storage chamber to substantially enclose the moveable conveyor retain airborne proppant as the proppant is discharged from the proppant storage chamber onto the moveable conveyor.
18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the proppant storage chamber comprises a moveable conveyor to receive a flow of the proppant through an aperture extending through the proppant storage chamber, wherein a blender receptacle is disposed adjacent a distal end of the moveable conveyor to receive the flow of the proppant, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a sand catcher receptacle mounted between the distal end of the moveable conveyor and the blender receptacle to accumulate proppant that fails to reach the blender receptacle from the distal end of the moveable conveyor.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:
a blender cover which surrounds and encloses the blender receptacle to reduce emission of airborne proppant during transfer of proppant into the blender receptacle, the blender cover comprising at least one surface in facing relation to the distal end of the moveable conveyor comprising a plurality of adjacent flexible transparent members adapted to hang as a curtain and which are moveable from a first orientation in which the members hang in a nominally sealing engagement to enclose the blender receptacle to a second orientation in which the members are displaced to provide an opening to facilitate communication between the distal end of the moveable conveyor and the blender receptacle; and
a vacuum source which supplies a negative pressure to an interior of the blender receptacle using a vacuum line connected between the vacuum source and the blender receptacle to remove airborne proppant from the interior of the blender receptacle and the blender cover.
20. An apparatus for reducing airborne proppant adjacent a fracking material handling system comprising a proppant storage chamber, a moveable conveyor to receive a flow of the proppant from the proppant storage chamber, and a blender receptacle to blend the flow of the proppant from the moveable conveyor, the apparatus comprising:
a proppant reduction cover adapted for installation over a first aperture of the proppant storage chamber to reduce emission of airborne proppant during transfer of proppant into the proppant storage chamber, the proppant reduction cover having an attachment mechanism adapted to removably attach the proppant reduction cover adjacent the vent hatch, the proppant reduction cover comprising a permeable filter material adapted to facilitate a first flow of displaced air therethrough generated responsive to a flow of the proppant into the proppant storage chamber and to nominally prevent airborne proppant dust from escaping the proppant storage chamber;
a weather cover adapted for placement over the proppant reduction cover during inclement weather, the weather cover comprising a layer of fluid impermeable fabric adapted to reduce exposure of the proppant reduction cover to moisture;
a vent sock adapted for installation over a second aperture of the proppant storage chamber to further reduce said emission of airborne proppant during the transfer of proppant into the proppant storage chamber, the vent sock comprising a permeable filter material adapted to facilitate a second flow of displaced air therethrough generated responsive to the flow of the proppant into the proppant storage chamber and to nominally prevent airborne proppant dust from escaping the proppant storage chamber;
a vacuum adapter configured for installation over a third aperture of the proppant storage chamber to further reduce said emission of airborne proppant during the transfer of proppant into the proppant storage chamber, the vacuum adapter attachable to a vacuum line connected to a vacuum source to supply a negative pressure to an interior of the proppant storage chamber during said transfer;
a skirt cover adapted to be attached adjacent the proppant storage chamber to substantially enclose the moveable conveyor retain airborne proppant as the proppant is discharged from the proppant storage chamber onto the moveable conveyor;
a sand catcher receptacle mounted between a distal end of the moveable conveyor and the blender receptacle to accumulate proppant that fails to reach the blender receptacle from the distal end of the moveable conveyor;
a blender cover which surrounds and encloses the blender receptacle to reduce emission of airborne proppant during transfer of proppant into the blender receptacle, the blender cover comprising at least one surface in facing relation to the distal end of the moveable conveyor comprising a plurality of adjacent flexible transparent members adapted to hang as a curtain and which are moveable from a first orientation in which the members hang in a nominally sealing engagement to enclose the blender receptacle to a second orientation in which the members are displaced to provide an opening to facilitate communication between the distal end of the moveable conveyor and the blender receptacle; and
a vacuum source which supplies a negative pressure to an interior of at least a selected one of the sand catcher or the blender receptacle to remove airborne proppant from the interior of the at least a selected one of the sand catcher or the blender receptacle.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A hybrid compound comprising a polysaccharide (PS) which comprises hydroxyl functional groups wherein at least one portion of the hydroxyl functional groups is substituted with an -Ro-A group wherein:
Ro is a linking unit of formula (II.1),
wherein said unit is connected to A at position 1 thereof and to PS at position 4 thereof or is connected to PS at position 1 thereof and to A at position 4 thereof, or is a linking unit of formula (II.2),
wherein said unit is connected to A at position 1 thereof and to PS at position 5 thereof or is connected to PS at position 1 thereof and to A at position 5 thereof;
wherein Z represents a carbon or nitrogen atom;
each A independently represents a group of formula (III): –A1-O\u2014n-A2-O-A3 (III) wherein:
n is greater than 0,
A1 and A2, which are identical or different, comprise optionally substituted divalent alkylene groups, and
A3 is a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted aryl or alkyl group, or a polysaccharide; and
wherein said substitution of a hydroxyl group on said PS by said Ro-A group results in said Ro-A group being connected to said PS by an \u2014O\u2014 linkage formed from the oxygen of said hydroxyl group.
2. The hybrid compound of claim 1, wherein the polysaccharide PS comprises at least one main polysaccharide chain, optionally bearing pendent saccharide groups.
3. The hybrid compound of claim 1, wherein entity PS comprises a hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated polysaccharide comprising at least two monosaccharide units.
4. The hybrid compound of claim 3, wherein the said hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated polysaccharide is:
a polysaccharide comprising units derived from: glucose, fructose, sorbose, mannose, galactose, talose, allose, gulose, idose, glucosamine, mannoamine, galactosamine, glucuronic acid, rhamnose, rhamnose sulfate, arabinose, galacturonic acid, fucose, xylose, lyxose, or ribose;
a polysaccharide comprising units derived from: maltose, gentiobiose, lactose, cellobiose, isomaltose, melibiose, laminaribiose, chitobiose, xylobiose, mannobiose, sophorose, or palatinose;
a polysaccharide comprising units derived from at least one: maltotriose, isomaltotriose, mannotriose, manninotriose, or chitotriose;
a starch;
a cellulose;
a galactomannan;
a chitin or chitosan;
a bacterial polysaccharide; or
hyaluronic acid.
5. The hybrid compound of claim 1, wherein entity PS comprises at least one galactomannan.
6. The hybrid compound of claim 1, wherein entity PS is substituted by at least one group that is not -Ro-A.
7. The hybrid compound of claim 1, wherein:
A1 andor A2 comprise ethylene, propylene, or trimethylene, and
units –A1-O\u2014n are arranged in a random or block form.
8. The hybrid compound of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the average number of moles of alkylene oxide chain members grafted per monosaccharide unit to the average number of OHs substituted per monosaccharide unit of PS ranges from 5 to 500.
9. The hybrid compound of claim 1, wherein the average number of moles of alkylene oxide chain members grafted per monosaccharide units is greater than 0.
10. The hybrid compound of claim 1, wherein the average number of OHs substituted per monosaccharide unit of PS is greater than 0.
11. A hybrid compound comprising a polysaccharide (PS) which comprises hydroxyl functional groups wherein at least one portion of the hydroxyl functional groups is substituted with an -Ro-A group wherein:
Ro is a linking unit of formula (II.1),
wherein said unit is connected to A at position 1 thereof and to PS at position 4 thereof, or Ro is a linking unit of formula (II.2),
wherein said unit is connected to A at position 1 thereof and to PS at position 5 thereof;
wherein Z represents a carbon or nitrogen atom; and
each A independently represents a group of formula (III): –A1-O\u2014n-A2-O-A3 (III) wherein:
n is greater than 0,
A1 and A2, which are identical or different, comprise optionally substituted divalent alkylene groups, and
A3 is a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted aryl or alkyl group, or a polysaccharide.
12. The hybrid compound of claim 1, wherein:
when Ro is a linking unit of formula II.1, it is connected to PS at position 1 thereof and to A at position 4 thereof; and
when Ro is a linking unit of formula II.2, it is connected to PS at position 1 thereof and to A at position 5 thereof.
13. A synthon PS-X, wherein:
PS comprises at least one galactomannan, and
at least one reactive unit X comprising at least one reactive end of formula:
wherein:
E represents CH or N,
a is 1, and
L1 is a divalent hydrocarbon group or an amine group that has reacted with the functionalizing group(s) of the PS.
14. The synthon PS-X of claim 13, wherein:
(i) PS comprises at least one saccharide comprising hydroxyl groups, and
L1 is derived from a precursor comprising at least one halo group reacted with one or more of said hydroxyl groups of the PS; or
(ii) PS comprises at least one residue functionalized by at least one carboxylic, carboxylate, anhydride, thiol, isocyanate or epoxide functionalizing group, and
L1 comprises at least one amine group that has reacted with the functionalizing group(s) of the PS, andor
L1 is derived from a precursor comprising at least one halo group that has reacted with the functionalizing group(s) of the PS.
15. A mixed synthon A-XY wherein A comprises a group of the formula: –A1-O\u2014n-A2-O-A3 wherein:
n is greater than 0,
A1 and A2, which are identical or different, comprise optionally substituted divalent alkylene groups, and
A3 is a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted aryl or alkyl group, or a polysaccharide;
said mixed synthon comprising at least one reactive unit X
comprising at least one reactive end of formula:
wherein:
E is CH or N,
a is 0 or 1,
said reactive end is connected to the residue A by a bond L3 which is a divalent hydrocarbon group, and
when a is 0, A is not a polysaccharide;
and at least one reactive unit Y having at least one reactive end of formula:
with a being 0 or 1, said reactive end being coupled to the residue A by a bond L4 which is a divalent hydrocarbon bond, wherein when a is 0, A is not a polysaccharide.
16. A composition comprising the hybrid compound of claim 1, wherein said composition is adapted for use as:
an institutional, industrial or domestic care composition;
a cosmetic composition;
a composition for the treatment of textiles;
a coating composition;
a construction composition;
a hydraulic fluid;
a composition for the exploitation of oil reservoirs andor gas fields;
a metal or plastic treatment composition;
an agrochemical composition;
a paint composition;
a paper coating composition;
a dispersant composition;
a scale-inhibiting composition;
a colloid-protecting composition; or
a rheological composition.
17. A process for obtaining the hybrid compound of claim 1, comprising:
(i) preparing a synthon PS-X andor a synthon A-X comprising at least one reactive unit X comprising at least one reactive end of formula \u2014C\u2261E,
wherein E represents CH or N;
(ii) preparing a synthon A-Y andor a synthon PS-Y comprising at least one reactive unit Y comprising at least one reactive end of formula \u2014N3,
wherein the reactive end, \u2014N3 is capable of reacting with the reactive end \u2014C\u2261E;
(iii) reacting the synthon PS-X andor the synthon A-X with the synthon A-Y andor the synthon PS-Y by a cycloaddition reaction to obtain said hybrid compound,
wherein PS comprises hydroxyl functional groups, at least a portion of which are substituted by an -Ro-A group;
(iv) optionally washing a solvent employed in reacting step (iii) and removing solvent andor residues when said process is performed in the heterogeneous or solid phase; and,
(v) optionally separating and recovering said hybrid compound from a reaction medium.
18. The process of claim 17, wherein the reacting step is carried out in an aqueous, aqueous-alcoholic or organic medium capable of solubilizing andor swelling the synthon PS-X andor the synthon A-Y, with least one metal catalyst in ionized form and at least one reducing agent.
19. The process of claim 18, wherein said process is performed in a reaction medium comprising at least one solvent comprising:
an aprotic polar solvent;
a protic polar solvent;
an apolar solvent;
water; or
mixtures thereof.
20. The process of claim 17, wherein the optional separating and recovering of said hybrid compound from said reaction medium comprises performing:
at least one chromatography with an eluent comprising a mixture of a first polar solvent and at least a second less polar solvent; andor
at least one evaporation whereby a product is dried.