Beach detection sensors for vibratory separator

1. An apparatus comprising:

a separator deck capable of separating solids from a liquid-solid mixture;

a first probe disposed beneath the separator deck to determine a position of a beach between the liquid-solid mixture and separated solids.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first probe is disposed proximate a desired beach location on the separator deck.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second probe disposed beneath the separator deck, such that a position along the length of the separator deck corresponding to a desired beach location is located between the first and second probe.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a reference probe disposed proximate a feed end of the separator deck.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a channel disposed above the first probe between the separator deck and the first probe.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a channel, the first probe being disposed in the channel.

7. A method comprising:

measuring a property of a local volume of liquid with a first probe disposed beneath a first separator deck;

sending a first signal from the first probe to a database; and

determining a location of a beach based on the first signal.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising adjusting at least one of a flow rate or an angle of the first separator deck based on the first signal to maintain a desired position of the beach.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the measuring comprises measuring a capacitance detected by the first probe, wherein the first probe is a capacitance probe.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the measuring comprises measuring a thermal conductivity of the local volume, wherein the first probe is a thermal diffusivity probe.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising collecting a first filtered drilling fluid in a channel disposed beneath the first probe or above the first probe, wherein the first probe detects a property of the first filtered drilling fluid in the channel; and

flowing the first filtered drilling fluid from at least one aperture disposed in the channel to a flow pan disposed beneath the first probe.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

measuring a property of a first filtered fluid with a reference probe disposed proximate a feed end of the first separator deck;

sending a second signal from the reference probe to the database; and

comparing the first signal from the first probe to the second signal from the reference probe to determine an adjustment to at least one of a flow rate and an angle of the first separator deck.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining the location of the beach further includes measuring a property of a first filtered fluid with a second probe disposed between the first probe and a discharge end of the first separator deck.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

sending a third signal from the second probe to the database; and

comparing the third signal from the second probe to the first signal from the first probe to determine the location of the beach.

15. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

depositing a fluid on the first separator deck, wherein the first separator deck is disposed in a vibratory separator;

forming the beach on the first separator deck; and

separating the fluid into a first filtered fluid component and a first solid component with the first separator deck.

16. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

collecting the first filtered fluid in a first flow-back pan;

directing the first filtered fluid to a second separator deck;

separating the first filtered fluid into a second filtered fluid and a second solids component with a second screen disposed in the second separator deck;

measuring a position of a second beach by depositing the second filtered fluid onto a third probe disposed beneath the second separator deck;

sending a fourth signal from the third probe to the database; and

adjusting at least one selected from a flow rate and an angle of the second separator deck based on the fourth signal.

17. A method comprising:

monitoring a region proximate at least one probe to determine a presence of a liquid, wherein the at least one probe is disposed beneath a first separator deck of a vibratory separator;

sending a signal from the probe to a database;

determining a location of a beach of the separator deck based on the presence of the liquid; and

at least one of adjusting or maintaining operating conditions of the vibratory separator based on the location of the beach.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the beach is located in a desired beach region further comprising maintaining the conditions of the vibratory separator.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the beach is located between a feed end of the separator deck and a desired beach region further comprising adjusting the conditions of the vibratory separator to move the beach closer to the desired beach region.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the beach is located between a desired beach region and a discharge end of the separator deck further comprising adjusting the conditions of the vibratory separator to move the beach closer to the desired beach region.