System for reducing noise in a hydraulic fracturing fleet
View Patent ↗Noise generated by a hydraulic fracturing system is abated by locating noise reduction equipment at strategic locations, and also by routing inlet and exit air along designated paths. Noise insulation panels are disposed around trailer mounted machinery to attenuate and redirect the noise generated by the machinery. The panels extend a distance above the machinery so that the noise is directed upward and away from operations personnel proximate the machinery. Air handling equipment having air inlets and exits that are formed to reduce turbulence, and thus noise, as well as redirect the flow of air to attenuate noise generated by its flow within the inlets and exits.
1. A hydraulic fracturing system for fracturing a subterranean formation comprising:
a hydration unit having an inlet in communication with a source of fluid and with a source of additive, and having a discharge that selectively contains a mixture of the fluid and additive;
a blender having an inlet in communication with a source of proppant and with the discharge of the hydration unit, and having a discharge that selectively contains a mixture of the fluid, additive, and proppant to define a slurry;
a fracturing pump having an inlet in communication with the discharge of the blender, and a discharge in communication with the formation;
a trailer on which the hydration unit or blender is mounted;
noise reduction panels arranged along an outer periphery of the trailer and which extend from an upper surface of the trailer to above a piece of rotating machinery mounted on the trailer, the noise reduction panels comprising a layer of sound absorbing material; and
a cooling system mounted to the piece of rotating machinery that comprises an intake shroud with an opening facing the upper surface of the trailer and sidewalls that gradually converge towards one another to maintain a substantially laminar flow in the shroud, and a discharge formed on a housing of the rotating machinery that is in fluid communication with the intake shroud and that comprises a discharge louver having an entrance that lies in a plane substantially perpendicular with the upper surface of the trailer, and an exit that faces the upper surface of the trailer.
2. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the discharge louver comprises laterally spaced apart vertical side walls, and an outer surface extending between the vertical side walls.
3. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 2 , wherein the outer surface has a portion attached to the housing of the rotating machinery that lies in a plane substantially parallel with the upper surface of the trailer, and a portion distal from the housing of the rotating machinery that lies in a plane substantially perpendicular with the upper surface of the trailer.
4. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , further comprising noise insulation material mounted to the discharge louver.
5. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , further comprising a natural gas powered turbine generator having an electrical output in communication with the blender, hydration unit, and fracturing pump, and a housing around the turbine generator, wherein the housing comprises noise abatement material.
6. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 5 , wherein the housing around the turbine generator comprises a door frame formed from a pair of U-shaped sections joined together that define a cavity, and wherein noise abatement material is disposed in the cavity.
7. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 5 , further comprising a skirt that extends between the housing and the ground, wherein the skirt comprises noise abatement material.
8. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , further comprising a compressor unit having a compressor with an inlet in communication with a supply of natural gas, and an exit in communication with a compressor, a housing covering the unit that comprises noise abatement material, an enclosure having discharge piping containing gas compressed by the compressor, and a fan that draws cooling air into the enclosure that exits the enclosure from an opening on an upper surface of the enclosure.
9. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , wherein the cooling system comprises a motor attached to an air blower.
10. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 9 , further comprising a cover having an upper surface disposed over the motor and air blower, side walls that extend downward from the upper surface and past the opening of the intake shroud, and an inlet to the cover disposed distal from the opening to the intake shroud.
11. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , further comprising a proppant source comprising silos, a dust recovery system having a blower system and filters, and noise reduction panels disposed around the blower system and panels, wherein the noise reduction panels comprise noise abatement material.
12. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of fracturing pumps that are arranged in a row, and a sound wall disposed adjacent an end of the row, wherein the sound wall comprises a frame mounted to a base, vertical and horizontal beams mounted to the frame, and planar wall panels set between adjacent vertical and horizontal beams, and wherein the wall panels comprise noise abatement material.
13. The hydraulic fracturing system of claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of turbine generators arranged in a row, and compressor units arranged in a row and that are disposed substantially perpendicular to and adjacent the turbine generators, and sound walls disposed on opposing ends of the row of compressors, and adjacent to the compressors on a side that is opposite from the turbine generators.