US 11,993,470 B2
Modular systems and methods for direct vacuum dispensing and loss in weight measuring of dry flowable materials
Nebojsa Knezevik, Broomfield, CO (US); and Elizabeth Loraine Wells, Murphy, TX (US)
Assigned to Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed by Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Sep. 17, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/024,242.
Prior Publication US 2022/0081231 A1, Mar. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. B65G 69/18 (2006.01); B65D 88/32 (2006.01); E21B 21/06 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 69/182 (2013.01) [B65D 88/32 (2013.01); E21B 21/062 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vacuum dispensing system comprising:
at least two vessels for holding dry flowable materials;
a load cell base disposed underneath each of the vessels, wherein the load cell base comprises at least one load cell that is configured to measure load in the vessel reflective of a weight of the dry flowable materials contained within the vessel;
an outlet disposed at a bottom surface of each of the vessels;
a common vacuum manifold connected to the outlets of each of the vessels for routing the dry flowable materials from the vessels to the common vacuum manifold;
a discharge valve disposed on the outlet of each of the vessels;
ones of air intake valves disposed in the common vacuum manifold proximate ones of the at least two vessels:
a controller in communication with each of the discharge valves and the at least one load cell programmed to determine an amount of dry flowable materials contained within the vessel and being routed to the common vacuum manifold; and
a vacuum source for directing a flow of the dry flowable materials from the vessels to the common vacuum manifold.