| CPC B01F 23/53 (2022.01) [B01F 23/59 (2022.01); B01F 25/4331 (2022.01); B01F 27/812 (2022.01); B01F 33/811 (2022.01); B01F 33/812 (2022.01); B01F 2101/49 (2022.01)] | 22 Claims |
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1. A method, comprising:
operating each of a plurality of first transfer mechanisms to transfer a corresponding material of a plurality of materials received from a corresponding delivery vehicle of a plurality of delivery vehicles to a corresponding container of a plurality of containers at a wellsite, wherein the plurality of delivery vehicles are driven over a corresponding inlet of the plurality of first transfer mechanisms to drop the corresponding material into the corresponding inlet through a chute of the corresponding delivery vehicle, and wherein each of the plurality of materials has a different composition;
operating each of a plurality of second transfer mechanisms to transfer a corresponding material of the plurality of materials from a corresponding container of the plurality of containers to a corresponding mixer of a mixing unit, wherein the plurality of second transfer mechanisms comprises a hydratable material transfer mechanism and a proppant material transfer mechanism; and
operating each of the corresponding mixers of the mixing unit to at least partially form a substantially continuous stream of subterranean formation fracturing fluid utilizing each of the plurality of materials received from each of the plurality of second transfer mechanisms by:
operating a first mixer of the mixing unit to form a mixture comprising hydratable material received from the hydratable material transfer mechanism;
discharging the mixture under pressure into and through a hydrating system, wherein the hydrating system comprises at least one container defining a continuous flow channel therein to increase hydration of the hydratable material to a predetermined hydration level while the mixture is being pumped through the at least one container, wherein the first mixer is operable to pressurize the mixture sufficiently to pump the mixture through the container of the hydrating system and wherein the container of the hydrating system comprises a series of spiral stages that define a continuous flow channel; and
operating a second mixer of the mixing unit to receive the hydrated mixture from the hydrating system and combine the mixture with proppant material received from the proppant material transfer mechanism.
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