US 12,116,876 B2
Operation of a recirculation circuit for a fluid pump of a hydraulic fracturing system
Shawn M. Damm, Houston, TX (US); Yuesheng He, Sugar Land, TX (US); Sri Harsha Uddanda, Cypress, TX (US); and Todd Ryan Kabrich, Tomball, TX (US)
Assigned to Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US)
Filed by Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US)
Filed on Feb. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/168,255.
Prior Publication US 2024/0271514 A1, Aug. 15, 2024
Int. Cl. E21B 43/267 (2006.01); E21B 43/26 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 43/2607 (2020.05) [E21B 43/267 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pump system of a hydraulic fracturing system, comprising:
a fluid pump having an inlet and an outlet;
a recirculation circuit configured to direct fluid from the outlet of the fluid pump to the inlet of the fluid pump;
a control valve in the recirculation circuit; and
a controller configured to:
cause opening of the control valve to cause the fluid to flow through the recirculation circuit;
identify an addition of a proppant to the fluid while the control valve is open;
identify, after closing of the control valve, that the proppant is no longer being added to the fluid; and
cause, based on identifying the addition of the proppant to the fluid, re-opening of the control valve, while the proppant is no longer being added to the fluid, to cause the fluid to flow through the recirculation circuit to flush the recirculation circuit of the proppant.