Heyl & Patterson Inc., a world leader in thermal processing and bulk materials handling equipment, will demonstrate the equipment it manufactures for the process of drying frac sand for the shale gas industry. The demonstrations will be conducted as part of the Frac Sand Insider Conference on June 6-7 at the Westin Convention Center Hotel.
 
Tours of Heyl & Patterson’s pilot plant testing laboratory at 600 Greentree Rd. in Pittsburgh will be Wednesday, June 5 at 1pm and 2:30pm.
 
To reach gas that was previously thought to be unreachable, pressure from hydraulic fracturing is used to fracture or "frac" underground rock formations to allow a better flow of gas through a well. When the pressure is removed, the fracture closes, dramatically diminishing its effectiveness. To prevent this from happening, frac sand is pumped into the well with a mix of water and chemicals. The sand remains in the fracture when the pressure is removed, keeping the fracture propped open to allow gas to continue flowing.
 
Frac sand must be processed before it is pumped into the ground. Heyl & Patterson drying equipment is designed to reach temperatures high enough to remove impurities from sand, break up agglomerates, remove moisture, and burn off volatile compounds.
 
“Frac sand must meet acceptable parameters for product moisture, grain size, sphericity, crush resistance, and solubility,” said Jeff Morris, vice president of Heyl & Patterson. “Our rotary dryers are engineered to meet the stringent requirements that sand mining companies need to adhere to, in order to consistently provide the highest quality frac sand to their energy producing customers.”
 
Frac sand manufacturers can use Heyl & Patterson dryers to dry and treat sand before it is shipped to the job site and pumped into the ground. After the process, these dryers can also extract the liquid from the remaining waste fluid sludge and transform it into a solid for proper disposal.
 
Founded in 1887 in Pittsburgh, Heyl & Patterson Inc. provides high-quality, custom-engineered solutions for thermal processing and bulk material handling applications around the globe. Thermal processing products and services include some of the largest high-efficiency dryers and coolers in the world, as well as calciners, bulk material processors, and pilot plant laboratory testing systems.

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