A proppant container facilitates the transportation of wet sand for use in a hydraulic fracturing operation. The proppant container is part of an overall system that is used to move sand for use as proppant, and is fitted with a vibration system that facilitates the discharge of sand from the container.

A lifting mechanism for operably attaching to one of the plurality of support legs on a bin is provided where the lifting mechanism is configured to sequentially lift and drop the support leg by a predetermined amount, whereby an impact shock generated by the drop is transmitted to the bin through the support leg and promote dislodging of any of the particulate material that may be in a non-flowable state to enhance dispensing of the particulate material from the bin. A bin assembly incorporating such lifting mechanism on at least one of its plurality of support legs is also disclosed.

A lifting mechanism for operably attaching to one of the plurality of support legs on a bin is provided where the lifting mechanism is configured to sequentially lift and drop the support leg by a predetermined amount, whereby an impact shock generated by the drop is transmitted to the bin through the support leg and promote dislodging of any of the particulate material that may be in a non-flowable state to enhance dispensing of the particulate material from the bin. A bin assembly incorporating such lifting mechanism on at least one of its plurality of support legs is also disclosed.

The invention provides a product leveling system within at least one tank or particulate material supply compartment that helps to encourage uniform movement of an agricultural product out of the bottom of the compartment. More specifically, the invention relates to a product leveling system that helps monitor areas in which agricultural product is prone to starving and also prone to accumulation, such that quantities of the agricultural product can be diverted from the areas prone to accumulation to the areas prone to starving. For instance, at least one leveling device having a driving shaft and a helical coil may be rotatably mounted within the compartment and rotated to encourage agricultural product to be moved from areas of accumulation to areas where the agricultural product is more quickly removed, resulting in starving. The product leveling system may include three coils mounted about the compartment.

The invention provides a product leveling system within at least one tank or particulate material supply compartment that helps to encourage uniform movement of an agricultural product out of the bottom of the compartment. More specifically, the invention relates to a product leveling system that helps monitor areas in which agricultural product is prone to starving and also prone to accumulation, such that quantities of the agricultural product can be diverted from the areas prone to accumulation to the areas prone to starving. For instance, at least one leveling device having a driving shaft and a helical coil may be rotatably mounted within the compartment and rotated to encourage agricultural product to be moved from areas of accumulation to areas where the agricultural product is more quickly removed, resulting in starving. The product leveling system may include three coils mounted about the compartment.

The present invention provides an air blaster 100 for removing jammed materials. The air blaster 100 includes a tank In 110 filled with compressed air and a dual piston assembly 400 inside the tank 110 for triggering a blast with minimum energy loss and high impact force. The piston assembly 400 includes an inlet piston 320 connected to an outlet piston 250 with a coupling mechanism such that the inlet piston 320 and the outlet piston 250 move in tandem and pressure acting on the inlet piston 320 and outlet piston 250 pushes the assembly 400 towards top of the tank 110 thereby compressing a dampening device/spring 360. The force produced by the instant discharge of air creates a strong blast of air in the tank 110.

The present invention provides an air blaster 100 for removing jammed materials. The air blaster 100 includes a tank In 110 filled with compressed air and a dual piston assembly 400 inside the tank 110 for triggering a blast with minimum energy loss and high impact force. The piston assembly 400 includes an inlet piston 320 connected to an outlet piston 250 with a coupling mechanism such that the inlet piston 320 and the outlet piston 250 move in tandem and pressure acting on the inlet piston 320 and outlet piston 250 pushes the assembly 400 towards top of the tank 110 thereby compressing a dampening device/spring 360. The force produced by the instant discharge of air creates a strong blast of air in the tank 110.

Portable flow aid devices, systems, and methods for promoting bulk powder flow in containers. The portable flow aid devices include a housing having an enclosed internal cavity therein, and at least two vibration motors each adapted to generate vibration and each separately fixedly attached to an interior surface of the housing within the internal cavity to transmit the vibration generated thereby to the housing. Wireless communication with the portable flow aid devices causes the vibration motors to generate the vibrations and thereby apply a localized vibration to portions of a bulk powder within a container and in contact with the housing of the portable flow aid device to promote flow of the bulk powder within the container.

Portable flow aid devices, systems, and methods for promoting bulk powder flow in containers. The portable flow aid devices include a housing having an enclosed internal cavity therein, and at least two vibration motors each adapted to generate vibration and each separately fixedly attached to an interior surface of the housing within the internal cavity to transmit the vibration generated thereby to the housing. Wireless communication with the portable flow aid devices causes the vibration motors to generate the vibrations and thereby apply a localized vibration to portions of a bulk powder within a container and in contact with the housing of the portable flow aid device to promote flow of the bulk powder within the container.

A proppant container facilitates the transportation of wet sand for use in a hydraulic fracturing operation. A metering conveyor is positioned between a blender tub and a proppant motive mechanism, such as a conveyor or wash system that receives discharge direct from proppant containers of the type normally used to transport sand in support of a hydraulic fracturing operation. The metering conveyor is fitted with sensors and/or a knife-edge gate that may be used to facilitate flow control operations.