The proppants processing system comprises one or more in-feed conveyors, one or more out-feed conveyors, one or more primary feed bin assemblies, one or more secondary bin assemblies, the primary and secondary bin assemblies each comprising one or more bins and one or more bin conveyors. The proppants processing system further comprises a final transport conveyor and a control unit adapted to control flow of the proppants. A method of processing proppants, the method comprising the steps of providing proppants comprising dry or wet sand; using an in-feed conveyor, transferring the proppants from a transport vehicle to one or more bins of a primary feed bin assembly; moving the proppants from the one or more bins to a feed bin conveyor; moving the proppants from the feed bin conveyor to a final transport conveyor; and using the final transport conveyor, moving the proppants to a blender.

A proppant container facilitates the transportation of wet sand for use in a hydraulic fracturing operation. The proppant container is provided with a system for dislodging the wet sand for subsequent use. This may be done by use of a vibrator or an umbrella valve. In another aspect, the proppant container may be used in combination with a rack having a wash system that slurries the proppant for delivery to a blender tub without necessarily resorting to use of a conveyor belt.

An asphalt mixing plant includes several transportable modules, each module being formed by a normalized transport container in which at least one of the primary pieces of equipment of the asphalt mixing plant is incorporated, the primary equipment being installed permanently in the container while being mounted stationary in the container or mounted movable in the container between a transport position and a usage position, at least one of the modules including a placement device incorporated into the container and configured to position the container as a whole relative to the ground and/or to position a movable primary piece of equipment in the usage position relative to the container.

An asphalt mixing plant includes several transportable modules, each module being formed by a normalized transport container in which at least one of the primary pieces of equipment of the asphalt mixing plant is incorporated, the primary equipment being installed permanently in the container while being mounted stationary in the container or mounted movable in the container between a transport position and a usage position, at least one of the modules including a placement device incorporated into the container and configured to position the container as a whole relative to the ground and/or to position a movable primary piece of equipment in the usage position relative to the container.

A silo transport system includes a vehicle and a silo configured to store material when in a vertical orientation supported on the ground surface, and to be transported in a horizontal orientation on the vehicle. The vehicle includes a pivoting cradle supporting the silo in the horizontal orientation and a lock to releasably attach the cradle to the silo. A cradle controller pivots the cradle from a lowered position to a raised position where the silo is in the vertical orientation resting on the ground surface. When the cradle is attached to the silo, the cradle controller pivots the cradle away from the raised position to the lowered position when the silo attached to the cradle is empty, and is inoperative to pivot the cradle away from the raised position toward the lowered position when the silo attached to the cradle contains greater than a threshold amount of the material.

A silo transport system includes a vehicle and a silo configured to store material when in a vertical orientation supported on the ground surface, and to be transported in a horizontal orientation on the vehicle. The vehicle includes a pivoting cradle supporting the silo in the horizontal orientation and a lock to releasably attach the cradle to the silo. A cradle controller pivots the cradle from a lowered position to a raised position where the silo is in the vertical orientation resting on the ground surface. When the cradle is attached to the silo, the cradle controller pivots the cradle away from the raised position to the lowered position when the silo attached to the cradle is empty, and is inoperative to pivot the cradle away from the raised position toward the lowered position when the silo attached to the cradle contains greater than a threshold amount of the material.

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 equipment including a knife-edge gate that may be used to facilitate flow control operations.

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 equipment including an intermediate surge hopper with a vibration system and a knife-edge gate that may be used to facilitate the operational movement of sand.

An apparatus for producing hydrogen gas is provided. The apparatus includes a first hopper having a reaction chemical. The reaction chemical includes sodium borohydride (NaBH.sub.4) and a chemical component. The chemical component may be magnesium chloride (MgCl.sub.2). The apparatus also includes a reaction chamber. The reaction chamber has an input for receiving the reaction chemical from the first hopper and an output for removal of hydrogen gas. The apparatus also includes a second hopper for containing spent solid chemical mixture removed or extracted from the reaction chamber.

An apparatus for producing hydrogen gas is provided. The apparatus includes a first hopper having a reaction chemical. The reaction chemical includes sodium borohydride (NaBH.sub.4) and a chemical component. The chemical component may be magnesium chloride (MgCl.sub.2). The apparatus also includes a reaction chamber. The reaction chamber has an input for receiving the reaction chemical from the first hopper and an output for removal of hydrogen gas. The apparatus also includes a second hopper for containing spent solid chemical mixture removed or extracted from the reaction chamber.