Application in Handling Unweighted and Weighted Drilling Fluids

Apr 14, 2014

READ: Decanter centrifuge separates by the work principle of centrifugal sedimentation. The drilling fields usually apply spiral settling centrifuge which works on the basis of different component densities. It mainly removes 2~10μm solid phase from the mud as the last stage in solids control system. It has shared applications in both weighted and unweighted drilling fluids.

Application in Handling Unweighted and Weighted Drilling Fluids

Decanter centrifuge separates by the work principle of centrifugal sedimentation. The drilling fields usually apply spiral settling centrifuge which works on the basis of different component densities. It mainly removes 2~10μm solid phase from the mud as the last stage in solids control system. It has shared applications in both weighted and unweighted drilling fluids.

Decanter centrifuges can be specified by the bowls’ lengths and max. diameters as 18×24 inch, 14×22 inch, 14×20 inch (diameter×length); or by the capacities, such as domestic centrifuges with capacities of 40m³/h or 60m³/h and bowl speed ranging from 1500~3500r/min

Handling Unweighted Drilling Fluids

Effective separation in unweighted low-solids drilling fluids involves centrifugation and the required centrifuge which is usually large-capacity centrifuge dealing with 23~45m³/h of fluids and 3~4t solids. Drilling fluids will go into two flows in centrifuge, one of which is underflow discharging useless solids to waste pool and another overflow returning valuable fluids to mud tank. Now, centrifuge is riding a wave of popularity in purifying unweighted drilling fluids which carries enormous benefits.

Handling Weighted Drilling Fluids

In this case, centrifugal is primarily aiming at controlling viscosity since large viscosity decelerates the speed in drilling. It overflows the impacting ultra-fine particles and colloids to waste pool, and sends back underflow with numerous barite content to the tank.