Method and apparatus for separating solid phase from drilling mud

Apparatus for separating solid phase particles from drilling mud, comprising;

• in combination:
• a tank containing used mud;
• a driven rotatable drum partly immersed in said drum for forming an adhesive layer on the surface of said drum;
• a nozzle parallel with a tangent line to said surface of said drum at a distance substantially equal to or greater than the thickness of said adhesive layer and communicating with a source of pressurized gas;
• a first electrode connected to a high voltage d-c source between said drum and said nozzle for ionizing said gas jet prior to contacting said adhesive layer;
• said electrode comprising a comb having pointed teeth for creating a corona discharge at said teeth;
• a second electrode connected to said d-c source installed on the side of said drum opposite said nozzle in the direction of the gas jet flow;
• said second electrode forming a screen for solid phase particles flying off said drum;
• a receptacle below said second electrode for collecting said particles;
• and
• scraping means cooperating with said drum installed past said receptacle for removing cleaned drilling mud from said drum.