Single pass mud rejuvenation system and method

A method of rejuvenating drilling mud containing earth cuttings comprising:

• (a) providing an endless filter having an upper surface and a lower surface;
• (b) causing said endless filter to move along a predetermined path of travel;
• (c) deliverying a mixture of drilling mud including cuttings solids to the upper surface of said endless filter;
• (d) applying pressurized gas at a pressure exceeding atmospheric pressure to the lower surface of said endless filter beneath the location at which the drilling mud is deposited on the upper surface of the endless filter to cause gas to pass upwardly through the filter to consequently agitate the drilling mud and entrained cuttings on the upper surface of the filter;
• and
• (e) applying suction to other portions of the lower surface of siad filter to effect drawing substantially all of said the drilling mud through the filter and leaving said cuttings solids on the upper surface of said endless filter and to provide rejunvenated mud beneath said filter.

A method of separating undesirable solid particles from a slurry comprising the steps of:

• (a) continuously feeding a slurry mixture containing undesirable solid particles onto a surface area of a filter belt portion moving along a path of movement;
• (b) continuously applying pressurized gas to the filter belt surface opposite the surface area to which said slurry mixture is fed, said gas being at a pressure exceeding the pressure of gas on portions of siad filter belt immediately adjacent the area on which the slurry mixture is fed so as to effect agitation of said slurry mixture;
• and
• (c) creating a pressure differential across said filter belt portion immediately downstream of the area in which the pressurized gas is applied for drawing substantially all of said slurry through said filter belt portion and leaving the undesirable solid particles on the filter belt portion to separate the solid particles from the slurry.