US 5,857,955 AGranted

Centrifuge control system

AssigneeM-I Drilling Fluids Company

InventorsVictor Phillips, Che-Liang Chang, Troy Martin

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Abstract

A system, method and computer program for controlling a centrifuge which receives a mixture of liquid and solid particles and separates the liquid from the solid particles. A bowl, along with a conveyor extending inside the bowl, are rotated at different speeds and the speed of, and the torque applied to, the bowl and the conveyor are detected and corresponding output signals are generated. A meter is provided for metering the flow of the mixture to the centrifuge and generating corresponding output signals. A computer responds to instructions from computer programs and controls the speed of the bowl and the conveyor as well as the flow of the mixture and a diluting agent to the centrifuge in response to the output signals in a manner to attain predetermined predetermined optimum operating conditions of the centrifuge.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A control system for a centrifuge that receives a mixture of liquid and solid particles and separates the liquid from the solid particles, the centrifuge including a rotatable bowl and a rotatable screw conveyor extending in the bowl;

the control system comprising two drive assemblies for respectively rotating the bowl and the conveyor;
a flow meter for metering the flow of the mixture to the centrifuge;
a valve for controlling the flow of the mixture to the centrifuge;
and a computer comprising input terminals connected to the drive assemblies for receiving signals from the drive assemblies corresponding to the speed and torque of the bowl and the conveyor, respectively, an input terminal connected to the meter for receiving signals corresponding to the flow of the mixture, and output terminals connected to the drive assemblies and the valve, the computer being adapted to respond to input signals received from the drive assemblies and the meter and generate output signals to control the drive assemblies and the valve in a manner corresponding to predetermined operating conditions of the centrifuge.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.