Method and apparatus for homogenizing drilling fluid in an open-loop process
AssigneeDiamond Tank Rentals, Inc.
InventorsBen A. Adams, Chris G. Cooper
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A drilling fluid homogenizer and method of homogenizing drilling fluid which produce a non-clogging homogenized drilling fluid at a high throughput, in an open-loop process. The non-clogging homogenized drilling fluid is capable of being created at high rate so that the non-clogging homogenized drilling fluid is available on demand to eliminate halting of drilling operations. The drilling fluid homogenizer is coupled in series with the closed-loop designed drilling fluid system and is adapted to homogenize water-based drilling fluid and other drilling fluid types, such as, synthetic drilling fluid during drilling operations on demand.
Claims49
An open-loop drilling fluid homogenizer for use in a closed-loop designed drilling fluid system comprising:
- (a) a fluid inlet adapted to receive a water-based drilling fluid;
- (b) an expanded tubular pipe portion coupled to said fluid inlet;
- (c) homogenizing means housed in said expanded tubular pipe portion, for homogenizing, under pressure, in an open-loop process said water-based drilling fluid having suspended therein globs of undissolved polymer granules for creating a non-clogging homogenized water-based drilling fluid having substantially all glob sizes of said globs of undissolved polymer granules less than or equal to a predetermined non-clogging glob size;
- and,
- (d) a fluid outlet coupled to said expanded tubular pipe portion adapted to output said non-clogging homogenized water-based drilling fluid.
A drilling fluid homogenizer for homogenizing drilling fluid comprising:
- (a) a chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;
- and,
- (b) a plurality of homogenizing classifying stages in series fluid communication in said chamber wherein each homogenizing classifying stage comprises:
- (i) a homogenizing means for homogenizing said drilling fluid,
- (ii) a classifying filtering means for classify filtering the homogenized drilling fluid to create classified filtered homogenized drilling fluid, and
- (iii) a shearing means having a minimum clearance with said filtering means for shearing said drilling fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.