Producing colloid drilling mud suspension - by rotary pulsator unit connected to graded bead mill unit driven by pulsator outlet flow

摘要

The mechanism is intended for producing an ultra-fine dispersion of the solid phase of a drilling mud suspension. It comprises a pulsator unit having a housing with inlet and outlet and containing a stator and a driven rotor with alternate cylindrical portions, each provided with radial ports. A dispersion mill with outlet has its inlet connected to the outlet and its milling chamber contains beads as the milling medium. Its drive shaft carries discs dividing the chamber into interconnected compartments. The unit contains at least one further stator and rotor defining compartments which are connected in series and each connect to a compartment of the mill via an overflow line. Producing ultra-fine colloid suspension, particularly for use as drilling mud. The proposed mechanism produces a mud suspension with predetermined colloid particle size in one operation which is not achievable by e.g. an electro-hydraulic unit, or a bead mill unit or pulsator unit on its own. In existing bead mill units, accretion of colloid particles interferes with further size reduction of coarser material and pumps are required which increases energy consumption. In existing pulsator units repeated recirculation is required to achieve the desired colloid particle size, resulting in high energy consumption and long treatment time, whilst the energy contained in the suspension at the outlet is not used, i.e. is wasted. The proposed mechanism minimises energy consumption and treatment time.