Viscous fluid e.g. drilling mud degassing - by spraying pressurised mud through atomiser head followed by gas separation chamber

摘要

A viscous liquid, e.g. drilling mud, is degassed by pumping it under pressure into an atomiser. The atomised liquid is drained off to an enclosed degassing chamber with a fluid lock at the intake end. The gas-free liquid is discharged into a tank and the gas is collected in the degassing chamber. The detrimental effects of the presence of gas in the drilling mud (toxicity or risk of explosion, reduced mud density and viscosity, eruption risk) are eliminated. The system is simpler and has a greater capacity than known systems.