Solid Control system Settling Separation Equipment

• Apr 22, 2022
• Solid control is an important mechanical process to keep the drilling fluids in their optimum parameters to perform operations safely and effectively. ...

Solid control is an important mechanical process to keep the drilling fluids in their optimum parameters to perform operations safely and effectively. 

 

 

The solid control can be classified according to the applied method as follows: 

- Screen separation using for example shale shakers 

- Settling separation in sand traps and settling mud pits 

- Gas separation inside the degassers and surface vacuum 

- Forced separation by applying a centrifugal force in desanders, desilters and centrifuges. 

Settling Separation 

 

This type of separation is based on the settling process where the solids are allowed to settle down inside mud pits forced by the gravity force. These control method works on an over flow principle. The solids can settle first at the sand trap which is fed by the segregated mud from shale shakers. The large heavy solids normally settle down at the sand trap. Medium size cuttings require more time to settle in slow condition, however smaller solids needs longer time to be separated for instance silt particles can take days. There are some conditions which can improve the settling process such as drilling with low viscosity drilling mud, using mechanical means to improve the gravitational impact.