US3973930A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Drilling mud degasser apparatus and method
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-06-21
•
Granted: 1976-08-10
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Expires: 1994-06-21
Abstract
Abstract A drilling mud degasser apparatus which has only a single moving part, namely, a unitary, hollow body rotatable within an open bottom casing, and the impeller of a suction pump connected to the interior of the rotor body. The casing and rotor are submerged in a pond of mud returned from a well or connected in a return mud line such that gas-cut mud entering the bottom of the rotor body is centrifugally thrown upwardly and outwardly to cause the liquid and/or sand components to travel up the wall of the rotor body and be discharged through outlet openings at the top of the body wall. Concurrently, released gases are drawn through inner gas outlets, at the top of the rotor body into the impeller housing and thence discharged. Differential discharge of sand and liquid components by centrifugal action may be provided as may a flotation collar for insuring uniform submersion of the casing beneath the liquid level.
Inventors
- 👤 Harry L. Burgess
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 00:45
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B21/00; E21B21/06; E21B21/063; E21B21/067; B; B01; B01D; B01D19/00; B01D19/0042; B01D19/0052
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
A degasser apparatus comprising a casing, a hollow (motor) rotor body rotatably mounted in said casing and having a fluid inlet and first and second fluid outlets, respectively, in inner and outer parts of said body, power means for rotating said body to draw fluid into said body and to discharge lighter and heavier constituents of said fluid, respectively, through said outlets by centrifugal action, and suction means connected to said first outlet for assisting in separation of said lighter from said heavier constituents, said suction means comprising a pump mounted on said casing and communicating with said first outlet.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
100 words
A degasser apparatus comprising a casing, a hollow (motor) rotor body rotatably mounted in said casing and having a fluid inlet and first and second fluid outlets, respectively, in inner and outer parts of said body, power means for rotating said body to draw fluid into said body and to discharge lighter and heavier constituents of said fluid, respectively, through said outlets by centrifugal action, and suction means connected to said first outlet for assisting in separation of said lighter from said heavier constituents, said suction means comprising a pump mounted on said casing and communicating with said first outlet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A degasser apparatus as described in claim 1 in which said power means is mounted on said suction pump and jointly actuates said pump and said rotor body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
A degasser apparatus as described in claim 2 in which said suction pump has an impeller connected to said rotor body for joint rotation therewith.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A degasser apparatus as described in claim 3 in which said suction pump and said power means are mounted serially above said casing and said pump impeller and rotor body comprise a rigidly connected unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
A degasser as described in claim 1 in which said casing has a top wall and said suction pump includes a housing with its bottom wall forming at least part of said casing top wall, and a centrifugal impeller in said housing, said first outlet means being formed in said wall part.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
A degasser as described in claim 1 in which said second outlet means includes a plurality of ports located at different distances from said inlet for further separation by centrifugal action of heavier constituents of said fluid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
A degasser as described in claim 1 further including a chamber between said casing and said rotor body with first and second outlet passages, respectively, at different distances above the bottom of said rotor body for, respectively, discharging lighter and heavier constituents of said fluid passing through said chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A degasser as described in claim 7 in which said second outlet passage means in said rotor body comprises one or more ports disposed to cause the fluid to impact against a confronting wall of said casing for additional separating action.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
A degasser as described in claim 7 further including pump impeller means on the outside of said rotor body for impelling the fluid in said chamber and assisting in the separation of the fluid constituents.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
A degassing apparatus as described in claim 1 in which said fluid inlet is an opening in the bottom of said rotor body for admitting fluid adjacent said casing into said body.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A degasser apparatus as described in claim 2 further including buoyant structure disposed for supporting said casing in a body of liquid at a predetermined level therein.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
161 words
A degasser apparatus for gas-cut drilling mud comprising a. a casing having a conditioned mud outlet at its lower portion, b. a hollow rotor body rotatably supported in said casing and forming an annular chamber between the same and said casing with a gas outlet at its top, said body having a gas-cut mud inlet in its lower part and gas outlet and conditioned mud outlet means at its top, said outlet means being at different distances from said inlet, c. a suction pump mounted on said casing and with its inlet communicating with said gas outlet means, the impeller of said pump being rigidly connected to said rotor body, and d. a motor mounted on said suction pump for rotating said impeller and said rotor body as a unit to draw gas-cut mud into said body and separate the gas and nongaseous constitutents of the mud by centrifugal action for discharge, respectively, through said gas and conditioned mud outlet means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
161 words
A degasser apparatus for gas-cut drilling mud comprising a. a casing having a conditioned mud outlet at its lower portion, b. a hollow rotor body rotatably supported in said casing and forming an annular chamber between the same and said casing with a gas outlet at its top, said body having a gas-cut mud inlet in its lower part and gas outlet and conditioned mud outlet means at its top, said outlet means being at different distances from said inlet, c. a suction pump mounted on said casing and with its inlet communicating with said gas outlet means, the impeller of said pump being rigidly connected to said rotor body, and d. a motor mounted on said suction pump for rotating said impeller and said rotor body as a unit to draw gas-cut mud into said body and separate the gas and nongaseous constitutents of the mud by centrifugal action for discharge, respectively, through said gas and conditioned mud outlet means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
A degasser apparatus for gas and liquid mixture comprising a gas and liquid separating body, flotation means incorporated with said body and adapted to support said body in substantially uniform relationship with respect to the free surface of a body of the mixture.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
A degasser apparatus for gas and liquid mixture comprising a gas and liquid separating body, flotation means incorporated with said body and adapted to support said body in substantially uniform relationship with respect to the free surface of a body of the mixture.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
A degasser as described in claim 13 in which said flotation means comprises a bouyant structure mounting said separating body.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
A degasser as described in claim 13 further including means for anchoring said apparatus in said body of mixture while permitting rise and fall of the apparatus with said surface.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
116 words
A degasser apparatus comprising a casing having a top wall, a hollow rotor body rotatably mounted in said casing and having a bottom inlet for gas-cut fluid and upper outlet means, suction pump means comprising a plurality of centrifugal pump housings and enclosed impellers serially superposed on said casing top wall with the inlet of each housing connected to the next upstream pump outlet and the inlet of the first of the series connected to the interior of said rotor body, shaft means connecting all of said impellers and said rotor body for joint actuation thereof, and motor means mounted on the last of said housings in the series and opertively connected to said shaft means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
116 words
A degasser apparatus comprising a casing having a top wall, a hollow rotor body rotatably mounted in said casing and having a bottom inlet for gas-cut fluid and upper outlet means, suction pump means comprising a plurality of centrifugal pump housings and enclosed impellers serially superposed on said casing top wall with the inlet of each housing connected to the next upstream pump outlet and the inlet of the first of the series connected to the interior of said rotor body, shaft means connecting all of said impellers and said rotor body for joint actuation thereof, and motor means mounted on the last of said housings in the series and opertively connected to said shaft means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
125 words
A degasser device comprising a casing having an inlet for gas-cut fluid, a hollow body rotatably mounted in said casing, a blower mounted on said casing with an impeller a toroidal housing and an inlet communicating with the interior of said body for applying suction thereto, said body having an inlet opening in its lower part for gas-cut fluid and outlet means at its periphery, a drive shaft jointly connecting said blower and said hollow body, and power means operatively connected to said shaft for rotating said impeller and said body as a unit for acting on the fluid centrifugally and by suction to draw gas-cut liquid through said inlet opening and discharge the same through said outlet means, while separating gas from said fluid.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
125 words
A degasser device comprising a casing having an inlet for gas-cut fluid, a hollow body rotatably mounted in said casing, a blower mounted on said casing with an impeller a toroidal housing and an inlet communicating with the interior of said body for applying suction thereto, said body having an inlet opening in its lower part for gas-cut fluid and outlet means at its periphery, a drive shaft jointly connecting said blower and said hollow body, and power means operatively connected to said shaft for rotating said impeller and said body as a unit for acting on the fluid centrifugally and by suction to draw gas-cut liquid through said inlet opening and discharge the same through said outlet means, while separating gas from said fluid.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
47 words
A degasser device as described in claim 17 in which said casing is adapted for submergence in a body of gas-cut liquid and further including a hollow neck connecting said inlet and said casing for supporting said toroidal housing above the level of the casing enveloping liquid.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
61 words
A degasser device as described in claim 17 in which the inlet opening in said rotor body is provided with a laterally disposed shelf part within said body and a sharp-edged ledge on said part projected transversely from said shelf part so as to be traversed by liquid entering said inlet opening to thereby assist release of gas from the liquid.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
33 words
A degasser device as described in claim 17 further including a motor mounted on said blower housing and connected to said shaft for rotating said impeller and said rotor body as a unit.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
44 words
A degasser device as described in claim 17 in which said body has a bottom incorporating said inlet opening, the wall of said body extending upwardly from said bottom so as to facilitate upward travel of material separated from the liquid in said body.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
A drilling mud degasser apparatus as described in claim 17 further including a flotation member for supporting said casing uniformly submerged in a pool of drilling mud.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
35 words
A drilling mud degasser device as described in claim 17 further including a sand catching ring surrounding said casing abreast of said outlet means and conduit means for disposing of sand collected by said ring.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
101 words
A degasser device as described in claim 21 in which said outlet means comprises first and second outlet openings in the wall of said body, said first outlet opening being located at a greater distance from said inlet than said second outlet opening whereby heavier material separated from the liquid in said body will tend to travel up said body wall and escape through said second opening, while lighter separated material travelling up said wall will tend to be held away from said wall and said second opening by said heavier material so as to escape through said first outlet opening.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
38 words
A drilling mud degasser apparatus as described in claim 22 in which said flotation member comprises a buoyant collar surrounding said casing and duct means extending through said collar for carrying away said sand discharged through said openings.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
38 words
A drilling mud degasser apparatus as described in claim 25 in combination with a tank for accumulating gas-cut drilling mud in which said casing is submerged, and stabilizing arm means pivotally connecting the tank wall and said apparatus.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
59 words
The method of separating gas and liquid comprising the steps of directing the liquid into the lower part of a hollow rotor body and over a sharp edge therein, rotating the body to centrifugally discharge solid and/or liquid components outwardly, and applying suction to the interior of the body for releasing gases from the liquid and discharging released gases.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
59 words
The method of separating gas and liquid comprising the steps of directing the liquid into the lower part of a hollow rotor body and over a sharp edge therein, rotating the body to centrifugally discharge solid and/or liquid components outwardly, and applying suction to the interior of the body for releasing gases from the liquid and discharging released gases.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
60 words
A degasser apparatus comprising a hollow separator body having lower and upper openings, respectively, for admitting gas-cut liquid into said body and for discharging gas and purged liquid therefrom, and flotation means for supporting said hollow body in a container of gas-cut liquid having a free surface with said lower opening substantially uniformly immersed with respect to said free surface.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
60 words
A degasser apparatus comprising a hollow separator body having lower and upper openings, respectively, for admitting gas-cut liquid into said body and for discharging gas and purged liquid therefrom, and flotation means for supporting said hollow body in a container of gas-cut liquid having a free surface with said lower opening substantially uniformly immersed with respect to said free surface.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
18 words
A degasser apparatus as described in claim 28 further including means movably anchoring the apparatus to the container.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
23 words
A degasser apparatus as described in claim 29 in which said latter means comprises an arm pivotally connecting the apparatus to said container.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-08-10 | 1980-02-09 | 1980-08-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-08-10 | 1984-02-09 | 1984-08-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-08-10 | 1988-02-09 | 1988-08-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |