Method of fluid degassing

Claim 1

A method of removing a substantial amount of entrained gas from a viscuous fluid such as drilling mud, said method comprising: introducing the fluid into a fluid pump and pressurizing the introduced fluid; discharging the pumped fluid through a conduit and into a spray vessel; spraying the fluid outward from a deflector in the spray vessel in a 360° radial spray pattern having a central opening; creating a vacuum in the spray vessel by said spraying step; flowing the sprayed fluid into a discharge outlet of the spray vessel; discharging said fluid into a closed degassing vessel; moving said fluid through an extended length of the degassing vessel while maintaining a fluidic barrier to gas flow between the extended length of the degassing vessel and the spray vessel; and, discharging the fluid from the degassing vessel and collecting the gas removed from the fluid in the degassing vessel.

Claim 2

A method of removing a substantial amount of entrained gas from a viscuous fluid such as drilling mud, said method comprising: introducing the fluid into a fluid pump and pressurizing the introduced fluid; discharging the pumped fluid through a conduit and into a spray vessel; spraying the fluid outward from a deflector in the spray vessel in a 360° radial spray pattern having a central opening; creating a vacuum in the spray vessel by said spraying step; flowing the sprayed fluid into a discharge outlet of the spray vessel; discharging said fluid into a closed degassing vessel; moving said fluid through an extended length of the degassing vessel while maintaining a fluidic barrier to gas flow between the extended length of the degassing vessel and the spray vessel; and, discharging the fluid from the degassing vessel and collecting the gas removed from the fluid in the degassing vessel.

Claim 5

A method of removing small and large entrained gas bubbles from viscuous fluid and collecting the removed gas for safe disposal, said method comprising: locating in the fluid the intake port of a fluid pump; inducing fluid into the intake port by operating the fluid pump; simultaneously creating an open vortex in the pumped fluid; discharging the pumped fluid into a discharge conduit; introducing the pumped fluid from the discharge conduit into a spray vessel; spraying the pumped fluid against a deflector plate in the vessel in such a manner as to create a suction in the upper portion of the spray vessel relative to the atmospheric pressure outside the vessel; communicating the pump vortex area with the upper portion of the vessel; flowing the fluid from the vessel through an enclosed conduit into an enclosed degasser tank while maintaining a fluidic barrier between the open areas of the vessel and the tank; moving the fluid through the tank while retarding the flow of the upper layer of fluid; discharging the fluid from the lower portion of the tank and the removed gas from the upper portion of the tank into predetermined discharge outlets.

Claim 6

A method of removing small and large entrained gas bubbles from viscuous fluid and collecting the removed gas for safe disposal, said method comprising: locating in the fluid the intake port of a fluid pump; inducing fluid into the intake port by operating the fluid pump; simultaneously creating an open vortex in the pumped fluid; discharging the pumped fluid into a discharge conduit; introducing the pumped fluid from the discharge conduit into a spray vessel; spraying the pumped fluid against a deflector plate in the vessel in such a manner as to create a suction in the upper portion of the spray vessel relative to the atmospheric pressure outside the vessel; communicating the pump vortex area with the upper portion of the vessel; flowing the fluid from the vessel through an enclosed conduit into an enclosed degasser tank while maintaining a fluidic barrier between the open areas of the vessel and the tank; moving the fluid through the tank while retarding the flow of the upper layer of fluid; discharging the fluid from the lower portion of the tank and the removed gas from the upper portion of the tank into predetermined discharge outlets.

Claim 7

A method of removing entrained gas bubbles from a fluid for safe disposal, comprising: locating in the fluid an intake port of a fluid pump; drawing fluid into the pump by operating the pump; discharging the pumped fluid into a discharge outlet; communicating the discharge outlet with an enclosed spray vessel; emitting the fluid into the spray vessel against a deflector member to force small bubbles of gas to combine into larger bubbles; flowing the fluid out of the spray vessel through a conduit into an enclosed flow vessel; maintaining the flow vessel partially filled with flowing fluid and retarding flow of the upper level of the fluid to aid in removing entrained gas bubbles therefrom; collecting in the upper portion of the flow vessel a substantial portion of the removed gas bubbles; removing the collected gas to a safe disposal area; and, discharging the degassed fluid from the lower portion of the flow vessel.

Claim 8

A method of removing entrained gas bubbles from a fluid for safe disposal, comprising: locating in the fluid an intake port of a fluid pump; drawing fluid into the pump by operating the pump; discharging the pumped fluid into a discharge outlet; communicating the discharge outlet with an enclosed spray vessel; emitting the fluid into the spray vessel against a deflector member to force small bubbles of gas to combine into larger bubbles; flowing the fluid out of the spray vessel through a conduit into an enclosed flow vessel; maintaining the flow vessel partially filled with flowing fluid and retarding flow of the upper level of the fluid to aid in removing entrained gas bubbles therefrom; collecting in the upper portion of the flow vessel a substantial portion of the removed gas bubbles; removing the collected gas to a safe disposal area; and, discharging the degassed fluid from the lower portion of the flow vessel.

Claim 9

A method of degassing drilling fluid comprising: locating in the drilling fluid a centrifugal, impeller-type pump having intake means and discharge means and a hollow drive shaft driving the impeller; inducting fluid into said pump through said intake means by rotating said shaft and impeller while simultaneously maintaining an open central vortex in the fluid in the impeller section; pumping the fluid through the discharge means into an enclosed spray vessel and against a deflector plate, sheet forming a radial spray against the vessel wall, while maintaining communication from the vessel area below the spray to the vessel area above the spray; communicating the upper portion of the spray vessel with the hollow drive shaft; flowing the fluid downward out of the bottom of the spray vessel through an enclosed conduit into an enclosed trough located therebelow and connected to said conduit; flowing the fluid through a restricted opening in the trough to form a barrier to open gas communication between the trough and the spray vessel; flowing the fluid down the trough length a sufficient distance to allow a substantial amount of the gas to bubble out of the fluid; and, discharging the fluid and the removed gas from respective fluid and gas discharge outlets in the trough.

Claim 10

A method of degassing drilling fluid comprising: locating in the drilling fluid a centrifugal, impeller-type pump having intake means and discharge means and a hollow drive shaft driving the impeller; inducting fluid into said pump through said intake means by rotating said shaft and impeller while simultaneously maintaining an open central vortex in the fluid in the impeller section; pumping the fluid through the discharge means into an enclosed spray vessel and against a deflector plate, sheet forming a radial spray against the vessel wall, while maintaining communication from the vessel area below the spray to the vessel area above the spray; communicating the upper portion of the spray vessel with the hollow drive shaft; flowing the fluid downward out of the bottom of the spray vessel through an enclosed conduit into an enclosed trough located therebelow and connected to said conduit; flowing the fluid through a restricted opening in the trough to form a barrier to open gas communication between the trough and the spray vessel; flowing the fluid down the trough length a sufficient distance to allow a substantial amount of the gas to bubble out of the fluid; and, discharging the fluid and the removed gas from respective fluid and gas discharge outlets in the trough.

Claim 11

A method of removing entrained gas bubbles from a fluid, comprising: flowing the fluid by gravity flow into an inlet conduit in an elongated flow trough; flowing the fluid by gravity flow past a liquid seal barrier near the inlet, thereby preventing communication of gas pressure from the trough through the inlet; flowing the fluid down the elongated trough while retarding the flow of the upper level of fluid; collecting freed gas bubbles in the upper portion of the trough and removing them through a gas discharge; flowing the fluid past a second liquid seal barrier and into a discharge conduit.

Claim 12

A method of removing entrained gas bubbles from a fluid, comprising: flowing the fluid by gravity flow into an inlet conduit in an elongated flow trough; flowing the fluid by gravity flow past a liquid seal barrier near the inlet, thereby preventing communication of gas pressure from the trough through the inlet; flowing the fluid down the elongated trough while retarding the flow of the upper level of fluid; collecting freed gas bubbles in the upper portion of the trough and removing them through a gas discharge; flowing the fluid past a second liquid seal barrier and into a discharge conduit.

Claim 13

A method of introducing shear into a fluid containing entrained gas bubbles to aid in combining small bubbles into large bubbles, while simultaneously creating a beneficial vacuum thereabove, said method comprising: locating a radial spray assembly inside a closed spray vessel; introducing the fluid under pressure into the spray assembly and emitting the fluid outward in a continuous sheet of radial spray against the vessel wall; providing gas communication from the vessel area below the spray to the vessel area above the spray; and, discharging the fluid from the spray vessel.

Claim 14

A method of introducing shear into a fluid containing entrained gas bubbles to aid in combining small bubbles into large bubbles, while simultaneously creating a beneficial vacuum thereabove, said method comprising: locating a radial spray assembly inside a closed spray vessel; introducing the fluid under pressure into the spray assembly and emitting the fluid outward in a continuous sheet of radial spray against the vessel wall; providing gas communication from the vessel area below the spray to the vessel area above the spray; and, discharging the fluid from the spray vessel.

Claim 16

A method of combining small entrained gas bubbles in a fluid into large bubbles, said method comprising: pumping the fluid through a centrifugal impeller pump having a hollow shaft; forming an open central vortex in said fluid in said pump communicating with the bore of the hollow shaft; pumping the fluid from said pump into a spray assembly in a closed vessel; emitting the spray radially outward in a continuous sheet against the inner wall of the vessel; providing gas communication from the vessel area below the radial spray to the vessel area above the spray; and, communicating the upper portion of the vessel to the bore of the hollow shaft.

Claim 17

A method of combining small entrained gas bubbles in a fluid into large bubbles, said method comprising: pumping the fluid through a centrifugal impeller pump having a hollow shaft; forming an open central vortex in said fluid in said pump communicating with the bore of the hollow shaft; pumping the fluid from said pump into a spray assembly in a closed vessel; emitting the spray radially outward in a continuous sheet against the inner wall of the vessel; providing gas communication from the vessel area below the radial spray to the vessel area above the spray; and, communicating the upper portion of the vessel to the bore of the hollow shaft.