Patent US987577A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5290701A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US981735A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4294593A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4294593A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Drilling mud degasser apparatus and system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1980-05-02
•
Granted: 1981-10-13
•
Expires: 2000-05-02
Abstract
Abstract A drilling mud degasser apparatus and system consists of a vacuum degasser tank, system of blowers or compressors for evacuation, and various control features associated therewith. The tank has an upward spiraling helical shelf which becomes progressively wider from bottom to top so that mud is discharged in a thin film into the evacuated interior of the tank. Mud level in the tank is controlled by a pair of float operated valves, one controlling a bottom discharge and the other controlling an overflow valve. A plurality of compressors are connected in parallel for evacuating the tank. One compressor runs continually and the others are turned on in response to tank pressure and off in response to compressor outlet temperature. A safety conduit is positioned in parallel to the compressors and includes a swing check valve which opens in response to a pressure surge in the tank to permit the increased pressure to bypass the compressors. The overflow-controlling valve is protected against mud contamination by an inverted U-tube. Mud is normally removed from the bottom discharge under suction provided by mud flowing through an aspirator nozzle.
Inventors
- 👤 William A. Rehm
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 06:40
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D19/00; B01D19/0063; B01D19/0042; B01D19/0052; B01D19/0057; E; E21; E21B; E21B21/00; E21B21/06; E21B21/063; E21B21/067
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A drilling mud degasser system comprising a tank having an inlet for drilling mud and an overhead outlet for removal of gas and a bottom outlet for removal of degassed mud, a plurality of blowers operatively connected to said overhead outlet for evacuating the same to remove gas from drilling mud therein, pressure operated switch means operable to energize said blowers successively upon occurence of a predetermined pressure on the inlet side of said blowers, and thermostatic switch means responsive to gas temperature on the outlet sides of said blowers and operable upon occurence of a predetermined temperature to deenergize at least one of said blowers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
106 words
A drilling mud degasser system comprising a tank having an inlet for drilling mud and an overhead outlet for removal of gas and a bottom outlet for removal of degassed mud, a plurality of blowers operatively connected to said overhead outlet for evacuating the same to remove gas from drilling mud therein, pressure operated switch means operable to energize said blowers successively upon occurence of a predetermined pressure on the inlet side of said blowers, and thermostatic switch means responsive to gas temperature on the outlet sides of said blowers and operable upon occurence of a predetermined temperature to deenergize at least one of said blowers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A drilling mud degasser system according to claim 1 in which one of said blowers is operable to run continually, independently of said pressure operated switch means and said thermostatic switch means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A drilling mud degasser system according to claim 1 in which said pressure operated switch means comprises a plurality of switches operable to energize predetermined blowers at different predetermined ones of said pressures.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
A drilling mud degasser system according to claim 1 including a conduit connected in parallel to said blowers and operatively connected to said overhead outlet and including a pressure responsive valve, normally closed, and operable upon occurence of a predetermined high pressure to open and permit flow of gas bypassing said blowers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A drilling mud degasser system according to claim 4 in which said pressure responsive valve is a swing check valve.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A drilling mud degasser system according to claim 1 in which said tank includes float operated valve means controlling the flow of drilling mud from said bottom outlet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A drilling mud degasser system according to claim 6 in which said float operated valve means is opened upon occurence of a predetermined level of mud in said tank.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
A drilling mud degasser system according to claim 7 in which said float operated valve means includes an air pressure operated valve controlling said bottom outlet and a float operated air control valve operated in response to the level of mud in said tank.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
A drilling mud degasser system according to claim 6 including an overflow outlet in said tank for removal of degassed mud therefrom, and float operated valve means in said tank opened upon occurence of a predetermined high level of mud to permit flow of mud therethrough.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
A drilling mud degasser system according to claim 9 including an inverted U-tube connected to said overflow outlet, extending above the level of said outlet, and connected to said float operated valve means at a level below said outlet to prevent settling of mud weighting components therein.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A drilling mud degasser system according to claim 6 including suction means connected below said float operated valve means to assist in withdrawing mud from said tank.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
56 words
A drilling mud degasser system according to claim 11 in which said suction means comprises an aspirator nozzle having a suction inlet connected to said float operated valve means and inlet and outlet openings for circulation of mud by a mud pump to produce a suction at said suction inlet for removing mud from said tank.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
81 words
A drilling mud degasser system according to claim 1 in which said tank includes a helical shelf spiralling vertically along the inside of the wall of said tank and operable to discharge mud therefrom in a falling sheeet to facilitate removal of gas therefrom, said helical shelf having a bottom end positioned adjacent to said mud inlet to receive mud entering therethrough so that mud flows up along said shelf in a helical path and overflows therefrom in a falling sheet.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
A drilling mud degasser system according to claim 13 in which said helical shelf is narrow at its bottom end and becomes progressively wider along the helical length thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
119 words
A drilling mud degasser tank comprising a hollow enclosed tank having a side inlet for receiving drilling mud, a top outlet for removal of gas, and a bottom outlet for removal of degassed drilling mud, a helical shelf supported inside the wall of said tank having the bottom end thereof adjacent to said side inlet to receive drilling mud thereon and spiralling upward along the tank wall so that mud moving along said shelf may fall as a thin sheet or film into the interior of the tank, thus facilitating removal of gas therefrom, and said helical shelf narrower at its bottom end than at its top end and tapering outward from bottom to top along its helical length.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
119 words
A drilling mud degasser tank comprising a hollow enclosed tank having a side inlet for receiving drilling mud, a top outlet for removal of gas, and a bottom outlet for removal of degassed drilling mud, a helical shelf supported inside the wall of said tank having the bottom end thereof adjacent to said side inlet to receive drilling mud thereon and spiralling upward along the tank wall so that mud moving along said shelf may fall as a thin sheet or film into the interior of the tank, thus facilitating removal of gas therefrom, and said helical shelf narrower at its bottom end than at its top end and tapering outward from bottom to top along its helical length.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1515126A
Cited
US2064650A
Cited
US2195898A
Cited
US2748884A
Cited
US3201919A
Cited
US3241295A
Cited
US3362136A
Cited
US3517487A
Cited
US3895927A
Cited
US3898061A
Cited
US4010012A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-10-12 | 1985-04-13 | 1985-10-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-10-12 | 1989-04-13 | 1989-10-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-10-12 | 1993-04-13 | 1993-10-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |