Flow line filter apparatus

Claim 1

An apparatus for filtering drilling mud that is recirculated out of a well casing, comprising: a. a flow conveying tubular section, sealably attachable at its first lower end to the well casing for allowing fluid flow therethrough and open-ended at its top portion; b. an outer tank portion encapsulating said tubular section having a substantially open-ended top portion and defining a container for receiving fluid flow from said open-ended tubular section, and for maintaining turbulence in said filtered fluid; c. primary filter means on that portion of said tubular section housed within said tank portion comprising a plurality of vertical slotted vents equally and circumferencially spaced around the wall of said tubular section and in fluid communication with said tank portion for filtering fluid flow out of said tubular section into said tank portion, said tank portion being substantially twice the diameter of said tubular section; d. fluid conveying means for conveying filtered fluid out of said tank portion; and e. secondary filter means interconnecting the top of said tubular section to the top of said tank portion for filtering solids flowing out of the top of said tubular section and allowing filtered fluid to flow into said tank.

Claim 2

An apparatus for filtering drilling mud that is recirculated out of a well casing, comprising: a. a flow conveying tubular section, sealably attachable at its first lower end to the well casing for allowing fluid flow therethrough and open-ended at its top portion; b. an outer tank portion encapsulating said tubular section having a substantially open-ended top portion and defining a container for receiving fluid flow from said open-ended tubular section, and for maintaining turbulence in said filtered fluid; c. primary filter means on that portion of said tubular section housed within said tank portion comprising a plurality of vertical slotted vents equally and circumferencially spaced around the wall of said tubular section and in fluid communication with said tank portion for filtering fluid flow out of said tubular section into said tank portion, said tank portion being substantially twice the diameter of said tubular section; d. fluid conveying means for conveying filtered fluid out of said tank portion; and e. secondary filter means interconnecting the top of said tubular section to the top of said tank portion for filtering solids flowing out of the top of said tubular section and allowing filtered fluid to flow into said tank.

Claim 6

An apparatus for filtering drilling mud that is recirculated out of a well casing, the apparatus comprising: a. a flow conveying tubular section having at its first end a flange base portion sealably attachable to a portion of the well casing between the wellhead deck and the drill floor and open-ended at its second end for allowing flow therethrough; b. an outer tank portion being at least twice the diameter of said flow conveying tubular section, encapsulating substantially the upper half portion of said tubular section, said tank portion being substantially open-ended at its top portion and attached at its bottom portion to the outer surface of said flow conveying tubular section, and defining a container for receiving said filtered flow from said tubular section; c. primary filter means comprising a plurality of vertical slotted vents equally and circumferentially spaced around the wall of that portion of said tubular section within said tank portion and in fluid communication therewith for conveying fluid out of said tubular section and into said tank portion as said fluid containing solids travels up said tubular portion; d. secondary filter means interconnecting the top of said tubular section to the top of said tank portion, said secondary filter means comprising a plate having a plurality of ports, said plate mounted between said tank portion and said tubular section and defining an angulated filtering surface therebetween for filtering said solids flowing out of the top of said tubular section, yet allowing fluid to flow through said openings into said tank; and e. fluid conveying means extending from and in fluid communication with said tank portion for conveying filtered fluid out of said tank portion.

Claim 7

An apparatus for filtering drilling mud that is recirculated out of a well casing, the apparatus comprising: a. a flow conveying tubular section having at its first end a flange base portion sealably attachable to a portion of the well casing between the wellhead deck and the drill floor and open-ended at its second end for allowing flow therethrough; b. an outer tank portion being at least twice the diameter of said flow conveying tubular section, encapsulating substantially the upper half portion of said tubular section, said tank portion being substantially open-ended at its top portion and attached at its bottom portion to the outer surface of said flow conveying tubular section, and defining a container for receiving said filtered flow from said tubular section; c. primary filter means comprising a plurality of vertical slotted vents equally and circumferentially spaced around the wall of that portion of said tubular section within said tank portion and in fluid communication therewith for conveying fluid out of said tubular section and into said tank portion as said fluid containing solids travels up said tubular portion; d. secondary filter means interconnecting the top of said tubular section to the top of said tank portion, said secondary filter means comprising a plate having a plurality of ports, said plate mounted between said tank portion and said tubular section and defining an angulated filtering surface therebetween for filtering said solids flowing out of the top of said tubular section, yet allowing fluid to flow through said openings into said tank; and e. fluid conveying means extending from and in fluid communication with said tank portion for conveying filtered fluid out of said tank portion.