Patent Publication Number: US-2006019812-A1

Title: Drilling fluid conditioning tank and centrifuge combination

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a drilling fluid conditioning tank and centrifuge combination.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Canadian Patent 2,385,092 (Stalwick 2002) describes a method and apparatus for preventing accumulations of solids in a drilling fluid conditioning tank. In accordance to the teachings of the Stalwick patent, individual compartments of the drilling fluid conditioning tank are agitated with a fluid gun to fluidize the solids. The solids are then removed using a centrifuge.  
      When the Stalwick drilling fluid conditioning tank was first sent out in the field, each compartment had its own hose connection and the centrifuge was sequentially connected first to one and then to another of the individual compartments by changing which hose connection the centrifuge was coupled to.  
      SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      What is required is an improved drilling fluid conditioning tank and centrifuge combination.  
      According to the present invention there is provided a drilling fluid conditioning tank and centrifuge combination. The drilling fluid conditioning tank has more than two individual compartments. A centrifuge supply conduit extends length-wise in the tank. The conduit has a plurality of inlets, with at least one inlet being positioned in each of the individual compartments. The centrifuge is connected to the conduit. A pump is provided which is adapted to pump drilling fluids along the conduit to the centrifuge. A valve is positioned on each inlet for the conduit. By opening and closing selected valves, a selected one of the individual compartments is isolated and fluids are pumped by the pump to the centrifuge from only the selected one of the individual compartments.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      These and other features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to in any way limit the scope of the invention to the particular embodiment or embodiments shown, wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is a side elevation view, in section, of a drilling fluid conditioning tank and centrifuge combination in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is an end elevation view of the drilling fluid conditioning tank illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the valve in the closed position.  
       FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of the valve in the open position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      The preferred embodiment, a drilling fluid conditioning tank and centrifuge combination generally identified by reference numeral  10 , will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 through 4 .  
      Structure and Relationship of Parts:  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated drilling fluid conditioning tank and centrifuge combination  10  which includes a drilling fluid conditioning tank  12  and a centrifuge  14 . Drilling fluid conditioning tank  12  has several individual compartments which are referenced in the illustrated embodiment as first compartment  16 , second compartment  18 , third compartment  20  and fourth compartment  22 . A centrifuge supply conduit  24  extends length-wise in tank  12 . Conduit  24  has a plurality of inlets  26 , with one inlet  26  positioned in each of first compartment  16 , second compartment  18 , third compartment  20  and fourth compartment  22 . Centrifuge  14  is connected to conduit  24 . A pump  28  is provided which is adapted to pump drilling fluids along conduit  24  to centrifuge  14 . A valve  30  is positioned on each inlet  26  for conduit  24 . By opening and closing selected valves  30 , a selected one of first compartment  16 , second compartment  18 , third compartment  20  or fourth compartment  22  is isolated and fluids are pumped by pump  28  to centrifuge  14  from that selected compartment. Each valve  30  is provided with a lever  32  for manually moving valve  30  from the closed position illustrated in  FIG. 3  to the open position illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Each of first compartment  16 , second compartment  18 , third compartment  20  and fourth compartment  22  of tank  12  also includes a spray gun  34  with a nozzle  36 . A handle  38  is provided for rotating nozzle  36 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 2 , in the illustrated embodiment, tank  12  is supported on a skid  40 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , ladders  42  are provide for access to a walking platform  44  that overlies tank  12 . A handrail  46  is provided along walking platform  44 .  
      Operation:  
      The operation of drilling fluid conditioning tank and centrifuge combination  10 , will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 through 4 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , by opening and closing selected valves  24 , a selected one of first compartment  16 , second compartment  18 , third compartment  20  or fourth compartment  22  can be isolated and fluids are pumped by pump  28  to centrifuge  14  from that selected individual compartment. By way of example, to isolate first compartment  16  from second compartment  18 , third compartment  20  and forth compartment  22 , valves  30  in second compartment  18 , third compartment  20  and forth compartment  22  are moved to the closed position as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , fluids are pumped by pump  28  to centrifuge  14  from first compartments  16 . Second compartment  18 , third compartment  20  and forth compartment  22  can be isolated in a similar manner when required.  
      In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements.  
      It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined in the Claims.