Patent ID: 8061445

Claim:
A system for pumping drilling fluid, the system comprising a base, a plurality of pumping apparatuses connected to the base, wherein each pumping apparatus comprises a pumping module, each pumping module comprises a module body, and each module body comprises a pumping chamber, a module body outlet, and a discharge flow channel between a pumping chamber outlet and the module body outlet, pumping structure for pumping fluid to and from each pumping module, a conduit apparatus between the module bodies of each pair of adjacent pumping modules, wherein each end of each conduit apparatus is in fluid communication with the discharge flow channel of a respective module body, and wherein each conduit apparatus is adapted to permit fluid that is discharged from each pumping module to flow into the pumping module of a first pumping apparatus of the plurality of pumping apparatuses for discharge from the pumping system, and a main outlet for receiving fluid pumped by all the pumping apparatuses wherein the main outlet is in fluid communication with the module body outlet of the first pumping module.