Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Philips, O.J., Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Nigeria; Barinaadaa Thaddeus, L.A., Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
This study examines the performance of oilfield decanting centrifuges. Performance parameters that affect the operation and selection of decanting centrifuges used for solids control in drilling mud treatment and dewatering were identified. These are G-force, fluid viscosity, pond depth, feed rate, differential RPM and particle size. Experimental work using Guinard D4KBX decanting centrifuge on oil based mud at specific gravities of 1.20, 1.45 and 1.65 gave optimal performance values of 5 m3 h-1 feed flow rate, bowl RPM of 3000 and low fluid viscosity at mud relative density of 1.20. © Medwell Journals, 2011.
