A PARAMETRIC EVALUATION OF THE HYDROCYCLONE SEPARATION OF DRILLING MUD FROM DRILLED ROCK CHIPPINGS

Hydrocylones are used in the oil industry to separate both oil and wat er based drilling muds from drilled rock chippings. However, as yet no successful attempt has been made to optimise this process. This proje ct has been undertaken with a view to gaining a more thorough understa nding of the behaviour of drilling muds within a hydrocyclone. The aim of the work is to produce a simulated system which will predict the s eparation characteristics of a drilling mud in a hydrocyclone. The pap er describes results obtained using laser Doppler Velocimetry of veloc ity profiles within a hydrocylone with fluids of varying rheological c haracteristics. Both mean axial and tangential velocities were measure d within the main body of the hydrocylone.