High pressure shear nozzle for inline conditioning of drilling mud

Abstract

A system for conditioning drilling fluid includes a conditioning device having a first conduit configured to receive the drilling fluid, a flow restriction disposed adjacent the first conduit, the flow restriction comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, an impact plate disposed downstream of the flow restriction, a first chamber disposed between the flow restriction and the impact plate, and a second chamber disposed downstream of the impact plate, wherein the first chamber is fluidly connected to the second chamber. A method for conditioning drilling fluid using a conditioning device, includes pumping a drilling fluid through a flow restriction, accelerating the drilling fluid into a mixing chamber, subjecting the drilling fluid to elongational shearing, decelerating the drilling fluid against an impact plate, subjecting the drilling fluid to impact shearing, and emptying drilling fluid from the mixing chamber.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A conditioning device for conditioning drilling fluid, the conditioning device comprising:
 a first conduit configured to receive a drilling fluid;   a flow restriction disposed adjacent the first conduit, the flow restriction comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;   an impact plate disposed downstream of the flow restriction;   a first chamber disposed between the flow restriction and the impact plate; and   a second chamber disposed downstream of the impact plate, wherein the first chamber is fluidly connected to the second chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The conditioning device of  claim 1 , wherein the flow restriction comprises:
 at least one nozzle disposed therethrough, wherein the at least one nozzle is one selected from a group consisting of a constant diameter nozzle and a varying diameter nozzle.   
     
     
         3 . The conditioning device of  claim 1 , wherein the impact plate comprises:
 at least one surface feature disposed on a surface directed toward the fluid outlet of the flow restriction, wherein the at least one surface feature is selected from a group consisting of a planar surface, a concave surface, and a convex surface.   
     
     
         4 . The conditioning device of  claim 1 , wherein the flow restriction and the impact plate are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of tungsten carbide and ceramic. 
     
     
         5 . A system for conditioning drilling fluid comprising:
 a pump configured to pump drilling fluid from a drilling fluid source to a conditioning device, the conditioning device comprising:
 a first conduit configured to receive the drilling fluid; 
 a flow restriction disposed adjacent the first conduit, the flow restriction comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; 
 an impact plate disposed downstream of the flow restriction; 
 a first chamber disposed between the flow restriction and the impact plate; and 
 a second chamber disposed downstream of the impact plate, wherein the first chamber is fluidly connected to the second chamber; and 
   a second conduit fluidly connected to the second chamber, wherein the second conduit is configured to transport the drilling fluid from the second chamber to conditioned drilling fluid storage area.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the flow restriction comprises:
 at least one nozzle disposed therethrough, wherein the at least one nozzle is one selected from a group consisting of a constant diameter nozzle and a varying diameter nozzle.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the impact plate comprises:
 at least one surface feature disposed on a surface directed toward the fluid outlet of the flow restriction, wherein the at least one surface feature is selected from a group consisting of a planar surface, a concave surface, and a convex surface.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the flow restriction and the impact plate are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of tungsten carbide and ceramic. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the drilling fluid source is one selected from a group consisting of an active mud pit and a riser assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the conditioned drilling fluid storage area is one selected from a group consisting of an active mud pit and a drilling riser. 
     
     
         11 . A method for conditioning drilling fluid using a conditioning device, the method comprising:
 pumping a drilling fluid through a flow restriction;   accelerating the drilling fluid into a mixing chamber;   subjecting the drilling fluid to elongational shearing;   decelerating the drilling fluid against an impact plate;   subjecting the drilling fluid to impact shearing; and   emptying drilling fluid from the mixing chamber.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the drilling fluid is pumped through the flow restriction at a flow rate between about 100 gallons per minute and about 800 gallons per minute. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the drilling fluid is pumped through the flow restriction at a pressure between about 100 pounds per square inch and about 3000 pounds per square inch. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the flow restriction comprises:
 at least one nozzle disposed therethrough, wherein the at least one nozzle is one selected from a group consisting of a constant diameter nozzle and a varying diameter nozzle.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the impact plate comprises:
 at least one surface feature disposed on a surface directed toward the fluid outlet of the flow restriction, wherein the at least one surface feature is selected from a group consisting of a planar surface, a concave surface, and a convex surface.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the flow restriction and the impact plate are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of tungsten carbide and ceramic. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the drilling fluid source is one selected from a group consisting of an active mud pit and a drilling riser. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the pumping is provided by a rig pump.