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In the energy extraction sectors such as oil and gas, the solids control system plays a crucial and indispensable role. As an essential piece of equipment within the solids control system, the mud cleaner is of great significance for the purification treatment of drilling mud. I. Main Functions of the Mud Cleaner in the Solids Control System The solids control system mud cleaner is primarily responsible for the fine-grained treatment of drilling mud, further separating and removing solid particles of different sizes. The specific functions are as follows: 1.Desanding When the drilling mud enters the mud cleaner during the treatment process, it first passes through the desanding hydrocyclones. These hydrocyclones utilize centrifugal force to separate relatively large-sized sand particles (typically larger than 74 microns) from the mud. This separation process helps prevent the sand particles from causing abrasion to drilling equipment, such as the mud pump pistons and mud pump liners and the nozzles of drill bits, thereby extending the service life of the equipment. Additionally, it avoids the sedimentation of sand particles in the mud circulation system, which could otherwise affect the normal circulation of the mud. The separated sand particles are discharged from the underflow port of the hydrocyclone, while the mud containing finer particles flows out from the overflow port and enters the desilting hydrocyclones. 2.Desilting The desilting hydrocyclones further process the mud that overflows from the desander hydrocyclones, separating the mud particles with a size ranging from 15 to 74 microns. Removing these mud particles can improve the rheological properties of the mud, reducing its viscosity and shear force, so that it can better meet the technological requirements during the drilling process. For example, it enhances the mud's ability to carry cuttings and its fluidity in the wellbore. Similarly, the underflow of the desilting hydrocyclones discharges the mud particles, and the relatively clean mud that overflows flows to the shale shaker at the bottom. 3.Fine Screening The shale shaker performs the final fine-grained treatment on the mud that overflows from the desander and desilter hydrocyclones. Through the vibrating screening method, the remaining fine particles are separated from the mud, resulting in relatively pure mud. Providing high-quality mud for drilling operations helps improve drilling efficiency and reduces the occurrence of complex downhole situations. Ⅱ. Detailed Introduction to the Mud Cleaner in the Solids Control System The mud cleaner is a key device to ensure the performance of drilling mud and the smooth progress of drilling operations. The following is a detailed introduction to various aspects of it: 1.Structure Vibrating Screen Component Screen Box: As the main supporting structure of the vibrating screen, it is usually welded by high - quality steel, with sufficient strength and stiffness to withstand the impact and vibration of the mud. Its design takes into account the convenience of installation, maintenance, and replacement of internal components. Screen Mesh For Shale Shaker And Mud Cleaner: It is the key component for solid-liquid separation and is generally woven from materials such as stainless steel wire or synthetic fiber. According to the size distribution of solid particles in the drilling mud, screen meshes with different mesh numbers can be selected. The common mesh number ranges from 40 mesh to 325 mesh. Fine - mesh screens are used to separate smaller particles, while coarse - mesh screens are used for the preliminary separation of larger particles. Vibrating Motor: It provides power for the vibrating screen and generates high - frequency vibration through the rotation of the eccentric block. The parameters of the vibrating motor can be adjusted according to the size, weight of the screen box, and the mud treatment capacity to ensure that the screen mesh can generate appropriate vibration intensity and frequency, enabling efficient solid - liquid separation of the mud on the screen mesh. Hydrocyclone Component Feed Pipe: Located at the upper part of the hydrocyclone, the mud enters the hydrocyclone tangentially through the feed pipe at a certain speed and angle, forming a high-speed rotating flow field inside the hydrocyclone. The design of the feed pipe should ensure that the mud can enter the hydrocyclone uniformly and stably, avoiding the occurrence of flow deviation or eddy current. Cylindrical Section: It is one of the main working areas of the hydrocyclone. The mud starts to form a rotating motion in the cylindrical section, and the centrifugal force causes the solid particles to move towards the wall of the hydrocyclone. The diameter and height of the cylindrical section determine the processing capacity and separation effect of the hydrocyclone. Larger diameter and height usually mean higher processing capacity and finer separation ability. Conical Section: Connected below the cylindrical section, its taper is an important parameter affecting the separation performance of the hydrocyclone. As the diameter of the conical section gradually decreases, the rotation speed of the mud gradually increases, and the centrifugal force also increases accordingly, prompting the solid particles to gather towards the wall more effectively and move downward along the wall, and finally be discharged from the underflow port. Overflow Pipe: Located at the center of the top of the hydrocyclone, the cleaned mud after separation forms an inner vortex and is discharged from the overflow pipe. The diameter and length of the overflow pipe will affect the overflow speed and separation effect, and need to be optimized according to the specific properties of the drilling mud and processing requirements. Underflow Pipe: Located at the bottom of the hydrocyclone, it is used to discharge the separated solid particles. The diameter and shape of the underflow pipe will affect the discharge speed of the underflow and the discharge efficiency of the solid particles. It is usually designed in an adjustable form to adjust the flow rate and solid content of the underflow according to the actual situation. Sand Pump Component Pump Casing: Usually made of wear-resistant materials, such as high - chromium cast iron or ceramic composite materials, to resist the wear of solid particles in the mud. The internal structure of the pump casing is designed to guide the mud to flow smoothly into and out of the impeller, reducing hydraulic losses and the generation of eddy currents. Sand Pump Impeller: It is the core component of the sand pump. By rotating at high speed, it generates centrifugal force to transport the mud from the suction end to the discharge end. The shape, size, and number of blades of the impeller are optimized according to the flow rate, head, and mud properties of the sand pump to improve the efficiency and wear-resistance of the pump. Shaft Seal Device: Used to prevent mud leakage, usually in the form of mechanical seal or packing seal. The performance of the shaft seal device directly affects the operational reliability and service life of the sand pump, and regular inspection and maintenance are required to ensure good sealing effect. Drive Motor: Provides power for the sand pump and is connected to the pump shaft through a coupling. The power of the drive motor is selected according to the working requirements of the sand pump to ensure that the sand pump can operate stably under different working conditions and provide sufficient pressure and flow to transport the mud. 2.Functions Efficient Solid - Liquid Separation       First, through the high-frequency vibration of the vibrating screen, the preliminary separation of the larger-sized solid substances from the liquid phase in the mud is realized, and the larger-sized cuttings, sand particles, etc. are intercepted on the screen and discharged. Then, using the centrifugal force of the hydrocyclone, the mud after the preliminary separation by the vibrating screen is further finely separated. The solid particles with smaller particle sizes, such as clay particles and fine sand, are separated from the mud, so that the cleaned mud is discharged from the overflow port, and the solid particles are discharged from the underflow port. Optimization of Mud Properties       Accurately control the solid content in the mud to keep it within a reasonable range to meet the requirements for mud properties in different drilling stages and geological conditions. Improve the rheological properties of the mud, such as reducing the viscosity and shear force of the mud, and improving its fluidity and stability, so that the mud can better carry cuttings, suspend weighting agents, and achieve efficient circulation and transportation during the drilling process. 3.Roles Protection of Drilling Equipment      Removing the solid particles in the mud reduces the abrasiveness of the mud, reduces the wear of drilling pumps, drilling tools, valves and other equipment, extends the service life of these equipment, and reduces the frequency and cost of equipment repair and replacement. Prevent solid particles from accumulating and blocking inside the equipment, ensure the normal operation of the equipment, and reduce the interruption and delay of drilling operations caused by equipment failures. Improvement of Drilling Quality      Clean mud can form a thin and tough mud cake on the wellbore wall, which helps to stabilize the wellbore wall, prevent downhole complex situations such as wellbore collapse and diameter shrinkage, ensure the regularity and stability of the wellbore, and provide good conditions for subsequent drilling, logging, cementing and other operations. The optimized mud properties can improve the rock-breaking efficiency of the drill bit, reduce the balling and wear of the drill bit, make the drilling process smoother, and improve the drilling speed and quality. 4.Importance in Drilling Operations Improvement of Operational Efficiency      The mud cleaner can timely and effectively remove the solid particles in the mud, keep the mud properties stable, enable the mud to better play its roles in carrying cuttings, cooling the drill bit, lubricating the drilling tools, etc. during the drilling process, thereby reducing the number of tripping operations and drilling time, and improving the efficiency of drilling operations. Due to the reduced wear of equipment and the lower failure rate, the continuity of drilling operations is guaranteed, further improving the overall operational efficiency. Reduction of Operational Costs      By extending the service life of drilling equipment, reducing equipment maintenance costs, and lowering the consumption of mud materials (because the mud is recycled, reducing the amount of fresh mud preparation), the mud cleaner can significantly reduce the cost of drilling operations. It reduces the discharge of waste mud, lowers the environmental protection treatment cost, and at the same time meets the environmental protection requirements, avoiding fines and other costs that may be caused by environmental pollution. Ensurance of Operational Safety      Stable mud properties and good wellbore stability reduce the probability of safety accidents such as lost circulation, blowout, and well collapse, ensuring the safety of drilling personnel and the safe operation of equipment. The normal operation of the mud cleaner is one of the key links in the stable operation of the entire solids control system, which is crucial for maintaining the safe and efficient progress of drilling operations. Ⅲ. Summary     The advantages of the mud cleaner are very obvious. Firstly, its compact design makes the equipment occupy a small area and can operate efficiently in a limited space, which is especially suitable for use in places with limited space such as offshore drilling platforms. Secondly, the multi - stage separation working mode can effectively remove solid particles of different sizes in the mud, improve the quality of the mud, thereby extending the service life of the mud and reducing the cost of mud use. In addition, the mud cleaner has a relatively high degree of automation and is easy to operate, capable of achieving continuous and stable operation, reducing the workload and errors of manual operation.      In practical applications, mud cleaners are widely used in onshore drilling, offshore drilling, trenchless engineering and other fields. Whether under complex geological conditions or in operations with high requirements for mud quality, the mud cleaner can play its important role in ensuring the smooth progress of drilling and other projects.      With the continuous development of technology, mud cleaners are also constantly being improved and innovated. New - type mud cleaners have made significant progress in improving separation efficiency, reducing energy consumption, and optimizing the operation interface to meet the ever - changing engineering requirements and environmental protection requirements.

The sand pump shaft is one of the key components of the sand pump. The following is a detailed introduction from various aspects： Ⅰ. Sand Pump Shaft Structural Features The sand pump shaft is usually in the form of a slender cylindrical structure, with both ends connected to the sand pump impeller and the driving device (such as an electric motor) respectively. Generally, there are shaft shoulders for installing the impeller, keyways for fixing the impeller, and parts for installing bearings on the shaft. Some sand pump shafts may also have seal journals for installing mechanical seals or packing seals to prevent the leakage of the medium. Functions Power Transmission: Transmit the rotational power of the driving device such as the electric motor to the impeller, making the impeller rotate at a high speed, thus realizing the transportation of media such as mortar. Impeller Support: Provide stable support for the impeller, ensure the accurate central position of the impeller during the rotation process, and prevent the impeller from rubbing or colliding with the sand pump casing. Load Bearing: Bear the radial force, axial force from the impeller, and vibration loads caused by factors such as uneven medium flow. Material Selection Common Carbon Steel: Such as Q235, etc., which has certain strength and toughness and a relatively low cost. However, it is relatively poor in wear resistance and corrosion resistance, and is suitable for occasions where the sand content of the conveyed medium is low and the corrosiveness is not strong. Alloy Steel: Such as 40Cr, 35CrMo, etc., which has high strength, hardness, and wear resistance, as well as good toughness. It can withstand large loads and wear, and is suitable for conveying media with high sand content and large particle hardness. Stainless Steel: Such as 304, 316L, etc., which has good corrosion resistance and certain wear resistance. It is widely used in sand pumps in some environments with corrosive media, such as the chemical industry and electroplating industry. Special Alloys: For some special working conditions, such as high temperature, high pressure, and strong corrosion environments, some special alloy materials, such as nickel-based alloys and titanium alloys, will also be used to meet the requirements of the sand pump shaft under extreme conditions. Technical Requirements Dimensional Accuracy: The dimensional accuracy of each part of the sand pump shaft is required to be high, such as the tolerance of the shaft diameter, roundness, and coaxiality, etc., to ensure the fitting accuracy with components such as the impeller and bearings, and ensure the normal operation of the pump. Surface Roughness: The surface roughness of the shaft directly affects the friction loss and sealing performance with other components. Generally, the surface roughness of the shaft journal and the sealing part is required to be low to reduce wear and leakage. Hardness Requirements: According to different materials and working conditions, the sand pump shaft needs to meet certain hardness requirements to improve its wear resistance and fatigue resistance. For example, for the sand pump shaft conveying high-hardness sand particles, its hardness is usually required to be around HRC40 - 50. Straightness: The straightness of the shaft should be controlled within a certain range. Otherwise, problems such as impeller eccentricity and uneven bearing force will occur, affecting the performance and service life of the pump. Maintenance Points Regular Inspection: Regularly check the wear condition of the sand pump shaft, especially in the easily worn places such as the impeller installation part, the bearing part, and the sealing part. It can be checked by measuring the shaft diameter and observing the surface wear marks. Lubrication Maintenance: Ensure good lubrication of the bearing and other parts, and add or replace the lubricating grease or lubricating oil according to the specified cycle and requirements. Good lubrication can reduce friction, and reduce the wear and heating of the shaft. Seal Maintenance: Check whether the sealing device is in good condition, and deal with any leakage in time. Prevent the medium leakage from corroding and wearing the shaft, and at the same time avoid environmental pollution and material loss caused by the leakage. Overload Prevention: During the use process, avoid the overload operation of the sand pump to prevent the shaft from bearing excessive loads, resulting in the deformation or damage of the shaft. Storage Requirements: If the sand pump shaft needs to be stored for a long time, anti-rust measures should be taken, such as applying anti-rust oil, wrapping moisture-proof materials, etc., and it should be placed in a dry and ventilated place to prevent the shaft from rusting and deforming. The requirements for the sand pump shaft may vary in different application scenarios. When selecting a high-quality sand pump shaft, it is necessary to comprehensively consider specific working conditions, medium characteristics, conveying requirements, and other factors to ensure the stable operation and efficient work of the sand pump. Ⅱ. Selecting a sand pump shaft suitable for a specific application scenario requires considering multiple factors. The following are some key points: 1.Medium Characteristics Particle Size and Hardness: If the conveyed medium contains large and hard sand particles, such as quartz sand, etc., a material with good wear resistance, such as cemented carbide or an alloy steel shaft with a specially hardened surface treatment, should be selected to resist the erosion and wear of the sand particles. Corrosiveness: When the medium is corrosive, such as in some chemical industries or seawater environments, a corrosion-resistant material, such as a stainless steel shaft, should be selected, or the surface of the shaft should be subjected to anti-corrosion treatment, such as nickel plating, chrome plating, or spraying an anti-corrosion coating. Concentration: When the sand particle concentration in the medium is high, it will increase the wear degree of the shaft. The shaft needs to have better wear resistance and strength, and a shaft with a larger diameter and better material can be selected to bear a greater load. 2.Working Conditions Temperature: For sand pumps working in high-temperature environments, the material of the shaft should have good thermal stability and be able to withstand high temperatures without deformation or performance degradation. For example, in geothermal development or some high-temperature industrial processes, a special alloy shaft with high temperature resistance may be required. Pressure: For sand pumps operating under high pressure, the shaft needs to have sufficient strength and stiffness to withstand the pressure and prevent bending or fracture. Usually, high-strength alloy steel will be selected, and the structural design and dimensions of the shaft will be optimized according to the magnitude of the pressure. Rotation Speed: When the rotation speed of the sand pump is high, the shaft will be subjected to a large centrifugal force and vibration. This requires the shaft to have good dynamic balance performance and fatigue resistance. The requirements can be met by improving the manufacturing accuracy of the shaft, conducting dynamic balance tests, and selecting appropriate materials. 3.Pump Type and Specification Pump Type: Different types of sand pumps, such as centrifugal sand pumps and plunger sand pumps, have different requirements for the shaft. The shaft of a centrifugal sand pump mainly bears radial force and torque, while the shaft of a plunger sand pump also needs to bear a large axial force. Therefore, when selecting the premium quality sand pump shaft, the force characteristics of the shaft should be considered according to the type of the pump. Pump Specification: Large-specification sand pumps usually require a shaft with a larger diameter and higher strength to transmit power and support the impeller. According to the parameters of the pump such as power, flow rate, and head, the minimum diameter of the shaft and the required strength grade can be determined. 4.Installation and Maintenance Requirements Installation Method: The structural design of the shaft should be convenient for installation and disassembly. For example, a reasonable connection method such as a shaft shoulder, keyway, or spline should be adopted to facilitate the assembly of components such as the impeller and bearings. At the same time, the limitations of the installation space should be considered, and the appropriate length and external dimensions of the shaft should be selected. Maintenance Convenience: Select a shaft that is easy to maintain, such as a shaft with a simple surface treatment process and good repairability. In addition, the lubrication and sealing methods of the shaft should also be considered to ensure that maintenance and upkeep can be carried out conveniently during the operation process, reducing downtime. 5.Cost and Reliability Cost: On the premise of meeting the requirements of the application scenario, cost factors should be comprehensively considered. The prices of sand pump shafts with different materials and manufacturing processes vary greatly, and suitable products should be selected according to the project budget. However, the quality and reliability of the shaft should not be sacrificed just to reduce costs. Otherwise, it may lead to frequent repairs and replacements, increasing the overall cost. Reliability: Select brands and suppliers with a good reputation and quality assurance to ensure the reliability and stability of the sand pump shaft. The usage experience and evaluations of other users can be referred to, or the supplier can be required to provide relevant test reports and quality certifications. In conclusion, selecting a sand pump shaft suitable for a specific application scenario requires comprehensively considering multiple factors such as medium characteristics, working conditions, pump type and specification, installation and maintenance requirements, as well as cost and reliability. Through the analysis and trade-off of these factors, the most suitable sand pump shaft can be selected to ensure that the sand pump can operate stably and efficiently for a long time in a specific application scenario. Ⅲ. Various faults may occur during the use of the sand pump shaft. The following are some common faults and their causes: Wear Wear at the Fitting Part between the Impeller and the Shaft: Usually, it is caused by the insecure installation of the impeller on the shaft, which causes a slight displacement during operation, or the sand particles in the medium enter the fitting gap, resulting in friction and wear, causing the shaft diameter to become smaller, affecting the normal operation of the impeller and the performance of the pump. Shaft Journal Wear: The shaft journal is the part that fits with the bearing. During long-term operation, due to reasons such as poor lubrication, improper bearing installation, and shaft vibration, the surface of the shaft journal will be worn, destroying the fitting accuracy between the shaft and the bearing, causing the bearing to heat up, the vibration to intensify, and even damaging the bearing. Shaft Surface Wear: When the sand pump conveys the sand-containing medium, the surface of the shaft is directly in contact with the medium. The erosion of the sand particles will gradually wear the surface of the shaft, reducing the strength and wear resistance of the shaft. In severe cases, it may lead to the fracture of the shaft. Corrosion Chemical Corrosion: When the medium conveyed by the sand pump is corrosive, such as acid, alkali, salt, and other solutions, the material of the shaft will chemically react with the medium, resulting in the corrosion of the shaft surface, and the appearance of corrosion marks such as rust spots and pitting, reducing the surface quality and strength of the shaft. Deformation Bending Deformation: It may be caused by the improper adjustment of the concentricity of the shaft during the installation of the sand pump, or by the uneven external force during the operation process, such as the imbalance of the impeller, the stress transfer of the pipeline, etc., resulting in the bending deformation of the shaft. The bending of the shaft will cause the impeller to rub against the pump casing, increasing the vibration and noise, and also affecting the service life of the bearing. Torsional Deformation: When the sand pump is starting or stopping, or encountering sudden load changes, the shaft will bear a large torque. If the torque exceeds the bearing capacity of the shaft, torsional deformation may occur. In addition, motor faults, transmission system faults, etc. may also cause the shaft to bear abnormal torque, resulting in torsional deformation. Fracture Fatigue Fracture: The sand pump shaft will generate fatigue cracks under the long-term action of alternating stress. These cracks will gradually expand, and when the cracks expand to a certain extent, the shaft will fracture. Fatigue fracture usually occurs at the stress concentration parts of the shaft, such as the shaft shoulder, keyway, thread, etc. Overload Fracture: If the sand pump encounters unexpected overload situations during operation, such as a sudden increase in the viscosity of the medium, the impeller being stuck by foreign objects, etc., the load borne by the shaft exceeds its ultimate strength, and overload fracture will occur. This kind of fracture usually occurs suddenly without obvious signs. The faults of the sand pump shaft will affect the normal operation of the sand pump. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly inspect and maintain the sand pump shaft, discover and deal with potential problems in a timely manner, so as to extend the service life of the sand pump shaft and ensure the reliable operation of the sand pump. Ⅳ. The dynamic balance accuracy of the sand pump shaft has multiple important impacts on the performance of the pump, as follows: Vibration and Noise When the dynamic balance accuracy is high, the vibration generated when the sand pump shaft rotates is small. Because good dynamic balance means that the mass distribution of each part of the shaft is uniform, and the resultant centrifugal force during rotation is close to zero, and no large periodic exciting force will be generated. This helps to reduce the overall vibration of the pump, lower the noise level, make the pump run more smoothly and quietly, reduce the noise pollution to the surrounding environment, and is also beneficial to extending the service life of the pump and its auxiliary equipment.If the dynamic balance accuracy is poor, the shaft will generate a large centrifugal force due to uneven mass distribution during rotation, thus causing strong vibration and noise. This vibration will not only affect the working environment of the operators but also may cause the loosening of the pump components, increased wear, and even trigger equipment failures. Bearing Wear The sand pump shaft with high dynamic balance accuracy can make the bearing load uniform. Due to the stable rotation of the shaft, the radial force and axial force acting on the bearing are relatively stable and within the design range, and the contact stress between the balls or rollers and the raceway of the bearing is uniform, so the wear is also uniform and slow, which can effectively extend the service life of the bearing, reduce the maintenance cost and downtime. When the dynamic balance accuracy is insufficient, the vibration of the shaft will make the bearing bear additional alternating loads, resulting in uneven wear between the balls or rollers and the raceway inside the bearing, shortening the service life of the bearing, and increasing the frequency of bearing replacement and maintenance workload. Impeller Wear When the dynamic balance accuracy of the sand pump shaft is high, the impeller can maintain the correct rotation posture and position under the drive of the stable shaft, the gap between the impeller and the pump casing is uniform, and the flow of the medium such as mortar around the impeller is also relatively stable. The wear of the impeller is relatively uniform, and the local wear will not be aggravated due to the vibration of the shaft, thus extending the service life of the impeller and ensuring the conveying efficiency of the pump. The shaft with poor dynamic balance will make the impeller swing during rotation, resulting in changes in the gap between the impeller and the pump casing, turbulent flow of the medium, and the impeller will be subjected to greater impact and wear locally, thereby affecting the performance of the impeller, reducing the head and flow rate of the pump, and increasing energy consumption. Pump Efficiency The high dynamic balance accuracy of the sand pump shaft helps to improve the efficiency of the pump. Because the stable rotation of the shaft enables the impeller to efficiently transmit mechanical energy to the medium, reducing the efficiency reduction caused by vibration and energy loss. The flow of the medium in the pump is smoother, and the hydraulic loss is reduced, so that the pump can output more flow rate and head under the same input power, improving the overall efficiency of the pump. Poor dynamic balance accuracy will make the pump consume more energy to overcome vibration and unstable factors during operation, resulting in increased energy loss and reduced pump efficiency. This will not only increase the energy consumption cost but also may affect the efficiency and economy of the entire process flow.