A mud agitator is used in surface mud systems to suspend solids and maintain homogeneous mixture throughout the system. A mechanical agitator is driven by an explosion-proof motor, coupled to a gear box that drives the impeller shaft. The impellers (turbines) transform mechanical power into fluid circulation or agitation. The objective is to obtain a uniform suspension of all solids.
Types of agitator mounting
- Horizontally mounted agitator
- Vertically mounted agitator
Types of agitating shaft seal
- Mechanical seal
- Packing seal
Types of agitator impellers
- Radial Flow Impeller. Figure 1 shows a radial flow created by the impellers wherein the circulation is predominantly horizontal.
- Axial Flow Impellers. Figure 2 shows an axial flow created by the impellers wherein the circulation is predominantly axial fluid movement.
Types of impeller blades
- Flat blade impeller
- Canted blade impeller
- Contour blade impeller
Notes
- Drilling Fluids Processing Handbook ISBN 0-7506-7775-9
- "High quality mud agitator selection". Aipu solids control. May 11, 2014. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
- "Well drilling mud agitator".