Mud Pump Working Principle

What is a mud pump? A mud pump refers to a machine that transports mud or water and other flushing fluid into the borehole during drilling. Types of mud pumps are an important part of drilling equipment. In the commonly used positive circulation drilling, it is to send the surface flushing medium—clear water, mud, or polymer rinsing liquid to the bottom end of the drill bit through a high-pressure hose, faucet, and drill rod center hole under a certain pressure. Cool the drill bit, remove the cut debris and transport it to the surface.

The commonly used mud pump is a piston-type or a plunger type, and the crankshaft of the pump is driven by the power machine, and the crankshaft passes the crosshead to drive the piston or the plunger to reciprocate in the pump cylinder. Under the alternating action of the suction and discharge valves, the purpose of pumping and circulating the flushing liquid is achieved.

The mud pump is a kind of reciprocating pump, and its working principle is exactly the same as that of the general reciprocating pump.

What is the working principle of the mud pump?

During operation, the power machine drives the main shaft and the crank that is fixed thereon by a transmission component such as a belt, a transmission shaft, and a gear. When the crank rotates counterclockwise from the horizontal position from left to right, the piston moves to the power end, the pressure in the liquid cylinder gradually decreases and a vacuum is formed, and the liquid in the suction pool is under the action of the liquid surface pressure, and the suction valve is opened to enter the liquid cylinder. Until the piston moves to the right stop. This working process is called the suction process of the pump.

After the crank completes the above suction process, it continues to rotate counterclockwise. At this time, the piston starts to move toward the hydraulic end (left side in the figure), and the liquid in the cylinder is squeezed. The pressure rises, the suction valve closes, and the discharge valve is closed. Top open, liquid enters the discharge pipe until the piston moves to the left stop. This process is called the pump discharge process. As the power machine continues to operate, the reciprocating pump continuously repeats the process of inhaling and discharging, and the liquid in the suction pool is continuously sent to the bottom of the well through the discharge pipe.

The distance the piston moves in the cylinder is called the stroke length of the piston; the number of reciprocations of the piston per minute is called the stroke of the piston.