Floating Gas Trap for Drilling Fluid Agitation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gas trap systems face challenges in accommodating changes in fluid levels, weight, and viscosity during drilling operations, leading to difficulties in effectively capturing and releasing gases from drilling mud returns.

Innovation Solution

A floating gas trap system with a canister, impeller, and baffle design that agitates drilling fluids and releases gases through a gas exhaust port, connected to a gas riser assembly, and includes a ballast for adjusting vertical position in response to fluid changes, ensuring the impeller remains submerged and efficient gas extraction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a fixed gas trap system is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it cannot accommodate changes in fluid levels, weight, and viscosity during drilling operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of fluid level changesVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The gas trap system employs a floating platform that dynamically adjusts its vertical position in response to changing fluid levels, weights, and viscosities during drilling operations. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain effective gas capture functionality without requiring a completely complex reconfigurable structure, as the float automatically responds to environmental changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the gas trap is positioned deep in the fluid, then gas capture is effective, but liquid interference increases and complicates gas analysis

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas capture effectivenessVSAvoidliquid interference

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts gases from the drilling fluid by bringing them to the surface through the floating platform and gas exhaust port. The float design naturally positions the gas extraction point at or near the fluid surface, where captured gases can be released without significant liquid interference, thereby maintaining reliable gas capture while minimizing contamination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The floating platform acts as an intermediary between the submerged gas trap and the atmospheric environment. It provides a transition zone where gases can be collected from the fluid and then discharged to the atmosphere, effectively mediating between the need for deep fluid immersion (for gas capture) and the need to avoid liquid interference (for clean gas analysis).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Use of energy by moving object

If the impeller is exposed to air, then energy consumption is reduced, but gas extraction efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidgas extraction efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The impeller's vertical position is dynamically adjusted through the floating platform mechanism. As fluid levels, weights, and viscosities change during drilling operations, the float automatically repositions the impeller to maintain optimal submersion depth. This dynamic positioning ensures the impeller remains sufficiently submerged for efficient gas extraction while avoiding excessive energy consumption from unnecessary deep immersion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system effectively captures and releases hydrocarbon gases by adjusting to fluid level and viscosity changes, preventing liquid interference and ensuring accurate gas analysis, even under varying drilling conditions.

Implementation Method 1

The gas trap is configured to agitate drilling fluids in a return tank, and then release gases during agitation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAgitation: Stirring

Implementation Method 2

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Data Source

PatentUS10125557B2Method of capturing vapor phase fluids from fluid returns in a tank

Publication Date: 2018.11.13 SHANKS DAVID L

AI summary

A gas trap system for releasing gas-phase fluids is provided herein. The gas trap system is designed to reside within a return fluids tank, such as at a drill site. The gas trap system first includes a gas trap. The gas trap is configured to agitate drilling fluids in the return tank, and then to release gases during agitation. Liquids are circulated and released through a liquids exhaust port while gases are released through a gas exhaust port near the top of the gas trap. The gas trap system is configured to float along vertical guide rods in response to changes in height, weight and viscosity of the drilling fluids in the return tank. A method of capturing gaseous phase fluids from a fluid return is also provided herein. The fluid return is preferably drilling fluids at a drill site.