Vortex Shear-Mixer
An advanced mixing solution that reduces additive waste, mixing time and cost
Related Industries:
Petrochemicals, Biofuels, Oil and Gas
- Simple robust design, no moving parts
- Low maintenance with easy to replace internals
- Highest product addition rate of any venturi mud hopper
- Easily handles difficult to mix mud additives
- Reduces product waste
- Highly customizable to fit specific rig applications
- High quality materials of construction
The mixing of chemical additives into drilling mud is critical process that can have a significant impact on the overall time and cost of drilling a well. However, mud mixing commonly receives less attention than other drilling processes because of its perceived simplicity.This can often lead to the selection of low cost, low tech, outdated mud mixing equipment that does not promote additive waste reduction, and is not fully capable of keeping pace with other drilling processes on today’s modern drilling rig. The Alfa Laval Vortex Shear-Mixer is an advanced, yet simple, mixer that vastly outperforms traditional mud mixing hoppers. The shear-mixer is nearly impossible to plug and has the highest additive loading rate of any venturi style mixer.
It also features a number of exclusive advantages that lead to abundant cost savings – related to both chemical additives and time, including:
- Dynamic shearing of chemical additives into the fluid
- Pre-wets difficult to mix additives such as bentonite or polymers
- Prevents the formation of fish eyes or microgels
- Equipped with easily replaceable inserts
Basic equipment
The Alfa Laval Vortex Shear-Mixer consists of a single or dual suction port Lobestar mixing eductor with a radial premixer. The basic configuration includes a heavy duty, stainless steel, parabolic, table top hopper with support legs. The entire assembly is mounted on a skid base for easy transport and placement, and the standard inlet and discharge connections are grooved end piping with grooved style couplings. The typical shear-mixer size for drilling applications is 6” or 4” and is dependent on the rig mud system volumes or the desired mud processing rate.
