MUD PUMPS

Drilling mud pumps are designed to transfer drilling fluid during the well drilling process. The primary function of a drilling pump is to remove cuttings from the bottom of the well to the surface. The speed of drilling directly depends on the correct selection of the drilling pump. The main criterion for choosing a drilling pump is the upward flow velocity of the drilling fluid in the annular space. Typically, for effective cleaning of the wellbore from cuttings, the upward flow velocity should range from 15 to 30 meters per minute. This velocity depends on the pump's capacity, the diameter of the well, and the diameter of the drill string. If it's too low, drilling mud won't be completely removed to the surface, resulting in wellbore clogging, seal formation, bit plugging, significant wear of drilling tools, and ultimately leading to well accidents.

Another significant parameter of a drilling pump is the pressure of the drilling fluid it can overcome during the well drilling process. The deeper the well, the greater the pressure the pump must overcome. For this reason, piston or plunger pumps are mainly used on large drilling rigs for deep well drilling. They can provide a steady flow of drilling fluid at sufficiently high pressure. For lighter drilling rigs, centrifugal and progressive cavity pumps are recommended, which provide high delivery volumes of drilling fluid with minimal power consumption but have limited pressure capabilities. These pumps allow for much higher drilling efficiency at shallow depths compared to piston or plunger pumps.