forum mud pump pistons free sample

Mud systems are essential to every oil and gas rig. To successfully transfer fluid throughout your circulating system at pressures up to 7,500 pounds per square inch you need proven and reliable products. FET’s products have 30 years of innovation and field experience in providing industry-leading technology for your mud system operations.

Our industry-recognized centrifugal pumps, gate valves, drill pipe float valves, and wash pipes provide you with robust systems that meet the high-pressure demands of today’s drilling landscape.

FET manufactures a full range of valves and seats for every drilling and well-servicing application as part of our full line of Osprey® mud pump system solutions. All of our valves and seats can be used in water, water base, oil base and synthetic base mud applications. FET offers additional valves and seats not listed below, including drilling valves, frac valves and well service valves. FET’s QC standards for the dimensional and material specs are extremely rigid in comparison to other manufacturers. Contact your FET representative to learn more.

FLUID END EXPENDABLE PUMP PARTSBaker SPD62DOUBLE ANGLE O-RING VALVEThe Double Angle O-ring Valve is made with a tough one-piece body to run more hours between change outs. It"s made withcarburized premium alloy steel to resist wear, provide a positive seal, and help protect against wash out or damage to the pump.FEATURESSpecified for all drilling operations up to and exceeding 5,000 psi Maximum operating temperature is 170F Patented polyurethane insert is noted for its Double Angle 55seal contact surface, which maintains cylinder priming during pump shutdown Sizes fit most mud pumps Shelf life of polyurethane insert is maximum of 5 years Body is a one-piece design, configured to give maximum containment of the insert with minimum use of materialDOUBLE ANGLE O-RING BLUE STREAK HIGH TEMPERATURE VALVEThe High Temperature Double Angle O-ring Valve body is a one-piece design, configured to give maximum containment of the insert with minimum use of material. The valve and insert configuration has been operated at pressures up to and exceeding 5,000 psi. FEATURESMaximum operating temperature is 200FShelf life of polyurethane insert is maximum of 5 yearsSTANDARD PLATE TYPE VALVEThe Standard Plate Type Valve is extremely durable to its premium forged alloy steel body and its unique design. It has been proven by more than 50 years of oilfield service. To prevent dry pistons and liners at startup, the valve features a patented double angle polyurethane insert that maintains cylinder priming during pump shut-down. The precise control of insert pre-load is accomplished with a flat ground insert retaining plate and split retainers. The insert can be replaced in the field with minimum down time. This valve is designed to fit pumps in the oilfield and is used with Baker SPD seats. FEATURESSpecified for all drilling operation up to and exceeding3,500 psiMaximum temperature rating for the standard polyurethane insert is 170FMaximum temperature rating for the Buna-N rubber insert is225FAvailable with Buna-N rubber or polyurethane insertsShelf life of polyurethane insert is maximum of 5 yearsShelf life of Buna-N rubber is maximum of 10 yearsValves with rubber lipless inserts are rated for pressure up to2,500 psiNote: Baker SPD Double Angle O-ring and Standard Plate Type Valves do not interchange with any other manufacturer.Double Angle O-ring Seat, Spring, and ValveDouble Angle O-ring Seat, Spring, and High Temperature ValveStandard Plate Type Seat, Spring, and ValveVALVES AND SEATS 2007 SPD. All rights reserved.4302 Prot, San Antonio, Texas 78219, Tel 1-800-688-5650 or (210)-304-5650, Fax (210) 304-5641Triplex Pump PistonsSPD provides a wide variety of pistons for mud pump appli-cations, including bonded, urethane, rubber, and replaceable rubber or urethane inserts.SPDs bonded urethane pistons are designed for resistance to extrusions and abrasions. With water cooling, these pis-tons will provide optimum performance in oil base mud and high drilling pressures. Bonded urethane pistons are rated for drilling opera-tions up to and exceeding 5,000 psi Urethane pistons provide extended service life under high pressure The Blue Streak

piston has a highertolerance to temperature and chemical attack Urethane pistons are single durometer Bonded rubber pistons are rated for operation pres-sures up to 2500 psi Replacable urethane pistons are rated for operation pressures up to and exceeding 5000 psi Temperature ratings - Standard urethane - 170F (77C) - Blue Streak urethane - 200F (93C) - Rubber - 200F (93) All bonded and replaceable pistons are available in popular sizesBonded UrethaneTriplex PistonTriplex ReplaceableUrethane PistonBlue Streak

High Temperature Bonded Urethane Triplex PistonTriplex BondedRubber PistonFor more information on liners and other products, please visit us at www.ForumSPD.com or email sales@ForumSPD.com.Zirconia Ceramic Liners HP Design with shoulder on hull to prevent sleeve slippage SPD ID tolerances is +.010/-.000 - Industry allowance is +.015/-.000 Surface nish 4 8 RMS - Chrome sleeved liner nish 16 20 RMS Expected run life exceeding 10,000 hours Hardness: HV 0.3 kg/mm - 1100/1200 (92 94 Rc) (Chrome sleeved liners are 60 64 Rc) Ceramic liners do not create ID ridges which are common in high chrome liners. ID ridges are a cause of piston failures. Ceramic liners improve piston run life. Ceramic liners are pressure rated to pump performance by piston size. Liners are available in sizes 4-1/2 to 7. Liners are available for popular pumps: EMSCO: FC-2200, FB-1300/1600, F-800/1000 Gardner Denver: PX-11, PZ-10/11, PZ-8/9 National: 14-P-200/220, 12-P-160, 10-P-130 Oilwell: A1400/1700PT Wirth: TPK-2200, TPK-1600/2000 Liners for other pump models and liner sizes available upon request.For more information on liners and other products, please visit us at www.ForumSPD.com or email sales@ForumSPD.com. You can also contact us by calling 1-800-688-5650. Zirconia Sleeved Liners for Mud Pumps in Drilling Applications Basic description of Zirconium Oxide/Zirconia: Zirconia engineered ceramic parts can be formed by single axis pressing, isostatic pressing, injection molding, slip casting, or extrusion. Parts can "green machined" to near net size before firing and then "hard" ground using diamond tooling to tolerances less than 0.0002" (0.005 mm). Special grades of zirconia can be enhanced with additives to create a multiphase material and also metallized creating an option to be brazed to metal parts. Applications: Although there are a number of uses for Zirconia, the application of a Zirconia sleeve for a mud pump liner is gaining increasing attention. Although other materials have been used for mud pump liners such as high chromed sleeves and Aluminum Oxide sleeves, Zirconia is gaining favor in this application. A Zirconia sleeve is much harder than a chrome sleeve and therefore offers longer life. Although Ziconia is softer than Alumina, it is not as brittle and therefore will survive low impact shock loading and moderately rough handling. The run life of these two ceramic materials is very close, however because of the careful handling required by Alumina sleeved liners to prevent cracking damage, Zirconia liners are preferred. The Multiphase compound process results in a much smaller grain size which is one of the factors to improve wear life. Properties of Zirconia PSZ MS Grade and Zirconia Multiphase Properties Units Test Temp. Zirconia MS Grade Zirconia Multiphase Density G/cm3 20qC 5.74 5.6-5.7 Flexural Strength MPa 20qC 725 650-800 Tensile Strength MPa 20qC 450 - Weibull Modulus m 20qC >30 >25 Compressive Strength MPa 20qC 1990 1900 Modulus of Elasticity GPa 20qC 205 210-220 Poissons Ratio 20qC 0.31 0.31 Hardness HV0.3 kg/mm2 20qC 1120 1100-1200 Fracture Toughness MPam 20qC 8-12 11-14 Average Grain Size Pm - 40 0.35 - 2 Thermal Conductivity W/m-K 20qC 3.08 2.5 Thermal Expansion Coefficient X 10-6/C 20-400qC 10.2 9.1 Specific Heat J/g-K 20qC 0.47 0.40 Operational Characteristics: Standard chrome sleeve liners wear at a rate of about .007" to .010" on the diameter per 100 hours under normal conditions. When a liner reaches about .070" over nominal diameter the engagement with the piston reduces to a point that blow by begins, resulting in piston failure. The liner wears like a barrel on the ID resulting in the maximum wear at the center of the stroke. The ends of the liner will be at the original nominal diameter. Ceramic sleeve liner will wear in the same way as chrome liners but at a rate of about .001" or less per 100 hours. This rate of wear will result in potential life of 10,000 or more hours. Of course there are a number of variables which would shorten or even lengthen the run time. Recent tests conducted with KCA Duetag and Nabors Drilling have confirmed that wear of only .020 or less have occurred in 4000 hours. Projection of this wear rate would indicate a life of 14,000 hours or more. Urethane pistons are recommended for use with ceramic liners. Piston life in a ceramic liner is variable. The initial piston normally will only run about 200 hours or less. During the initial run the piston further smoothes the liner ID. Subsequent pistons have been known to run much longer up to 500 or 600 hours. However, as the liner becomes worn, the piston lip will begin to loose interference with the liner ID, reducing run life. The above noted run times are dependent on operating conditions. Typical conditions are pressure to 3800 psi, stroke rate to 90 spm, temperature below 170 degrees F, clean mud with weights of 11 to 14 lbs. and a high volume water flush to the back of the piston is required. Higher pressures, stroke rates and temperatures will increase the wear rate.

As usual, winter — or the slow season — is the time most drillers take the time to maintain their equipment in order to get ready for the peak season. One of the main parts that usually needs attention is the mud pump. Sometimes, it is just a set of swabs to bring it up to snuff, but often, tearing it down and inspecting the parts may reveal that other things need attention. For instance, liners. I can usually run three sets of swabs before it is time to change the liner. New liners and swabs last a good long time. The second set of swabs lasts less, and by the time you put in your third set of swabs, it’s time to order new liners. Probably rods too. It’s not always necessary to change pistons when you change swabs. Sometimes just the rubber needs to be changed, saving money. How do you tell? There is a small groove around the outside of the piston. As it wears, the groove will disappear and it’s time for a new piston.

The wear groove on a piston can be a good indicator of the general health of your pump. If the wear is pretty even all around, chances are the pump is in pretty good shape. But if you see wear on one side only, that is a clue to dig deeper. Uneven wear is a sign that the rods are not stroking at the exact angle that they were designed to, which is parallel to the liner. So, it’s time to look at the gear end. Or as some folks call it, “the expensive end.”

The wear groove on a piston can be a good indicator of the general health of your pump. If the wear is pretty even all around, chances are the pump is in pretty good shape. But if you see wear on one side only, that is a clue to dig deeper.

After you get the cover off the gear end, the first thing to look at will be the oil. It needs to be fairly clean, with no drill mud in it. Also look for metal. Some brass is to be expected, but if you put a magnet in the oil and come back later and it has more than a little metal on it, it gets more serious. The brass in the big end of the connecting rod is a wearable part. It is made to be replaced at intervals — usually years. The most common source of metal is from the bull and pinion gears. They transmit the power to the mud. If you look at the pinion gear closely, you will find that it wears faster than the bull gear. This is for two reasons. First, it is at the top of the pump and may not receive adequate lubrication. The second reason is wear. All the teeth on both the bull and pinion gears receive the same amount of wear, but the bull gear has many more teeth to spread the wear. That is why, with a well maintained pump, the bull gear will outlast the pinion gear three, four or even five times. Pinion gears aren’t too expensive and are fairly easy to change.

This process is fairly straightforward machine work, but over the years, I have discovered a trick that will bring a rebuild up to “better than new.” When you tear a pump down, did you ever notice that there is about 1-inch of liner on each end that has no wear? This is because the swab never gets to it. If it has wear closer to one end than the other, your rods are out of adjustment. The trick is to offset grind the journals. I usually offset mine about ¼-inch. This gives me a ½-inch increase in the stroke without weakening the gear end. This turns a 5x6 pump into a 5½x6 pump. More fluid equals better holes. I adjust the rods to the right length to keep from running out the end of the liner, and enjoy the benefits.

Other than age, the problem I have seen with journal wear is improper lubrication. Smaller pumps rely on splash lubrication. This means that as the crank strokes, the rods pick up oil and it lubricates the crank journals. If your gear end is full of drill mud due to bad packing, it’s going to eat your pump. If the oil is clean, but still shows crank wear, you need to look at the oil you are using.

Oil that is too thick will not be very well picked up and won’t find its way into the oil holes in the brass to lubricate the journals. I’ve seen drillers that, when their pump starts knocking, they switch to a heavier weight oil. This actually makes the problem worse. In my experience, factory specified gear end oil is designed for warmer climates. As you move north, it needs to be lighter to do its job. Several drillers I know in the Northern Tier and Canada run 30 weight in their pumps. In Georgia, I run 40W90. Seems to work well.

When choosing a size and type of mud pump for your drilling project, there are several factors to consider. These would include not only cost and size of pump that best fits your drilling rig, but also the diameter, depth and hole conditions you are drilling through. I know that this sounds like a lot to consider, but if you are set up the right way before the job starts, you will thank me later.

Recommended practice is to maintain a minimum of 100 to 150 feet per minute of uphole velocity for drill cuttings. Larger diameter wells for irrigation, agriculture or municipalities may violate this rule, because it may not be economically feasible to pump this much mud for the job. Uphole velocity is determined by the flow rate of the mud system, diameter of the borehole and the diameter of the drill pipe. There are many tools, including handbooks, rule of thumb, slide rule calculators and now apps on your handheld device, to calculate velocity. It is always good to remember the time it takes to get the cuttings off the bottom of the well. If you are drilling at 200 feet, then a 100-foot-per-minute velocity means that it would take two minutes to get the cuttings out of the hole. This is always a good reminder of what you are drilling through and how long ago it was that you drilled it. Ground conditions and rock formations are ever changing as you go deeper. Wouldn’t it be nice if they all remained the same?

Centrifugal-style mud pumps are very popular in our industry due to their size and weight, as well as flow rate capacity for an affordable price. There are many models and brands out there, and most of them are very good value. How does a centrifugal mud pump work? The rotation of the impeller accelerates the fluid into the volute or diffuser chamber. The added energy from the acceleration increases the velocity and pressure of the fluid. These pumps are known to be very inefficient. This means that it takes more energy to increase the flow and pressure of the fluid when compared to a piston-style pump. However, you have a significant advantage in flow rates from a centrifugal pump versus a piston pump. If you are drilling deeper wells with heavier cuttings, you will be forced at some point to use a piston-style mud pump. They have much higher efficiencies in transferring the input energy into flow and pressure, therefore resulting in much higher pressure capabilities.

Piston-style mud pumps utilize a piston or plunger that travels back and forth in a chamber known as a cylinder. These pumps are also called “positive displacement” pumps because they literally push the fluid forward. This fluid builds up pressure and forces a spring-loaded valve to open and allow the fluid to escape into the discharge piping of the pump and then down the borehole. Since the expansion process is much smaller (almost insignificant) compared to a centrifugal pump, there is much lower energy loss. Plunger-style pumps can develop upwards of 15,000 psi for well treatments and hydraulic fracturing. Centrifugal pumps, in comparison, usually operate below 300 psi. If you are comparing most drilling pumps, centrifugal pumps operate from 60 to 125 psi and piston pumps operate around 150 to 300 psi. There are many exceptions and special applications for drilling, but these numbers should cover 80 percent of all equipment operating out there.

The restriction of putting a piston-style mud pump onto drilling rigs has always been the physical size and weight to provide adequate flow and pressure to your drilling fluid. Because of this, the industry needed a new solution to this age-old issue.

As the senior design engineer for Ingersoll-Rand’s Deephole Drilling Business Unit, I had the distinct pleasure of working with him and incorporating his Centerline Mud Pump into our drilling rig platforms.

In the late ’90s — and perhaps even earlier —  Ingersoll-Rand had tried several times to develop a hydraulic-driven mud pump that would last an acceptable life- and duty-cycle for a well drilling contractor. With all of our resources and design wisdom, we were unable to solve this problem. Not only did Miller provide a solution, thus saving the size and weight of a typical gear-driven mud pump, he also provided a new offering — a mono-cylinder mud pump. This double-acting piston pump provided as much mud flow and pressure as a standard 5 X 6 duplex pump with incredible size and weight savings.

The true innovation was providing the well driller a solution for their mud pump requirements that was the right size and weight to integrate into both existing and new drilling rigs. Regardless of drill rig manufacturer and hydraulic system design, Centerline has provided a mud pump integration on hundreds of customer’s drilling rigs. Both mono-cylinder and duplex-cylinder pumps can fit nicely on the deck, across the frame or even be configured for under-deck mounting. This would not be possible with conventional mud pump designs.

The second generation design for the Centerline Mud Pump is expected later this year, and I believe it will be a true game changer for this industry. It also will open up the application to many other industries that require a heavier-duty cycle for a piston pump application.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to piston seals for mud pumps and more particularly to a replaceable piston seal. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a durable polymeric piston seal constructed with very small tolerances so as to provide a precise interference fit with the corresponding liner.

Slush or mud pumps are commonly used for pumping drilling mud in connection with oil well drilling operations. Because of the need to pump the drilling mud through several thousand feet of drill pipe, such pumps typically operate at high pressures. Moreover, it is necessary for the mud to emerge from the drill bit downhole at a relatively high velocity in order to provide lubrication and cooling to the bit and to provide a vehicle for the removal of drill cuttings from the earth formation being drilled. Lastly, the pressure generated by the mud pump contributes to the total downhole pressure, which is used to prevent well blowouts.

The pistons and cylinders used for such mud pumps are susceptible to a high degree of wear during use because the drilling mud is relatively dense and has a high proportion of suspended abrasive solids. As the pump cylinder becomes worn, the small annular space between the piston and the cylinder wall increases substantially and sometimes irregularly. For these reasons, the seal design for such pumps is critical.

The high pressure abrasive environment in which the pumps must operate is especially deleterious to the seals since considerable friction forces are generated, and since the hydraulic pressures encountered during operation force the seal into the annular space between the cylinder wall and the piston. In some instances, the frictional forces may even detach the seal from the piston. In these instances, the edges of the seal can become damaged very quickly by the cutting or tearing action that occurs as a result of piston movement. Another problem with conventional mud pump seals is that they do not adequately "wipe" the

It is common to incorporate the foregoing seals into piston heads wherein the seal is permanently affixed to the piston head. This is disadvantageous because the seal tends to wear much faster than the piston head, resulting in waste and unnecessary expense when the whole piston head has to be replaced because of wear to the seal member. It is therefore desirable to provide a piston seal that is removable from the piston head and thus can be replaced without requiring replacement of the whole piston head. The nature of the mud pump operating environment makes it difficult to effectively address these issues. It is, therefore, desired to develop a new and improved replaceable seal for a reciprocating mud pump piston that overcomes the foregoing difficulties while providing better wear properties and more advantageous overall results.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a new and improved replaceable seal for a reciprocating mud pump piston. The present seal does not require any external seal retaining means and is free from any incorporated seal retainer or reinforcement. The present seal is manufactured to precise specifications that minimize play between the seal, piston head and cylinder and also compensate for the slight deformation of the seal member that occurs when the seal member is demolded and cured.

Referring initially to Figure 1, a typical prior-art mud pump piston assembly comprises a piston head 10 and a sealing device or seal 15 therefor slidably received in a piston cylinder 12. Piston head 10 comprises a generally cylindrical body having a flange 11 extending therefrom. Piston head 10 is typically made of steel, such as AISI 4140. Seal 15 is friction fit on piston head 10 and abuts flange 11. Seal 15 comprises an elastomeric sealing section 14 and a heel section 13. These sections are either integrally formed or bonded together. Heel section 13 is typically made from a stack of several layers of rubber- impregnated fabric, which give it a higher modulus of elasticity than the elastomeric sealing section 14. In prior art mud pumps, the heel section 13, which is stiffer than the elastomeric sealing section, resists extrusion into the gap between the cylinder and piston flange to some extent. However, heel section 13 is still forced into the gap under the influence of the hydrostatic pressure in locations where wear occurs. Reference numeral 18 designates a portion of heel section 14 that has been extruded into the gap 20 between the flange 11 and the cylinder 12. Both elastomeric sealing section 14 and heel section 13 make intimate contact with the cylinder 12. Seal 15 is held in place by a retaining ring 16 and a snap ring 17, which hold seal 15 in place and permit replacement thereof. Easy replacement of seals is a desirable feature for a mud pump, since seals typically wear out long before the other mud pump components and must be replaced in order to continue pumping operations. The direction of travel of piston 10 is shown by arrow 19. The direction of the hydrostatic pressure force exerted by the working fluid of the pump is shown by arrows 21. This force axially compresses elastomeric sealing section 14 and heel section 13 and radially expands these sections against the cylinder wall.

Although the invention is described with particular reference to a pump piston used with slush or mud pumps, it will be recognized that certain features thereof may be used or adopted to use in other types of reciprocating pumps. Likewise it will be understood that various modification can be made to the present seal without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the relative dimensions of various parts, the materials from which the seal is made, and other parameters can be varied, so long as the seal retains the advantages discussed herein.

Manufacturer of proprietary mud pump fluid end assemblies. The company"s products include mud pump rod systems, a liner retention system, valve cover retention systems, discharge strainer systems, valve seat pulling jack, special mud pump pistons, an automatic self-supporting mud bucket and a washpipe system.

Forum Energy Technologies Inc is a global products company, serving the drilling, downhole, subsea, completions, and production sectors of the energy industry. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes products and engages in aftermarket parts supply and services that complement its product offering. Its products include highly engineered capital equipment, as well as products that are consumed in the drilling, well construction, production, and transportation of oil and natural gas. It operates in three reporting segments, namely drilling and downhole, completions, and production. Revenue largely comes from consumable products and activity-based equipment. Consumable products include valves, centrifugal pumps, mud pump fluid end components, rig sensors, inserts, and dies.

The positive displacement mud pump is a key component of the drilling process and its lifespan and reliability are critical to a successful operation.

The fluid end is the most easily damaged part of the mud pump. The pumping process occurs within the fluid end with valves, pistons, and liners. Because these components are high-wear items, many pumps are designed to allow quick replacement of these parts.

Due to the nature of its operation, pistons, liners, and valve assemblies will wear and are considered expendable components. There will be some corrosion and metallurgy imperfections, but the majority of pump failures can be traced back to poor maintenance, errors during the repair process, and pumping drilling fluid with excessive solids content.

A few signs include cut piston rubber, discoloration, pistons that are hard to remove, scored liners, valve and seat pitting or cracks, valve inserts severely worn, cracked, or completely missing, and even drilling fluids making their way to the power end of the pump.

The fluid end of a positive displacement triplex pump presents many opportunities for issues. The results of these issues in such a high-pressure system can mean expensive downtime on the pump itself and, possibly, the entire rig — not to mention the costly repair or replacement of the pump. To reduce severe vibration caused by the pumping process, many pumps incorporate both a suction and discharge pulsation dampener; these are connected to the suction and discharge manifolds of the fluid end. These dampeners reduce the cavitation effect on the entire pump which increases the life of everything within the pump.

The fluid end is the most easily damaged part of the mud pump. The pumping process occurs within the fluid end with valves, pistons, and liners. Because these components are high-wear items, many pumps are designed to allow quick replacement of these parts.

Additionally, the throat (inside diameter) can begin to wash out from extended usage hours or rather quickly when the fluid solids content is excessive. When this happens it can cut all the way through the seat and into the fluid end module/seat deck. This causes excessive expense not only from a parts standpoint but also extended downtime for parts delivery and labor hours to remove and replace the fluid module. With that said, a properly operated and maintained mud recycling system is vital to not only the pump but everything the drilling fluid comes in contact with downstream.

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