SHALE SHAKER SCREENS AND ITS FUNCTIONS

Removal of drill cuttings from drilling fluids in most cases is performed on shale shakers, which is the primary element of the solids control equipment At this stage, you can get rid of solid particles of big microns. As a result, timely removal of the big size drilling cuttings reduces wear of next steps solids control equipment, which works with less dispersible cuttings. This is the task that the panels for shale shakers are designed to resolve.

The scheme of the system is quite simple: when the solid phase is removing from the drilling fluid, the shale shaker reproduces vibrating motion to the screen. This vibration increases the volume of fluid passing through the screen and leads to the cutting off solids into a special receiving tank.

The screens  themselves are a special cloth consisting of woven wire. The separation of the solid phase and the ability of the vibrating screen to separate small particles depends on the mesh size of the screens. Thus, the separation potential of the shale shaker is directly depends on the screens size (unlike other types of equipment, separating materials based on their density).

Recommendations for use of shale shakers screens

The basic rule – shale shakers must operate properly!

1. The use of vibrating table with mechanical damage is unacceptable:

• a properly secured tensioning system of the screen (especially for model 500);
• you must have a proprietary rubber protector on the vibrating  table and clean adjacent surfaces;
• correct adjustment of vibration motors, the G-force should not exceed the nominal passport ratings, the angle of movement of the solid phase of the drilling fluid should be in the range of 40-50 degrees;
• the ability to adjust the flow of incoming drilling mud quickly and smoothly;
• the presence of a reflector of the flow of drilling fluid leaving from the receiving box and cones of hydrocyclones is obligatory.

2. Control of work of tension devices of a product:

• monitoring the integrity of the wire cloth  of the screen , detection of local damages requires immediate repair.

3. It is unacceptable to use scrapers and other mechanical devices for cleaning the upper (filtering) layer of the  screen during operation.

4. After dismantling the screen, it is necessary to clean it in a place specially designated for this purpose. It is carried out with the help of a high-pressure pump, using a directed air-water jet (from a distance of at least 50 cm) and “knocking out” of solid chemical particles from the screen and restoring the performance of the product.

5. After cleaning the panel, should be dried (blown with compressed air) and put into the original packaging, which is stored in a specially designated place.

6. Storage of the product is permissible only in a horizontal position and not more than 10 packages in height on the shelves, in a dry and heated room.