Projects
CFD analysis of mud pump for drilling applications
Industry
Offshore O&G
Services
Tanks, CFD
Location
UK
The challenge
One of DOCAN’s clients had an issue where high-pressure drilling mud pumps were occasionally starving. They wanted to understand the root cause of the issue plus any modifications which could be made to stop the issue.
The DOCAN solution
DOCAN went through an open-minded fault-finding process with our client, and through analysis using the Volume of Fluids (VoF) method in CFD using ANSYS Fluent, found that air was being accumulated near the inlet of the priming pumps.
The outcome
We have proposed a modification to the design of the pump feed tank, as well as additional studies to be completed to understand the sensitivity of this issue to different mud compositions.
Project summary
| Task | Application | DOCAN Expertise | ANSYS Fluent |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAD geometry | 3D geometry preparation |  |  |
| CFD | VOF method | | |
| Transient analysis | | |
|
| Root Cause Failure Analysis | O&G applications | | |