GN SOLIDS CONTROL recently has successfully shipped a full hydraulic drive decanter centrifuge and a vertical cuttings dryer to Asian customers. Both equipment address specific operational challenges in drilling fluid management and cuttings processing.
Unlike electrically driven units, GN’s hydraulic drive decanter centrifuge uses two independent hydraulic circuits to drive the bowl and the scroll conveyor separately. The hydraulic pump unit which driven by a single electric motor, feeds each circuit with its own pump and control system. Bowl speed and differential speed can be adjusted independently and continuously during operation, providing flexibility when processing variable mud weights or encountering changing downhole conditions.
The vertical cuttings dryer delivered alongside the centrifuge is designed specifically for drilled cuttings from oil-based and synthetic-based mud systems. Operating at 900 RPM, the unit generates 420 G of centrifugal force to separate liquid from solids. The stainless steel screen bowl retains the cuttings while allowing fluid to pass through the screen openings. Angled flights attached to the cone, rotating slightly slower than the bowl, extract the dried cuttings. Tungsten carbide hardfacing on the flights achieves HRC 65 hardness, significantly extending service life compared to conventional wear protection.
The delivery to Asian clients reflects growing recognition that properly specified solids control equipment—whether hydraulic drive centrifuges for demanding mud conditions or vertical dryers for efficient cuttings discharge—can improve fluid economics and reduce waste handling costs.