Magna Centrifuge

As part of an effort to continuously improve the safety and performance of its oilfield centrifuges, M-I SWACO* has made the pioneering decision to move from the use of traditional hydraulic or variable-frequency drives to the magnetic drives and couplings manufactured by MagnaDrive Corporation.These magnetic couplings are well-suited to the rigsite because they do not require an external power source and thereby reduce sparking potential. In addition to being available on new M-I SWACO Magna* Centrifuges, the drives are ideal for upgrading existing 518 Centrifuge* units, creating a host of features and benefits that reduce costs and increase efficiency. The MagnaDrive control console provides a relatively small footprint, which is highly valuable in an offshore environment where space is at a premium.

FeaturesPrecise Control Over Critical Factors. A Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) monitors and displays vibration and will automatically shut down the centrifuge when vibrations exceed pre-set maximum allowable value. With the Siemens^ S7-200 PLC system, the operator can monitor the torque inside the bowl as well as the torque on the main drive motor and back drive motor.

Increased Horsepower. The MagnaDrive unit provides 40 hp on the main drive, 15 hp on the back drive and an improved centrifuge drive system for better performance under extreme operating conditions, decreasing the incidence of packoff and allowing higher-torque operations for greater throughput.

Soft Start. This allows for electrical start-up without a load, reducing power consumption and strain on the centrifuge while increasing belt life.

Adjustable Drives.Main Drive: operator can change the bowl speed without stopping the machine and changing belts.

Back Drive: the residence time of the solids on the drying beach can be varied, increasing solids dryness or reducing torque which saves expensive fluids and reduces waste disposal.

FeAtures Programmable Logic Controller Increased horsepower Improved centrifuge drive system Small footprint Adjustable drives Upgrade existing equipment Removable control station Auto shutdown Soft starts

BeneFits No external power source necessary Reduces power consumption Reduces sparking potential Saves valuable rig-floor space Increases solids dryness Lowers mud costs Reduces waste disposal Optimizes performance under extreme

operating conditions Decreases incidence of packoff Eliminates effects of vibration on drive

assembly

2003 M-I L.L.C. All rights reserved.*Mark of M-I L.L.C.^Mark of Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Joint Stock Company.MS-04103 9/04 Litho in U.S.A.

This information is supplied solely for informational purposes and M-I SWACO makes no guarantees or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the accuracy and use of this data. All product warranties and guarantees shall be governed by the Standard Terms of Sale.

P.O. Box 42842 Houston, Texas 77242-2842Tel: 281988186618006540660Fax: 2819881888www.miswaco.comE-mail: questions@miswaco.com

Upgrade Existing Equipment. Using an existing M-I SWACO 518 Centrifuge skid, new electric motors, and the MagnaDrive system and motor brake, existing 518 Centrifuge units can be upgraded to Magna units for better performance.

Removable Control Station. This allows operators to control the centrifuge from ground level where discharge and flow rate can be easily monitored, improving performance, lowering mud costs and saving on haul-off.

Benefits No-contact power transfer eliminates effects of vibration, reduces noise, tolerates

misalignment, provides overload protection, extends motor and centrifuge life, and reduces overall maintenance costs.

Upgrade capability revitalizes existing equipment and conserves valuable assets. The PLC guards against excessive vibration to reduce wear and tear on the centrifuge and

monitors torque inside the bowl to reduce machine packoffs which improves run time and saves money in service calls.

How it WorksMagnaDrive couplings utilize an induced magnetic field, rather than a continuous drive shaft, to transfer energy from the motor to the load. They incorporate a precision rotor assembly with highenergy magnets (load/output shaft) and a copper onductor assembly (motor/input shaft). The relative motion between the magnets and the conductor creates a magnetic field that transmits torque across an air gap. Varying the width of the gap changes the coupling force, producing a controlled and infinitely variable output-speed capability.

The physics of the drive result in softer starts, reduced vibration and lower power consumption, all within a space-saving design.

FielD-Proven results Solids Control. The centrifuge ran for

prolonged periods under the control of the mud engineer, who found the system easy to set up in accordance with his requirements. Apart from routine checks, he was quite comfortable to leave the system running for prolonged periods, until shutting it down as a result of acceptable mud properties.

Weight Control. The centrifuge was successfully field-tested on a 17. 1-lb/gal (2.05 kg/L) mud, both with and without feed mud dilution, at feed rates up to 20 GPM so as to attain an average 10-lb/gal (1.2 kg/L) effluent discharge. As the system operation has been designed to be intuitive, rig-based personnel were quite willing to set up and run the system after only a short period of instruction.

Dewatering. The Magna unit was installed and training given to the rig-based M-I SWACO personnel. They subsequently took full responsibility for the systems operation during the ewatering phase.

The rolling average mud weight, for this phase, was 9.2 lb/gal (1.1 kg/L): this was processed at 100 GPM to return clear water to the active system.