Experimental Model design For Oilwell Drilling Rig Circulation System studies Part II.(Rig constrains, parameters and rig construction)

Abstract

This paper is the second part in the series of the experimental apparatus design for vertical annular concentric pipes flow studies with rotation of the inner pipe. Part one in this series considered the preliminary design of the experimental rig, in terms of preliminary scaling from field data, dimensional analysis and design and suggested experimental conditions. In the present paper (part II), the rig design constrains, rig parameters, and rig construction were considered. The main deign consideration were, to use water as working fluid for reasons of availability, safety, well established properties as well as its transparently to enable the laser Doppler velocity-meter to measure the velocity of the fluid, for the same reason the outer wall of the experimental model was chosen to be transparent perspex tube. As for experimental rig parameters in terms of volumetric flow rate and rotational speed were calculated based on actual filed well ranges of flow rates and drill pipe rotational speed, also the proposed experimental model in part I was constructed.