What Does
Mud Hopper Mean?
A mud hopper, also known as a mud mixing hopper or a jet mixing hopper, is a type of mixing equipment used in the trenchless method of horizontal directional drilling (HDD), plus it's used in the oil and gas industry, primarily for mixing bentonite. The mud mixing unit consists of drilling mud hopper and centrifugal pump. Bentonite mixing and circulation is an important part of the drilling process because it gives lubrication for the drilling equipment, helps bring cuttings out from the borehole and provides stability to the borehole.
Trenchlesspedia Explains Mud Hopper
The materials that are added into the mud circulation system are first put into the mud hopper. The mud hopper helps in proper dispersion and uniform mixing of the dry material. A hose in the mud hopper allows feeding liquid and additives into the mix, and the motion of the hopper helps in rapid hydration.
A centrifugal pump powers the mud hopper and passes the mud at high velocity through a nozzle at the bottom of the conical hopper. The agitation system of the mud hopper circulates the fluid continuously, keeping the constituents in suspension which is then effectively pumped out into the drilling system.