Well & Drilling Engineering Calculations

Triplex mud pump calculator

Definitions
Stroke := 1Hz

Created by Peter Aird; Rev 1.0 Aug 2006 bbl := 42gal

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Mud pump liner

Note: A triplex mud pump has three pump liners. For one revolution of the mud pump drive, each pump piston would therefore have pumped the equivalent of one stroke's total liner volume.

Diameter (d)

Data input
Liner diameter, d d := d in

(See Manufacturer's Site)

Liner length, L L := L in

Pump efficiency, %

Liner length (L)

Operational Comments / Rules of thumb

Depending on rig and pump conditions safe operating speeds of 100-120rpm+ can normally be applied. e.g Best practices would be to work two pumps at optimal rates, maintaining the 3rd pump as contingency back up so that continuous operations would in most cases and circumstances result. Pumpvol :=

2 d2 ( 7 in) L 3 16 in 0.95 4 4 =

Stroke

Stroke

Step #1
Calculates the triplex mud pump output volume (Pumpvol) for the various pump liner sizes (d, inches), liner stroke length (L, inches) , and volumetric efficiency () as input.

Pumpvol = 7.597

gal Stroke

Pumpvol = 0.1809

bbl Stroke

Gorilla VII mud pump calcs.xmcd

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Well & Drilling Engineering Calculations

Step #2
For a rig with three mud pumps when (Pout = gal/stroke). Step #2 calculates the total pumping volumes of the triplex mud pump(s) for a range of strokes (n) applied, with results presented in both tabular & graphical output for 2 and 3 pump outputs.

Define pump rate range (n); n := 30 , 40 .. 150 f ( n , Pn) := Pumpvol n

Stroke Pn min

v
Volum e pum ped (Gals/m in) Strokes Per Min 2 Pum ps 3 Pum ps

Gorilla 7; Mud pump output

3000 Two pumps output Three pumps output 2400 100 140

30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150

456 608 760 912 1,064 1,216 1,367 1,519 1,671 1,823 1,975 2,127 2,279

683.72 911.63 1,139.54 1,367.45 1,595.36 1,823.27 2,051.17 2,279.08 2,506.99 2,734.90 2,962.81 3,190.72 3,418.62

Total Volume pumped per minute

1800 1500 1200 1000

600

0 70

78.75

87.5

96.25

105

113.75

122.5

131.25

140

Triplex strokes per minute (per pump)

Gorilla VII mud pump calcs.xmcd

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