Most system’s priority is efficiency. Suction side pulsation control can reduce harmful pulsations and surges, eliminate premature wear, and ensure smoother operations. The prevailing complication is the existing industry suction equipment options all have their limitations.

When it comes to creating a favorable position for the mud pump, people will install a “standpipe” off the suction manifold in the past. The idea was to have a gas over fluid column available for the reciprocating pump and eliminate the pump cavitation opportunity.

Generally installed on the “deadhead” side of the suction manifold, they don’t have the ability to get fluid into the cylinders to prevent cavitation. Additionally, no isolation exists between the charge pump and the reciprocating pump.

The internal system of gas over fluid exhibits constraints as well. The gas gets consumed by the drilling fluid, and the standpipe loses compressibility. Furthermore, once the gas is gone, gravity (14.7 psi) is the only force pushing the liquid towards the cylinders rendering the standpipe virtually useless. Additionally, the gas is seldom charged or replenished in the standpipe.

The suction stabilizer with a cartridge fixed a few of the pitfalls from the standpipe. Instead of the gas being exposed to the drilling fluid, it is now separated in a rubber cartridge, which allowed for the gas to be contained.

A significant complication of the cartridge is the requirement of nitrogen gas charging. The introduction to nitrogen gas always adds a safety risk.

Another problem with the cartridge is it will fail, and when it does, there is a loss of compressibility, leaving the stabilizer not absorbing any energy leaving the vessel ineffective. Often the demand for a service company arises when the cartridge needs changing, wasting time and money.

Unfortunately, even when charged adequately with nitrogen, the best the cartridge can do is only utilize gas compression for energy absorption.

“Maintenance-free” suction vessels seem to be a decent choice. They don’t require regular service and are considered safer, but they have their own set of drawbacks and constraints as with the other options.

“Maintenance-free” suction stabilizers utilize massive tubes of cellularized rubber. These heavy tubes allow for pumped drilling fluids to enter the middle of the tube and compress against the inner and outer walls, severally limiting the surface area the drilling fluid can act upon.

The cellular tubes are also only designed to mitigate energies from the drilling fluid through compression, not utilizing multiple energy reduction methods.

Moreover, you must consider these vessels are enormous and significantly heavier; therefore, they don’t represent the best choice either.