Mud pump is an important part of drilling machinery and equipment. In this article, we will take a comprehensive look at mud pumps. You will clearly understand what mud pumps are and what they can do for your drilling projects.   What is a mud pump? A mud pump is a mechanical device that delivers flushing fluid such as mud or water to the borehole during the drilling process.  It is mainly to send the surface flushing medium-clean water, mud or polymer flushing fluid under certain pressure, through the high-pressure hose and the center hole of the drill string to the bottom of the drill bit during the drilling process, to cool the drill bit and clean the drill bit. It has the functions of fixing the well wall, driving drilling, etc., and removing and transporting the cut cuttings to the surface.   What types of the mud pump? 1. According to the structural form, it can be divided into piston mud pumps and plunger mud pumps. (1).  Piston mud pumps： Piston mud pumps are the most common type of mud pump. They use a piston to draw mud from the pit and then force it to the drill bit through the hose. Piston mud pumps are very easy to replace for the spare parts. (2).  Plunger mud pumps： Plunger mud pumps work similarly to piston mud pumps, but they use a plunger instead of a piston. Plunger mud pumps are very durable, so the price is usually higher than the piston mud pumps.   2. According to the power configuration, it can be divided into hydraulic mud pumps, diesel engine mud pumps and electric mud pumps. (1).  Hydraulic mud pumps: Elephant hydraulic mud pump uses hydraulic power to operate. Adopting advanced structure and new materials, with reliable capability, long service life of the wearing parts, small volume, good decomposability and convenient moving features. Widely used for geological and engineering prospecting.    (2).  Diesel Engine Mud Pumps: Elephant diesel engine mud pump is driven by a diesel engine. Using Cummins diesel engine, with wireless remote control. Easy operation and reliable performance. At present, only our factory has this advanced technology in China. With it, you could operate your mud pump just with a screen.   (3).  Electric Motor Mud Pumps: Elephant electric motor pump uses electricity to operate. With small volume, light weight, good performance features. Widely used for railway, the water conservancy, the metallurgy, the build and geology industry.   What are the main technical performance of mud pumps? (1)  Flow: refers to the amount of liquid output by the mud pump through the discharge pipe per unit time, usually expressed in volume units, also known as volume flow, and its unit is L/min or m3/h. The flow rate in the mud pump is divided into average flow rate and instantaneous flow rate, and the flow rate usually refers to the average flow rate; (2)  Pressure: refers to the liquid pressure at the outlet of the mud pump, the unit is MPa, N/m2 (Pa). (3)  Power: refers to the work done by the mud pump in unit time. Generally, the energy transmitted by the engine to the pump shaft per unit time is called input power or main shaft power; the energy increased by the liquid passing through the mud pump per unit time is called the effective power of the mud pump. The unit of power is kW. (4)  Speed: refers to the reciprocating times of the piston / plunger within a unit of time, and the unit is r/min.   What are the precautions for the use of mud pumps? 1. Medium requirements: It should not contain chemical impurities that can corrode metal and rubber parts, and the temperature should not exceed 50°C. When using mud, the recommended specific gravity is 1.03-1.12, the viscosity is 18-25S, and the sand content is not more than 4% , the largest sand diameter is not greater than 3mm, the pH value is 7-8, and there must be no mud balls, weeds, leaves in the mud; 2. It is strictly forbidden for the operator to leave when the mud pump is running; 3. Before pulling the shift handle to change speed, the hydraulic motor must be stopped, and the gears can be shifted only when the speed of each gear slows down or stops, so as not to damage the gears; 4. It is strictly forbidden to dismantle the safety valve device. The opening pressure has been calibrated before leaving the factory, so do not adjust it at will; 5. It is strictly forbidden to use the unloading valve to adjust the flow, otherwise it will be damaged soon and the performance of the mud pump will be damaged; 6. The mud pump must not work without flushing fluid, otherwise the seal will be easily damaged; 7. When transporting easily solidified mud, if the mud pump stops for a long time, the mud pump must be cleaned with clean water to avoid damage to the mud pump caused by mud solidification; 8. In the cold winter season or in cold regions, when the mud pump stops for a long time, the flushing liquid in the mud pump and each pipeline must be released to avoid freezing and cracking the equipment.