Single Deck Shale Shakers

As the name implies, a single deck shale shaker has one discrete screening layer; the mud and solids fed to the shaker are screened once. One or more screen panels may be used to provide a continuous screening surface. Deck
profiles of single deck linear motion shakers are usually flat from feed to discharge, but other profiles are used. For example, the panels of the Fluid Systems Model 500 and Swaco ALS are arranged in a stairstep pattern: Each downstream panel is slightly lower than the upstream panel, primarily for ease of panel positioning. Unbalanced elliptical motion shakers, such as the Derrick Standard or Swaco Super Screen, have an increasingly negative (downhill) slope on downstream panels to improve solids conveyance.

Single deck shakers provide the advantage of allowing complete access to the screening surface. This simplifies maintenance, panel changes, screen inspection and cleaning. The disadvantage of single deck shakers becomes
apparent under high solids loading conditions; flow capacity, cuttings dryness and screen life may be greatly reduced. These problems can be circumvented by using a cascading shaker arrangement.

Linear motion single deck shale shakers are preferred for most applications because of their simplicity, high flow capacity and fine-screening capability. Their popularity has spurred numerous companies to manufacture linear
motion shakers. Many of the major manufacturers’ shakers have been evaluated in the laboratory at APR. Differences in overall performance were found to be relatively minor. Examples of single deck linear motion shakers that will provide acceptable performance are pictured in Figures 1-3. The shakers are listed in alphabetical order, no ranking is implied by the order of their appearance.

For single-deck shale shakers with multiple screens on the deck, try to run screens all of the same mesh. If coarser screens are necessary to prevent drilling fluid loss, run the finer screens closest to the possum belly. All screens should have approximately the same-size openings.