1. A method of increasing the density of a fluid phase of a drilling fluid, the method comprising adding to the fluid phase of the drilling fluid a solid phase weight material for increasing the density of the drilling fluid, wherein the solid phase weight material is a particulate material and has a particle size distribution such that: particles having a diameter less than 1 \u03bcm are 0 to 15% by volume; particles having a diameter between 1 \u03bcm and 4 \u03bcm are 15 to 40% by volume; particles having a diameter between 4 \u03bcm and 8 \u03bcm are 15 to 30% by volume; particles having a diameter between 8 \u03bcm and 12 \u03bcm are 5 to 15% by volume; particles having a diameter between 12 \u03bcm and 16 \u03bcm are 3 to 7% by volume; particles having a diameter between 16 \u03bcm and 20 \u03bcm are 0 to 10% by volume; particles having a diameter greater than 20 \u03bcm are 0 to 5% by volume.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the solid phase weight material is selected from the group consisting of barite, calcite, hematite, ilmenite or combinations thereof.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the solid phase weighting material is barite.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid phase is an oleaginous fluid selected from the group consisting of diesel oil, mineral oil, synthetic oil such as polyolefins or isomerized polyolefins, ester oils, glycerides of fatty acids, aliphatic esters, aliphatic ethers, aliphatic acetals, and combinations thereof.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid phase is an invert emulsion in which the continuous phase is an oleaginous fluid selected from the group consisting of diesel oil, mineral oil, synthetic oil such as polyolefins or isomerized polyolefins, ester oils, glycerides of fatty acids, aliphatic esters, aliphatic ethers, aliphatic acetals, and combinations thereof; and the discontinuous phase is a non-oleaginous fluid selected from the group consisting of fresh water, seawater, brine containing inorganic or organic dissolved salts, aqueous solutions containing water-miscible organic compounds and mixtures of these.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the drilling fluid further comprises at least one additional additive selected from the group consisting of additives for filtration control, additives for high temperature pressure control, additives for rheology control and combinations thereof.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the drilling fluid is used in drilling operation such that sag is eliminated or avoided.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An inflatable life raft system for an aircraft, the system comprising:
a window for the aircraft;
a pin mechanism for selectively detaching the window from a fuselage of the aircraft; and
an inflatable life raft mounted across an interior transparent surface of the window and deployable to the exterior of the aircraft upon detachment of the window from the aircraft.
2. The inflatable life raft system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a window frame for housing the window, the window frame being configured for coupling to a fuselage portion of the aircraft.
3. The inflatable life raft system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a handle operably associated with the pin mechanism, the handle being located so that an occupant of the aircraft can actuate the pin mechanism.
4. The inflatable life raft system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a backing plate coupled to the fuselage of the aircraft, the backing plate located inboard of the window and the inflatable life raft.
5. The inflatable life raft system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a backing plate coupled to the fuselage of the aircraft, the backing plate located so as to create a stowage space for the inflatable life raft.
6. The inflatable life raft system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a window frame for housing the window,
a hinge releasably coupled between a lower portion of the window frame and the fuselage.
7. The inflatable life raft system according to claim 6, wherein the hinge automatically detaches the window frame from the fuselage upon a prescribed rotation about a hinge axis, the hinge axis being defined by the hinge.
8. The inflatable life raft system according to claim 1, the pin mechanism comprising:
a latch bracket coupled to the fuselage;
a keeper coupled to the window; and
a pin sized for traversal through an opening formed by the latch bracket and the keeper.
9. The inflatable life raft system according to claim 1, wherein the pin mechanism is located near an upper portion of the window.
10. The inflatable life raft system according to claim 1, wherein the window has an outwardly bulging contour so as to create space for the inflatable life raft.
11. The inflatable life raft system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a mooring line coupled to the inflatable life raft.
12. An inflatable life raft system for a rotorcraft, the system comprising:
a window for the rotorcraft, the window being selectively detachable from the rotorcraft;
a mechanism and a hinge, the mechanism and the hinge being configured for selectively detaching the window from the rotorcraft; and
an inflatable life raft mounted across an interior transparent surface of the window and deployable to the exterior of the rotorcraft upon detachment of the window from the rotorcraft.
13. The inflatable life raft system according to claim 12, further comprising:
a handle operably associated with the mechanism, the handle being located so that an occupant of the rotorcraft can actuate the mechanism.
14. The inflatable life raft system according to claim 12, further comprising:
a backing plate coupled to an interior portion of a fuselage of the rotorcraft, the backing plate located inboard of the window, the backing plate being located so as to create a stowage space for the inflatable life raft.
15. The inflatable life raft system according to claim 12, further comprising:
a window frame for housing the window,
the hinge being releasably coupled between a lower portion of the window frame and a fuselage of the rotorcraft.
16. The inflatable life raft system according to claim 15, wherein the hinge automatically detaches the window frame from the fuselage upon a prescribed rotation about a hinge axis, the hinge axis being defined by the hinge.
17. The inflatable life raft system according to claim 12, the mechanism comprising:
a latch bracket coupled to the fuselage;
a keeper coupled to the window; and
a pin sized for entry into an opening formed by the latch bracket and the keeper.