WO2002070828A1

WO2002070828A1 - Well with tank and method to carry out thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2002070828A1
Application number: PCT/IB2002/000663
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giulio Accorroni
Original assignee: I.M.T. S.P.A.
Priority date: 2001-03-06
Filing date: 2002-03-06
Publication date: 2002-09-12
Also published as: ITBO20010122A1; ITBO20010122A0

Abstract

A well with tank includes a sucking portion (26) substantially consisting of a cavity carried out in the subsoil and having a jacket (4); a tank (2) at least partially buried and superimposed to the sucking portion (26); a partition wall (3) interposed between the sucking portion (26) and the tank (2) and water-tightly connected to this latter for carrying out its bottom. The sucking portion (26) is fit for sucking water from water-bearing stratum and the tank (2) is fit to store the water.

Description

WELL WITH TANK AND METHOD TO CARRY OUT THEREOF

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to wells for sucking water from the water-bearing stratum. In particular, the invention refers to a well with tank and to a method to carry out said well particularly suitable for deep strata, to assure a high flow rate and the sanitation of the water in tropical climates and unhealthy areas.

BACKGROUND ART

There are known wells having a wide diameter, for instance 2 meters, and low depth, around ten meters, or having high depth, around hundreds of meters, but having a small diameter, around some decimetres, to provide respectively high flow rate and a suction also from deep strata.

In the lαiown wells the water is sucked by means of a pump, for instance manual or motorized, or by means of other lifting means of the water.

Usually the walls of the known wells are permeable practically along all their vertical extension allowing the water incoming from strata at every depth.

In the known wells, the sucked water is eventually treated for the purification and directly available for the use or pumped in raised tanks of huge capacity, including trestle or towers, for the accumulation and for feeding a distribution waterworks with pressured water.

The main drawback of the known wide diameter wells consists in that they can suck water only from superficial strata or at low depth, which, if present, are subject to pollution or contamination. Furthermore said wells are expensive to carry out.

The main drawback of the known high depth wells consists in that they can easily clog because the small diameter and have a difficult maintenance and an expensive carrying out. A further drawback consists in that usually all the lαiown wells suck water at to every depth, thus receiving also superficial or slight deep water which can be subject to constant or sudden and unchecked contaminations, with serious risks for the health of the people using directly or indirectly the water.

Other drawback of the lαiown wells consists in that the water is stored in the raised tanks that are expensive to carry out. Furthermore the raised tanks require constant control and maintenance, which are difficult because their raised position; such work requires skilled and specialized operators, sometimes difficult to find and always expensive.

Another drawback of the known wells with raised tanks consists in that in the tropical climates, the water of the reservoirs can reach very high temperatures that provokes considerable losses for evaporation; furthermore the light, filtering through the tank walls, for instance made of fibre glass in resinous matrix, or through openings or cracks, favours the algae growth which can clog the ducts.

Other drawback of these known wells consists in that often mosquito larvae or other harmful and dangerous bugs can colonize the tanks, because of even small openings, without the knowledge of operators and without the possibility to take particular precautions against said infestations. In fact, usually it is not allowed the use of toxic or repellent products in water for human consumption neither it is allowed using the traditional methods utilized in some countries, for instance consisting in the introduction in the water of fishes or insectivorous amphibious, because these latter cannot survive at high temperatures reached in the raised tanks.

A further drawback of said known wells with raised storage tank consists in that this latter is completely exposed to the meteorological events, particularly to the wind that can cause serious damages, especially in the monsoonal and tropical regions.

The main drawbacks of the known methods for carrying out wells are the high cost of the excavation and the dimensional limits of this latter. In fact, the known methods of excavation of wide diameter wells provide the exhaustion of the crumbled material by means of canisters fixed to the lower end of the αtilling columns. This involves frequent and expensive interruptions of the drilling and tight iiniite in the depth of this latter.

The known methods for carrying out deep wells provide the evacuation of the crumbled material using water circulation. This method provides the use of very expensive apparatuses and therefore is very expensive. Furthermore said method does not allow to carry out holes with a diameter grater than some decimetres, limitiiig the flow rates and causing risks of the well stoppage.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to propose a well with tank, and a method to quickly and economically carry out this latter, fit to guarantee a large water suction also at high depth, for instance some hundred of meters, avoiding the entrance of superficial waters and the waters from low depth strata.

Other object is to propose a well very deep, which miriimizes the risks of occlusion and clog and has a high capacity tank for the optimal storage of water and which is protected from the meteorological events, particularly from the wind and which is poorly sensitive to the telluric phenomenon.

Another object is to preserve the water at relatively low temperature and to prevent or at least to reduce the algae growth.

Other object of the present invention is to provide a well with a tank without cracks and openings in order to avoid the entry of bugs, animals, objects or light, so allowing traditional or biological struggle methods against the infestations.

The above-mentioned objects are achieved according to the content of the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The characteristics of the present invention are underlined in the following with particular reference to the attached drawings, in which:

- figure 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section view of the preferred embodiment of the well with tank object of the present invention;

- figure 2 shows a cross section according to plain II - II of figure 1 ;

- figure 3 shows a schematic longitudinal section view of a variant of the well of figure 1 in which some parts have been removed for better underlining other ones;

- figure 4 shows a schematic longitudinal section view of further variant of the well with tank in which some parts have been removed for better underlining other ones;

- figure 5 shows a schematic longitudinal section view of a second embodiment of the well with tank in which some parts have been removed for better underlining other ones;

- figure 6 shows a schematic view of means for carrying out the well, in which some parts have been removed for better underlining other ones.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to the figures 1 and 2, numeral 1 indicates a well object of the present invention including a sucking portion 26 and a tank 2 having a cylindrical wall.

The sucking portion 26 substantially consists of an almost cylindrical and vertical cavity carried out in the subsoil and having a jacket 4. The cavity extends up to the depth of a waterbearing stratum from which the water must be sucked.

The sucldng portion 26 has a diameter included between 0,5 and 3 meters and a depth ranging between 50 and 1500 meters.

The tank 2 is partially buried and superimposed to the sucking portion 26. The tank 2 is carried out, for instance, with concrete and has a diameter up to over 5 meters.

A partition wall 3 is interposed between the sucking portion 26 and the tank 2 and water-tightly connected to this latter for carrying out the bottom. The partition wall 3 has, at the bottom, a cylindrical flange 13 for connecting the upper end of the jacket 4 of the sucking portion 26.

The jacket 4 is constituted by a plurality of tubular segments 27, shaped as constant diameter cylinder made of plastic material, for instance polyethylene, interconnected through welding or glueing 56 manually performed or by automatic means. It is also provided that the welding 56 can be executed by the fusion of the ends of the tubular segments 27 having electric heating resistances integrated in the plastic material.

In correspondence of the depth of the stratum or strata from which the water must be sucked, the jacket 4 has a plurality of openings 5. Externally to the jacket 4, in correspondence of the openings 5, the well 1 has draining mean 14, for instance consisting of a layer approximately toroidal made of stone having dimensions greater than the dimensions of the openings 5.

The tanlc 2 has at the top a detachable covering means 20. The partition wall 3 has a through hole 12 at the central position and has an annular groove 28, which surrounds the hole 12.

An end of a tubular mean 11 is fixed, water-tightly, to the annular groove 28. The tubular mean 11 is orthogonal to the partition wall 3 and sets the tank 2 in flow communication with the sucking portion 26 tlirough the hole 12. The partition wall 3 has also a trapdoor mean 25 with hermetic closure.

The tank 2 has above a detachable covering mean 20. The covering mean 20 is crossed by a plurality of pipes 6, 7, 19 and has a venting duct 23 whose external end to the tank 2 has, for instance, a filter fit to avoid the passage of extraneous bodies and bugs or other animals. The covering means 20 is detachable to allow the inspection of the tank 2. In order to facilitate this last operation, it is provided that the covering means 20 can be divided in two parts and that the pipes 6, 7, 19 cross the covering means 20 through holes carried out in correspondence of the division between said two parts.

All the cracks and the interstices, particularly those between the tank 2 and the covering mean 20, between this latter and the pipes 6, 7, 19 are sealed by gasket means 24. These latter consist, for instance, of bushes, rings or beads in elastic synthetic material or in vegetable fibres.

It is also provided that the covering mean 20 may have a watertight manhole cover, known and not shown, above an inner ramp inside the tank 2 to facilitate the access and the inspection of this latter. In order to avoid risks of falls inside the tank 2 from the manhole cover or in consequence of the opening of the covering means 20, it is provided a protection net internally fixed to the same tank.

The well includes a first pumping mean 10 positioned near the lower part of the sucking portion 26 and connected to a first feeding pipe 6 of the tank 2. The first pipe 6 flows in water treatment means 8, passing through the hole 12 and the tubular mean 11.

Hie water treatment means 8 are external to the tank 2 and are connected to this latter by means of a second pipe 7. It is also provided that the water treatment means 8 are contained within the tank 2, directly flowing in this latter.

The water treatment means 8 consist, for instance, of one or more sand filters, carbon filter and ionic exchange resin filter. Obviously the type and the size of said filters of the water treatment means 8 have characteristics depending on the water quality of the water-bearing strata. If the quality of the stratum water is adequate for the direct use, the first pipe 6 directly flows into the tank 2.

The lower portion of the tanlc 2 has a second pumping mean 9 connected to the outside of the tank 2 by a third pipe 19. The third pipe 19, for instance, can be connected to a piezometric tank, known and not shown, or directly connected to uses. It is also provided to suck from the tank by means of an autoclave including the second pumping mean 9 and the third pipe 19.

Said possible raised tank has the only function to maintain constant the water pressure and therefore it is of small dimensions and capaciτy. The pipes first 6, second 7 and third 19 are, for instance, made of polyethylene or metal. The pumping means first 10 and second 9 for instance consist of submersed electric pumps and are fed respectively through level sensor means first 17 and second 18, positioned in series and third level sensor means 16.

The first pumping means 10 have a transversal maximum dimension smaller than the diameter of the hole 12 for allowing, for instance in case of maintenance, an easy and quick extraction from the sucking portion 26.

In the variant of figure 3, the cylindrical wall of tlie tank 2 is carried out by a plurality of tubular elements 37 of plastic material, such a polyethylene, having cylindrical shape, of constant diameter and reciprocally connected. This variant is particularly fit for carrying out tanks 2, having particularly high longitudinal extension, up to over 100 m.

In the variant of figure 4 the jacket 4 has diameters decreasing with the increase of the depth. The jacket 4 has from the top to the bottom sets of tubular segments 27, having cylindrical shape of decreasing diameter. Tubular segments 27, having truncated conical shape, join the adjacent tubular segments 27 with different diameters.

So tl e sucldng portion 26 has a tapered shape downwardly and has an upper diameter ranging between 1 and 3 meters and a lower minimum diameter ranging between 0,5 and 1,5 meters and total depth ranging between 50 and 1500 meters.

The well 1 shown in the figures 1 and 2 and the well 1 variants of the figures 3 and 4 have the same operation that provides the drive of the first pumping mean 10 in corcespondence of a condition in which the level sensor means, first 17 and second 18, electrically connected in series, respectively detect a level of the lower tank at a predefined maximum filling level and a level of the stratum water higher than a predefined minimum value at a height higher than the suction height of the first pumping means 10.

In case of breakdown of tlie first level sensor means 17, the level of water is however limited by tlie tubular mean 11 that acts as a "too full" device. The second level sensor means 18 avoid the harmful idling of the first pumping means 10. The stratum water is pumped in the tank 2 through the possible treatment means 8 whose filters provide the purification and/or decalcification and/or decontamination of the stratum water.

The second pumping mean 9 is operated manually or by level sensors or pressure sensors of the piezometric tank or the autoclave, electrically connected in series with the third level sensor mean 16. This latter avoids the harmful idling of the second pumping means 9.

The partial burial of the tanlc 2 and the covering means 20 keep the water stored in the tanlc 2 at a temperature lower than the environmental external temperature.

The venting duct 23 allows the balancing of the internal and external pressures of the well 1 and the filter of said duct in cooperation with the gasket means 24, prevent the entry of bugs or extraneous bodies. The trapdoor mean 25 allows to enter, for inspection or maintenance, to the sucking portion 26 of the well 1. The draining mean 14 and the openings 15 allow the entry in the well 1 of the stratum waters only at predefined depths preventing at the same time the entry of debris.

The second embodiments of the well 1, shown in figure 5, provides that the tank 2 is carried out sideways of the sucking portion 26 and that the partition wall 3 is without openings.

The operation of the embodiments is substantially equivalent to the operation of the first embodiment.

The figure 6 refers to means for actuating tlie method for carrying out a well with tank, said method provides to:

- drill a vertical cavity 53 in the subsoil through drilling means 50 with clutching stems 52;

- insert into the cavity a tubular segment 27 of a jacket 4 having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the cavity 53;

- hold through stopping means 54 the upper opening 55 of said tubular segment 27 in correspondence of the opening of the cavity 53; - superimpose a further tubular segment 27 to the precedent one held in correspondence of the opening of the cavity;

- connect the lower end of each further tubular segment 27 to the upper end of each tubular segment 27 held in correspondence of tlie opening of the cavity 53 till the jacket 4 reaches a predetermined stratum defining a sucldng portion 26;

- fill the hollow space 57 included between the wall of the cavity 53 and the jacket 4 with chaining means 14, in correspondence of the stratum depth from which to suck the water;

- fill the hollow space 57 included between the wall of the cavity 53 and the jacket 4 with material not draining, in correspondence of the depths at which the water suction is not provided; connect to the upper opening 55 of the upper tubular segment 27 a cylindrical flange 13 connecting a partition wall 3;

- water-tightly fix an end of a tanlc 2 wall to the partition wall 3 ; carry out a plurality of openings 5 in the tubular segments 27 of the jacket 4, corresponding to the stratum depths before the superimposition phase;

- connect consecutive tubular segments 27 through welding or glueing 56.

Furthermore the method provides to:

- execute the superimposition and interconnection phases in correspondence of drill interruptions for inserting additional stems 52;

- drill the hollow 53 through drilling means 50 having a canister 51 sliding along the stems 52;

- provide the tank 2 with covering means 20.

The method also provides to:

- provide the lower portion of the well 1 with a first pumping mean 10 connected in cascade at least with a first pipe 10, with water treatment means 8 and with the tank 2;

- provide the tank 2 with a second pumping mean 9 connected to the outside through a third pipe 19; - electrically control the first pumping mean 10 through level sensor means first 17 and second 18 positioned in series and respectively positioned in correspondence of a predefined maximum level of water in the tanlc 2 and at a depth lower than the depth of the first pumping mean 10 corresponding to a predefined minimum level of the stratum water to operate the first pumping mean 10 in correspondence of levels of the stratum water higher than said predetermined minimum level of the stratum water and levels of the water of the tank 2 lower than said predetermined maximum level of water in the tank 2;

- provide the tanlc 2 with a second pumping mean 9 connected to the outside through a third pipe 19;

- electrically control the second pumping mean 9 through third level sensor means 16 positioned in correspondence of a predetermined minimum level of water in the tanlc 2 to prevent the driving of the second pumping mean 9 in correspondence of levels of the water of the tank 2 lower than said predetermined minimum level of the water of the tank 2.

The main advantage of the present invention is to provide a well with tank, and a method to carry out said well quickly and economically, fit to guarantee a large water suction also at high depth, for instance some hundred of meters, avoiding the entry of superficial waters and the waters from low depth strata.

Other advantage is to provide a well also very deep, which minimizes the risks of occlusion and clog and has a high capacity tank for the optimal storage of water and which is protected from the meteorological events, particularly from the wind and which is poorly sensitive to the telluric phenomenon, preserving tlie water at a temperature relatively low and preventing or at least reducing the algae growth.

Other advantage is to provide a well with a tank without cracks and openings in order to avoid the entry of bugs, animals, objects or light, and that allows traditional or biological struggle methods against the infestations.

Claims

1) Well with tank characterized in that includes:

- a sucking portion (26) including a cavity drawn in the subsoil and a jacket (4) provided with a plurality of openings (5);

- a tank (2) at least partially buried and in flow communication with the sucldng portion (26);

- a partition wall (3) of the tank (2) water-tightly connected to this latter for carrying out its bottom; the sucking portion (26) being fit to suck water from at least a water-bearing stratum; the tanlc (2) being fit to store tlie sucked water.

2) Well according to claim 1 characterized in that the jacket (4) includes a plurality of tubular segments (27) interconnected by welding or glueing (56).

3) Well according to claim 2 characterized in that the tubular segments (27) are shaped as a cylinder of constant diameter.

4) Well according to claim 2 characterized in that the tubular segments (27) are shaped as a cylinder of diameter decreasing with the increase of the depth and have a truncated conical shape.

5) Well according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the plurality of openings (5) is in corcespondence of said at least one water stratum.

6) Well according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the well (1) has externally a draining mean (14) at least in correspondence of the plurality of openings (5).

7) Well according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the tank (2) has detachable covering mean (20) at the top. 8) Well according to claim 7 characterized in that the covering means (20) has a venting duct (23).

9) Well according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that further includes a first pumping mean (10) positioned near the lower part of the sucking portion (26) and connected to a first pipe (6) for feeding the tank (2).

10) Well according to claim 9 characterized in that the first pipe (6) flows into water treatment means (8) connected to tlie tank (2) through a second pipe (7).

11) Well according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that further includes a second pumping mean (9) positioned near the lower part of the tank (2) and flowing outside the tank (2) through a trrird pipe (19).

12) Well according to claims 9 and 11 characterized in that the pumping means, first (10) and second (9), are of electric type and are controlled respectively by level sensor means, first (17) and second (18), positioned in series, and third level sensor means (16), with the sensor means being respectively positioned in corcespondence of the maximum filling level of the tank (2), of the minimum level of the water of the sucking portion (26) and of the minimum level of the tank (2).

13) Well according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the tank (2) is positioned laterally to the sucking portion (26).

14) Well according to any of the claims from 1 to 12 characterized in that the tank (2) is superimposed to the sucking portion (26).

15) Well according to claim 14 characterized in that the partition wall (3) has at the bottom a cylindrical flange (13) for connecting to the upper end of the jacket (4).

16) Well according to claim 14 or claim 15 characterized in that the partition wall (3) has a hole (12) joined to a tubular mean (11) fit for the flow communication between the tank (2) and the sucking portion (26).

17) Well according to any of the claims from 14 to 16 characterized in that the partition wall

(3) has a trapdoor mean (25).

18) Well according to claims 9 and 16 characterized in that the first pipe (6) crosses the tubular mean (11) and tlie hole (12) whose diameter is greater than the maximum transversal dimension of the first pumping mean (10).

19) Well according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the tanlc (2) has a plurality gasket means (24).

20) Well according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the tank (2) includes a plurality of tubular elements (37) interconnected by welding or glueing (56).

21) Well according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that at least one between sucldng portion (26) and tank (2) is made of polyethylene.

22) Well according to any of the claims from 1 to 19 characterized in that the tank (2) is made of concrete.

23) Well according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the sucking portion (26) has diameter ranging between 0,5 and 3 metres and total length ranging between 50 and 1500 metres and the tank (2) has a longitudinal dimension up to over 100 metres and a diameter up to 5 metres.

24) Method for carrying out a well with tanlc characterized in that provides:

- to drill a cavity (53) in the subsoil through drilling means (50) with clutching stems(52); - to insert into the cavity a tubular segment (27) of a jacket (4) having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the cavity (53);

- to hold through stopping means (54) the upper opening (55) of said tubular segment (27) in correspondence of the opening of tlie cavity (53);

- to superimpose a further tubular segment (27) to preceding one held in correspondence of the opening of the cavity (53);

- to connect to the lower end of each further tubular segment (27) to the upper end of each tubular segment (27) held in correspondence of the opening of the cavity (53) till the jacket (4) reaches a predetermined stratum defining a sucking portion (26); ' - to fill the hollow space (57) included between the wall of the cavity (53) and the jacket (4) with draining means (14);

- to fill the hollow space (57) included between the wall of the cavity (53) and the j aclcet (4) with material not chaining;

- to connect to the upper opening (55) of the upper tubular segment (27) a cylindrical flange (13) connecting a partition wall (3);

- to water-tightly fix an end of a tank (2) to the partition wall (3).

25) Method according to claim 24 characterized in that provides to carry out a plurality of openings (5) in the jacket (4).

26) Method according to claim 24 characterized in that provides to connect consecutive tubular segments (27) by welding or glueing (56).

27) Method according to any of the claims from 24 to 26 characterized in that provides to execute the superimposition and interconnection phases in correspondence of drill inten iptions for inserting additional stems (52).

28) Metliod according to any of the claims from 24 to 27 characterized in that provides to drill the cavity (53) through drilling means (50) having a canister (51) sliding along the stems (52).

29) Method according to any of the claims from 24 to 28 characterized in that provides the tank (2) with a covering means (20).

30) Method according to any of the claims from 24 to 29 characterized in that provides the lower portion of the well (1) with a first pumping mean (10) connected in cascade with at least a first pipe (10), with water treatment means (8) and with the tank (2); in that provides the tank (2) with a second pumping mean (9) connected to the outside througli a third pipe (19); in that provides the electrically control of the first pumping mean (10) through level sensor means, first ( 17) and second (18), sets in series.

31) Method according to any of the claims from 24 to 29 characterized in that provides the tank (2) with a second pumping mean (9) connected to the outside through a third pipe (19); and in that provides to electrically control the second pumping mean (9) through third level sensor means (16).