Well drilling is a technically complex and demanding process. However, the formation of a spring column is not yet a reason to immediately drink water from it. First you need to thoroughly pump the hydraulic structure. The speed of the procedure depends on the correct choice of a pump for pumping the well after drilling, as well as on the type of soil in the area.
Well pumping
The pumping of the source is the process of sampling the first volumes of water from the mine. Since the liquid, contrary to the expectations of the master, is completely unsuitable for use. More often it contains dirt and oils from the drilling rig, impurities of rocks, sand, clay. If you do not pump the source in a timely and sensible way, over time it will silt up. As a result, its performance will drop. And later the water will disappear altogether.
The duration of the buildup takes from 1-2 hours to a day or more. It all depends on the type of soil, the depth of the structure. The well is washed out on the sand faster. Working in clay formations or horizons on limestone requires a longer swing. But after the diligent work of the pumping equipment, all particles of dirt that are inaccessible even to the filter are washed out of the aquifer located as close as possible to the mine.
Pumping and flushing of wells is carried out in such cases:
- primary drilling of the source;
- silting up of a hydraulic structure after winter;
- long downtime of the well in the country.
It is especially difficult for the owners of sources in argillaceous formations. Here, when flushing, a viscous solution is formed, which oozes far and deep into the layers of the horizon. It is washed out for a long time and very difficult. Typically, more than 500 m3 of water must be removed from a shale hole in order to obtain a potable resource.
Pumping methods
For high-quality cleaning of the source, several methods are used:
- Air blowing. An air jet is fed into the shaft under high pressure by means of an airlift. The process requires special equipment with a powerful compressor. Blowing is carried out only for sources with a depth of no more than 30-40 m. The disadvantage of this method is that dirt with air masses randomly flies up. It is impossible to control their direction. With this technique, there is a high risk of pouring muddy slurry over the entire territory of the site. After all, it is not known how long it will take to pump the source with gases. Only specialists should perform such a purge.
- Water wash. High-pressure fluid is poured either directly into the shaft pipe (direct flushing), or into the annulus with its further exit through the casing bore.
- Using a bailer. This method is well suited for shallow sources (Abyssinian surface needle or on sand). The principle of work is simple. The foreman, using an electric winch, lowers a heavy hammer-in cup with a shutter in the lower part to the depth of the structure. When it falls, the liner grabs dirt, silt, well deposits. When the thief is lifted, the water comes out, the flap closes, sand, debris, rocks rise up. Here the foreman empties the nozzle and then continues to work until the source is completely cleaned.
- Flushing and pumping a well with a powerful pump (motor pump). This is the easiest way to "stir up" and launch a new hydraulic structure.
The duration of the procedure depends on the power of the injection equipment as well.
Flushing pump
To swing the well after winter or immediately after drilling, you need to choose the right pump model. Several requirements are imposed on it at once:
- Type of equipment. Submersible and centrifugal only. The vibration unit will not cope with such a volume of contaminated water, and will quickly fail (it will simply burn out or clog up). In addition, vibrations will constantly disturb the water, which is undesirable when flushing. The submersible device can be lowered to the maximum required depth and pick up dirt immediately from its points of maximum accumulation.
- Inexpensive model. There is no point in buying an expensive pump for pumping the source. It is possible that the equipment will break down more than once during work. That is why you need to regularly lift the unit up for inspection and cleaning. This way the device will work more reliably. But you need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to change 1-2, or even more pumps.
- Powerful. Only high-performance models are capable of handling dirty water. Low-power devices simply will not be able to cope with the task. The more efficient the unit, the more intensive the pumping of the source takes place.
- Allowable immersion level. If the source shaft is 40 m, and the pump can be lowered only to a maximum of 35 m, unfortunately, its help will be zero, and the power consumption is in vain.
Successful flushing will be indicated by the crystal clear water supplied by the pump. Experts assure that for a mine with a depth of 50 m or more, it may take 2 days for pumping. Not every master is able to launch a new hydraulic structure in this way.
Work technology
The main thing when starting a well with a pump is to install it correctly. You need to lower the equipment almost to the very bottom. The distance from the bottom point of the well to the inlet of the unit should be 40-70 cm. If you raise the device higher, this will not give the expected effect. If you lower the pump to the very bottom, it will only pump rocks (sand, clay) and quickly fail. In addition, with a low installation of the unit, there is a high risk that it will simply get bogged down in the sludge masses. It will be extremely difficult to lift it from there.
Water mixed with mud is diverted either to the nearest ravines or to country roads. The main thing is that it does not bother anyone. And it is undesirable to drain the muddy slurry close to the well, since the mud can again ooze into shallow aquifers.
Well flushing principle looks like this:
- The pumping equipment is lowered into the source shaft to the desired level.
- The equipment is connected to the network and the pumping of dirty water begins. You need to work continuously to get ahead of the water supply of the source.
- The unit is regularly lifted, washed and lowered back into the well.
- Work is carried out until completely clean water appears.
It is important to take into account that during the swing, the bottom of the structure may sink. This means that you will have to submerge the pump deeper in order to completely remove all the sludge from the lower point of the barrel.
Frequent mistakes
When performing the shaking of the source, the masters often make the following mistakes:
- Wrong depth of pumping equipment. To determine it accurately, it is advisable to measure the level of immersion along the cable. In this case, you need to know the length of the shaft of the mine. When the unit is in a high position, all the sludge remains in place, which leads to even more problems with the source later.
- Discharge of dirty water close to the source. If the slurry is disposed of in this way, there is a high probability of its circulation back to the aquifer.
- Use of a safety cord for the pump instead of a strong cable. Unfortunately, the load on the nylon is too high when handling sludge. The pump will simply get dirty in them, and it is problematic to lift it with such a delicate device, no matter how hard you try. The nylon might just break. The pump will remain in the well, which will require complex repairs.
If self-pumping of the source is delayed for 3 or more days, it makes sense to get expert advice.
How to deal with siltation
To prevent the private source from being silted up, it is important to constantly operate the well. Continuous streams of water simply prevent the smallest organic particles from settling at the bottom of the mine.
Additionally, you need to monitor the quality of coarse filters. If possible, they should be changed regularly. Otherwise, they will simply be clogged with sand, and then with silt.
If, nevertheless, the source has silted up during the winter, it is possible to wash it out in the spring using a narrower casing (the diameter of the column should be less than the main shaft). It needs to be built into the existing barrel and pumped water into the inner tube under high pressure. It will erode the silt and push it through the annulus. If the work is done correctly, the well will function again.
If the silted source is deep (artesian well), it is often cheaper to drill a new one than to shake the old one. Especially if the building is over 25 years old. And even more so if the well is inclined to silt regularly even during its continuous operation.
