METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING A FILTER ASSEMBLY

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for assembling a filter arrangement.

[0002] Such a filter arrangement is generally used to treat and purify groundwater. For this purpose, several filter units forming the filter arrangement are arranged at a distance one above the other in an underground shaft, with the individual filter units being able to purify groundwater present in the soil. It is also possible to supply water from the filter units to an above-ground water treatment unit via suitable pipe systems with associated pumps.

[0003] To ensure the faultless functioning of the individual filter units, and in particular to prevent hydraulic short circuits in the pumps assigned to the individual filter units, watertight seals are provided between adjacent filter units in the shaft. In known filter arrangements, these watertight seals are designed as pneumatic packers. Such pneumatic packers form inflatable units, with a pneumatic packer, when inflated, forming a watertight seal in the space between two adjacent filter units, extending across the entire cross-section of the shaft.

[0004] A disadvantage of such pneumatic packers is that their installation is relatively complex. Another disadvantage is that they require regular maintenance, which adds further undesirable time and effort. Furthermore, such pneumatic packers are relatively expensive.

[0005] Another disadvantage is that the pneumatic packers are made of materials that are not resistant to the chemicals present in the water. This means that the pneumatic packers degrade over time and must be replaced.

[0006] Finally, a major disadvantage of filter arrangements with pneumatic packers is that the number of filter units is limited, as only a limited number of pumps can be installed in the respective production pipes. This is primarily due to the complex installation of the pumps in the lower section of the production pipes.

[0007] US Pat. No. 5,646,337 A relates to a method and device for measuring parameters in the ground. A hole is drilled into the ground, into which a pipe is inserted. The pipe is used to extract groundwater from various locations in the ground. The pipe comprises several closed chambers, which are sealed off from the ground by filters. Water is fed into the pipe via the filters.

[0008] EP 0 648 914 A1 relates to a device for influencing liquid in the ground by means of a well shaft which is inserted into the ground and which is divided into a plurality of shaft sections by at least one dividing wall and into which a plurality of well pipes, each provided with a partially liquid-permeable wall and at least partially with a liquid conveying device, are introduced to create at least one liquid circuit in order to create a larger filter surface for the liquid. If they are led through a plurality of shaft sections, they also have a dividing wall at the level of the shaft dividing wall.

[0009] DE 295 18 645 U1 relates to a device for deep-level groundwater sampling in a gauge well pipe in which sampling devices consisting of risers, submersible motor pumps and power supplies are installed in several sampling horizons, characterized in that the well pipe is designed as a filter pipe in the region of the sampling horizons and the pumps are arranged within the filter pipe and that the risers, the pumps and the power supplies are held on a removable cover arrangement.

[0010] The invention is based on the object of providing an improved method for assembling a filter arrangement.

[0011] To achieve this object, the features of claim 1 are provided. Advantageous embodiments and expedient developments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0012] The invention relates to a method for assembling a filter arrangement with a modular arrangement of filter units arranged at a distance one above the other in a pipe, wherein the pipe is arranged in an underground shaft. The filter units form water-permeable wall segments of the pipe, through which water can be exchanged with the soil surrounding the pipe. A concentric arrangement of conveyor pipes is provided within the pipe. Alternatively, peripheral conveyor pipes running outside the pipe are provided. The conveyor pipes run to the surface of the soil and have openings there through which pumps can be inserted. A pump is assembled by inserting a pump into a conveyor pipe via its opening and lowering it into a desired position assigned to a filter unit.

[0013] A key advantage of the invention is the modular design of the filter assembly. The number and type of filter units used to purify groundwater present in the soil can be specifically adapted to the soil conditions, resulting in a high level of functionality for the filter assembly according to the invention.

[0014] This flexible modularity is achieved according to the invention by allowing pumps to be inserted into the individual delivery pipes from above, i.e., through their openings exposed at the ground surface, thus resulting in particularly simple pump installation. Complex underground pump installations, which limit the number of pumps that can be installed and thus ultimately also the number of filter units in the filter arrangement, are thus eliminated.

[0015] The assembly is advantageously carried out simply by lowering a pump in a delivery pipe into a desired position assigned to a filter unit.

[0016] The target position can be formed by a deflection of the conveyor pipes. Position-fixing elements, such as webs, can also protrude from the inner wall of the conveyor pipe to define the target positions.

[0017] In general, a delivery pipe into which a pump is inserted is designed to discharge water.

[0018] The conveyor pipe then forms a pump pipe, with which water is pumped upwards from a filter unit and, in particular, fed to an above-ground treatment station, i.e. a water treatment unit.

[0019] It is advantageous if the lower outlet of the conveyor pipe is located in the area of ​​a filter unit so that water can be pumped out from there.

[0020] Furthermore, delivery pipes are designed to introduce water.

[0021] In this case, pumps are arranged above ground which pump water downwards in the conveyor pipe, particularly after treatment in a treatment station, and thus feed it to a filter unit, whereby in this case too the outlet is advantageously located in the area of ​​a filter unit.

[0022] Due to the design of the conveying pipes, which generally have an upper outlet above the ground surface and a lower outlet near a filter unit, they can be used either to discharge or discharge water to or from a filter unit. The configuration can be changed at any time as needed, allowing flexible adaptation to different applications. To configure a conveying pipe for the discharge of water, i.e., to configure it as a pumping pipe, simply insert a pump into it.

[0023] According to an advantageous embodiment, the filter units are arranged in watertight, separated chambers.

[0024] It is advisable that one conveyor pipe is assigned to each chamber.

[0025] The watertight separation of the individual filter units ensures that each filter unit can operate unaffected by the others. Furthermore, this also prevents hydraulic short circuits between the filter units.

[0026] According to a structurally advantageous embodiment, the longitudinal axes of the conveyor pipes run parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipe, whereby the longitudinal axis of the pipe and thus of the shaft runs in the vertical direction.

[0027] The conveyor pipes and the pipe itself are preferably made of stainless steel. The filter units can be made of plastic or a metallic material. The filter units are preferably designed as wound wire filters.

[0028] The water-impermeable wall segments of the pipe are surrounded by a waterproof material, with a swelling material such as bentonite being particularly suitable. The water-permeable wall segments of the pipe, formed by the filter units, are surrounded by a water-permeable material such as gravel.

[0029] According to a first variant of the invention, the filter arrangement has peripheral conveyor pipes, i.e. conveyor pipes running outside the pipe accommodating the filter units.

[0030] The conveyor pipes run parallel to each other and at a distance from the pipe. Advantageously, the peripheral conveyor pipes form a rotationally symmetrical arrangement with the pipe.

[0031] In this variant of the invention, the chambers are advantageously separated in a watertight manner by dividing plates.

[0032] The separating plates are preferably made of stainless steel and extend across the entire cross-sectional area of ​​the pipe. The separating plates are preferably welded to the inner wall of the pipe.

[0033] Each chamber, separated by partition walls, contains only one filter unit. The peripheral conveyor pipes conveniently enter the pipe below each filter unit.

[0034] According to a second variant of the invention, the filter arrangement has a concentric arrangement of conveyor pipes running inside the pipe, which are arranged symmetrically to the longitudinal axis, i.e. the axis of symmetry of the pipe.

[0035] The concentric conveyor pipes end with their upper ends above the surface of the soil in which the shaft is installed.

[0036] Furthermore, the lower ends of the concentric conveyor pipes are located at different heights and are each assigned to a filter unit.

[0037] Thus, each conveyor pipe is assigned to a filter unit, with the individual filter units being watertightly decoupled. The outlets of the lower ends of the conveyor pipes are advantageously located just above the filter units.

[0038] According to an advantageous embodiment, the concentric conveyor pipes are each mounted in a centering insert attached to the inner wall of the pipe.

[0039] A sealing cone is provided on the outer wall of a conveyor pipe, which can be inserted into a central opening of the associated centering insert.

[0040] The installation of a conveyor pipe within the pipe is thus carried out simply by inserting the conveyor pipe into the pipe from above and then inserting it into the opening of the associated centering insert. The sealing cone on the conveyor pipe locks the opening in the centering insert, thus ensuring automatic positional fixation of the conveyor pipe without the need for any further work.

[0041] Furthermore, a centering insert with the associated sealing cone forms a watertight separating element, whereby chambers with filter units are separated in a watertight manner.

[0042] These filter assemblies are installed by first positioning the pipe in the shaft. The individual centering inserts are attached to the inner wall of the pipe as pre-assembled units at different heights.

[0043] In a first step, the conveyor pipe with the smallest outer diameter is installed in the pipe, securing it with the sealing cone to the lowest centering insert. The lower end of the first conveyor pipe terminates in this area.

[0044] Next, the second conveyor pipe is installed, with its outer diameter being larger than the outer diameter of the first conveyor pipe. The second conveyor pipe surrounds the first conveyor pipe, with the side walls of the conveyor pipes spaced apart. The second conveyor pipe is secured to the second-to-lowest centering insert. The lower end of the second conveyor pipe terminates in this area. The remaining conveyor pipes are installed in a similar manner, with the nth conveyor pipe generally surrounding the (n-1)th conveyor pipe, and the nth conveyor pipe being secured to the nth centering insert, which is located above the (n-1)th centering insert.

[0045] The invention is explained below with reference to the drawings. They show: Figure 1: Example of a first variant of the filter arrangement according to the invention. Figure 2: Example of a second variant of the filter arrangement according to the invention. Figure 3a: Detailed view of the arrangement according to Figure 2 with a centering insert and an associated sealing cone on a conveyor pipe. Figure 3b: Arrangement according to Figure 3a with sealing cone fixed in the centering insert.

[0046] Figure 1 shows an example of a first variant of the filter arrangement 1 according to the invention. This is integrated into an underground shaft that is incorporated into the soil 2 and opens out at the surface of the soil 2. The filter arrangement 1 is associated with an above-ground water treatment unit 3, which typically serves several treatment stations 4 for treating groundwater present in the soil 2.

[0047] The filter assembly 1 located in the shaft comprises a cylindrical tube 5 whose longitudinal axis runs vertically. The tube 5 is preferably made of stainless steel.

[0048] Several filter units 6 are arranged at a distance above one another in the pipe 5. The filter units 6 can be made of plastic, steel, or other metallic materials. In this case, the filter units 6 are designed as wound wire filters. Physical treatments such as absorption processes to filter pollutants are carried out in the filter units 6.

[0049] How Figure 1 As shown, the outer sides of the filter units 6 form wall segments of the pipe 5. These are permeable to water. The other wall segments are impermeable to water.

[0050] The waterproof wall segments are surrounded by waterproof material, particularly a swelling material such as bentonite.

[0051] In contrast, the water-permeable wall segments of the pipe 5 formed by the filter units 6 are surrounded by a water-permeable material such as gravel. This enables water exchange between the filter units 6 and the soil, i.e., groundwater from the soil 2 can be fed to the filter units 6, or treated water can be fed from the filter units into the soil, with the flow direction of the water depending on the water pressure in the filter units 6. An example of water circulation is shown in Figure 1 marked with arrows I, II.

[0052] The individual filter units 6 are arranged individually in watertight, separate chambers. These chambers are formed by stainless steel separating plates 7, which are welded to the inner wall of the pipe 5.

[0053] How Figure 1shows, the filter arrangement 1 has an arrangement of peripheral conveyor pipes 8, i.e., extending outside the pipe 5. The longitudinal axes of the conveyor pipes 8 run parallel to one another and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipe 5. The conveyor pipes 8 are arranged at a distance from one another and at a distance from the pipe 5, wherein the conveyor pipes 8 in particular form a rotationally symmetrical arrangement such that adjacent conveyor pipes 8 are each arranged offset from one another by the same angle.

[0054] The upper ends of the conveyor pipes 8 open just above the surface of the soil 2. The lower ends of the conveyor pipes 8 open into the pipe 5. Each conveyor pipe 8 is assigned to a filter unit 6. As Figure 1 shows, each conveyor pipe 8 opens into the pipe 5 just below the associated filter units 6.

[0055] Pumps 9 can be inserted into the delivery pipes 8 from above via their outlets. Figure 1shows an arrangement in which a pump 9 is inserted into two of the delivery pipes 8. The pump 9 is held in a desired position in the lower part of the delivery pipe 8 in the area of ​​the associated filter units 6. The desired position can be defined by the deflection of the delivery pipe 8. Alternatively, supports such as webs can be provided on the inner wall of the delivery pipe 8 to specify the desired position.

[0056] By introducing a pump 9 into a conveying pipe 8, a pumping pipe is formed such that water is pumped upwards from the respective chamber with the filter unit 6 and is fed from the pumping pipe to the water treatment unit 3 in order to carry out a treatment of this water there, in particular in the form of chemical, physical or biological treatments.

[0057] The other delivery pipes 8, which do not contain pumps 9, form infiltration pipes. Water is pumped from the water treatment unit 3 into the delivery pipes 8 via an above-ground pump arrangement and fed to the associated filter units 6.

[0058] Figure 2 shows an example of a second variant of the filter arrangement 1 according to the invention. This filter arrangement 1 is identical to the filter arrangements 1 according to Figure 1 integrated into a shaft in the ground 2 and connected to an above-ground water treatment unit 3.

[0059] The filter arrangement 1 according to Figure 2has a pipe 5 in which several filter units 6 are arranged at a distance one above the other. The filter units 6 again form water-permeable wall segments of the pipe 5, which are surrounded on the underside of the pipe 5 with a water-permeable material such as gravel. The remaining wall segments of the pipe 5 are impermeable to water and are accordingly surrounded on the outside of the pipe 5 with a water-permeable material such as bentonite.

[0060] In the filter arrangement 1 according to Figure 2 Within the pipe 5, a concentric arrangement of conveyor pipes 8a - 8c is provided, the longitudinal axes of which coincide with the longitudinal axis of the pipe 5.

[0061] The individual conveyor pipes 8 are mounted in centering inserts 10a-d, which are attached to the inner wall of the pipe 5. In this case, the centering inserts 10a-10d have the shape of centering funnels.

[0062] The Figures 3a and 3bshow a detailed view of the lowest centering insert 10a with the associated innermost delivery pipe 8, in the lower area of ​​which a pump 9 is mounted. Analogous to the embodiment according to Figure 1 Pumps 9 can be inserted from above into delivery pipes 8 and then fixed in a desired position near the associated filter unit 6.

[0063] As is particularly evident from Figure 3a As can be seen, a central opening 11 is provided in the area of ​​the bottom of the upwardly widening funnel of the centering insert.

[0064] Correspondingly, a sealing cone 12 is attached to the outside of the conveyor pipe 8a, the outer contour of which is adapted to the edge contour of the opening 11. The sealing cone 12 has an O-ring 13 as a sealing element.

[0065] The delivery pipe 8a is installed by inserting the lower section of the delivery pipe 8a into the opening 11 of the centering insert 10a until the sealing cone 12 rests against the edge area of ​​the centering insert bordering the opening 11 and is fixed in position there. The sealing cone 12 tightly closes the opening 11, particularly through the O-ring 13. The delivery pipe 8, thanks to the pump 9, functions as a pumping pipe through which water is pumped from the lowest filter units 6 upwards to the water treatment unit 3.

[0066] The further conveyor pipes 8b - 8c have corresponding sealing cones 12 and are inserted with these into openings 11 of associated centering inserts 10b - 10d and thus fixed in position.

[0067] How Figure 2 shows, the lowest centering insert is located above the lowest filter unit 6 and separates it watertight from the other filter units 6.

[0068] The second conveyor pipe 8b surrounds the first conveyor pipe 8c and is mounted in the second-lowest centering insert 10b by a sealing cone 12. The lower end of the conveyor pipe 8b is located just above the second-lowest filter unit 6.

[0069] A watertight chamber is formed between the lowest centering insert 10a and the second lowest centering insert 10b, in which only the second lowest filter unit 6 is located. Water is supplied to this filter unit 6 via the second delivery pipe 8b, by pumping water from above into this delivery pipe 8.

[0070] The second-highest filter unit 6 is located in a watertight chamber between the centering insert 10b and the centering insert 10c, in which the third delivery pipe 8c is mounted. This delivery pipe 8c opens just above the second-highest filter unit 6. A pump 9 is installed in this delivery pipe 8c, forming a pumping pipe through which water is pumped upwards from this filter unit 6 and fed to the water treatment unit 3.

[0071] Finally, the centering insert 10d forms another watertight chamber with the upper edge of the tube 5, in which the uppermost filter unit 6 is mounted. Water is supplied to this filter unit 6 from above.

[0072] The assembly of the filter assembly 1 according to Figure 2 is carried out in such a way that after installation of the pipe 5 in the shaft, first the conveyor pipe 8a, then the conveyor pipe 8b and finally the conveyor pipe 8c is mounted. List of reference symbols

[0073] (1)Filter assembly (2)Soil (3)Water treatment unit (4)Treatment station (5)Pipe (6)Filter unit (7)Separator plate (8)Conveyor pipe (8a-c)Conveyor pipe (9)Pump (10a-d)Centering insert (11)Opening (12)Sealing cone (13)O-ring I)Arrow II)Arrow

Claims

1. Method for mounting a filter assembly (1) with a modular arrangement of filter units (6) arranged at a distance above each other in a pipe (5), wherein the pipe (5) is arranged in an underground shaft, and wherein the filter units (6) form water-permeable wall segments of the pipe (5) through which water can be exchanged with soil (2) surrounding the pipe (5), characterised in that a concentric arrangement of conveying pipes (8) is provided inside the pipe (5), or that peripheral conveying pipes (8) extending outside the pipe (5) are provided, wherein the conveying pipes (8) extend to the surface of the soil (2) and have openings (11) through which pumps (9) can be inserted, wherein a pump (9) is installed by inserting a pump (9) into a conveying pipe (8) through its opening (11) and lowering it into a target position assigned to a filter unit (6).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that a delivery pipe (8) into which a pump (9) is inserted is designed for the discharge of water.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterised in that delivery pipes (8) are provided for introducing water.

4. Method according to any of claims 1-3, characterised in that the filter units (6) are arranged in chambers separated from each other in a watertight manner.

5. Method according to claim 4, characterised in that each chamber is assigned a delivery pipe (8).

6. Method according to one of claims 1-5, characterised in that the longitudinal axes of the feed pipes (8) run parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipe (5).

7. Method according to one of claims 1-6, characterised in that the filter units (6) are designed as wound wire filters.

8. Method according to one of claims 1-7, characterised in that the peripheral conveying pipes (8) are each offset from one another by the same angle.

9. Method according to one of claims 1-8, characterised in that the peripheral conveying pipes (8) each open into the pipe (5) below a filter unit (6).

10. Method according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterised in that the chambers are separated by partition plates (7) in a watertight manner.

11. Method according to one of claims 1-7, characterised in that the concentric conveying pipes (8) open out with their upper ends above the surface of the soil (2) in which the shaft is embedded.

12. Method according to claim 11, characterised in that the lower ends of the concentric conveyor pipes (8) are located at different heights and are each assigned to a filter unit (6).

13. Method according to one of claims 11 or 12, characterised in that the concentric conveying pipes (8) are each mounted in a centring insert (10a - d) fixed to the inner wall of the pipe (5).

14. Method according to claim 13, characterised in that a sealing cone (12) is provided on the outer wall of a conveying pipe (8), which is inserted into a central opening (11) of the associated centring insert (10a - d).

15. Method according to claim 14, characterised in that a centring insert (10a - d) forms a watertight separating element with the associated sealing cone (12), with the chambers being separated in a watertight manner by filter units (6).