Method and apparatus for cleaning deep well pipes

Abstract

To provide a cleaning method for removing dirt adhering to the inner surface of deep wells and the inner surface of piping, as well as dirt clogged in holes and gaps formed in the strainer of deep well pipes. [Solution] A high-pressure water hose 2 is extended from a high-pressure cleaning vehicle 3 on the ground and inserted into the deep well pipe. A cleaning device 5 is connected to the tip of the high-pressure water hose 2, and high-pressure water is sprayed in a rotating manner from the spray nozzles 12a, 12b, 13a, and 13b provided on the cleaning device 5. At the same time, a mass of air is intermittently flowed through the ultra-high-pressure water hose 2, and high-pressure water is intermittently sprayed from the spray nozzles 12a, 12b, 13a, and 13b.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning method and a cleaning device that can efficiently remove dirt adhering to a deep well pipe by injecting high-pressure water and intermittently injecting air together with the high-pressure water.

Background Art

[0002] A large number of deep wells are provided in Japan. However, the strainer of this deep well pipe has fine meshes, and foreign matters such as mud, sand, rust, and algae adhere to it, causing clogging. As a result, it becomes difficult for water to rise, and after a long period of time, the function as a deep well is lost. Clogging is relatively less in deep wells that are used daily. However, for example, in the case of a deep well for snow melting, since it is used only in winter throughout the year, mud and other foreign matters adhere to the inside of the deep well pipe during the period when water is not used.

[0003] The adhered foreign matters such as mud harden and cause clogging when used, making it difficult for water to rise. After repeating this for many years, when the water pressure becomes weak, the strainer is cleaned. Although it is also possible to clean by rubbing the strainer surface with a wire brush or moving the running water up and down, it is not easy to remove mud and other foreign matters that have penetrated deep into the strainer. Therefore, in recent years, a cleaning device that can rotate while injecting high-pressure water from an injection nozzle has been used.

[0004] The "Cleaning Method and Cleaning Device for Inside of Deep Well Pipe" according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-192094 is a cleaning method that can easily and efficiently remove mud and other foreign matters adhering to the inner surface of a deep well. A cleaning device is connected to the tip of an ultra-high pressure water hose, and the cleaning device is lowered into the deep well together with the hose, and the adhering dirt can be removed by injecting high-pressure water while rotating from the injection nozzle provided in the cleaning device.

[0005] Furthermore, the "Cleaning Method and Cleaning Apparatus for Deep Well Pipes, etc." related to Patent No. 7510178 can clean dirt, especially hardened dirt, in deep well pipes by spraying high-pressure water mixed with fine bubbles. Specifically, the mixed bubbles penetrate into the gaps of the hardened dirt as the high-pressure water is sprayed from the nozzle, and when the fine bubbles are released from the high pressure, they expand, causing the dirt to peel off. [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-192094: "Method and apparatus for cleaning the inside of a deep well pipe" [Patent Document 2] "Method and apparatus for cleaning deep well pipes, etc." related to Patent No. 7510178 [Disclosure of the Invention] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] Thus, removing dirt adhering to the inside of deep well pipes can be done by spraying high-pressure water from a nozzle or by mixing fine bubbles into the high-pressure water before spraying. However, conventional cleaning devices spray high-pressure water from the nozzle continuously. The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a cleaning method and cleaning apparatus that can efficiently remove dirt adhering to the inner surface in a short amount of time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In the cleaning method according to the present invention, a cleaning device is attached to the tip (lower end) of a high-pressure hose that extends downward from the ground and is inserted into a deep well pipe, and high-pressure water is supplied from a water tanker located on the ground. High-pressure water is sprayed from the nozzle of the cleaning device, and the nozzle is designed to rotate simultaneously with the spraying. The spray nozzle is positioned so that it can rotate due to the reaction force generated when high-pressure water is sprayed; the spray direction is slightly away from the rotational axis of the cleaning device. The specific structure of the spray nozzle is not limited here.

[0008] In this invention, air is intermittently injected along with high-pressure water, and therefore the high-pressure water injected from the nozzle is intermittent rather than continuous. In other words, instead of the high-pressure water being continuously injected as in the conventional method, it is injected intermittently, and as a result, the dirt adhering to the inner surface of the deep well pipe is removed by the impact caused by the intermittent injection. By the way, although an air supply device is provided, the present invention does not limit the specific structure of the air supply device. The air supply unit is positioned separately from the ground-based water tanker and can be connected to the hose that supplies high-pressure water to the cleaning device. Alternatively, it may be connected directly to the cleaning device.

[0009] Furthermore, by intermittently supplying air to high-pressure water containing bubbles and spraying it from a nozzle, the synergistic effect of the expanding bubbles and the intermittent spraying of high-pressure water can be utilized. The countless tiny bubbles present in high-pressure water are compressed by the high water pressure, but if they are ejected from a nozzle along with the high-pressure water, the bubbles expand and become larger as they are released. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The cleaning device for deep well pipes and the like according to the present invention has a rotating spray nozzle, and when high-pressure water is supplied from a water tanker, it flows through a hose and is sprayed while the spray nozzle rotates. The sprayed high-pressure water hits the inner surface of the deep well pipe and the strainer, washing away any stubborn dirt. Furthermore, by intermittently supplying air to the high-pressure water, the water sprayed from the nozzle becomes intermittent, causing it to collide with the inner surface of the deep well pipe with impact. The dirt stubbornly adhering to the inner surface is then detached by the impact of the high-pressure water.

[0011] Furthermore, by mixing fine bubbles into the high-pressure water, stubborn dirt becomes easier to remove, and the cleaning effect is greatly improved when combined with the intermittent spraying of high-pressure water accompanied by the supply of air. In other words, when countless tiny bubbles are mixed in high-pressure water, a large amount of water pressure acts on the surface of the bubbles, causing them to become even smaller. When sprayed from the nozzle along with high-pressure water, the countless tiny bubbles expand and enlarge, and this expansion causes the dirt adhering to the inner surface of the deep well pipe and the gaps in the strainer to detach. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a concrete example showing a cleaning operation where a cleaning device is lowered into a deep well pipe to remove dirt adhering to the inner surface of the pipe. [Figure 2] A specific example showing a strainer installed in a portion of a deep well pipe. [Figure 3] Plan view of a cleaning device installed in a deep well pipe. [Figure 4] Side view of a cleaning device connected to the lower end of an ultra-high pressure hose. [Figure 5] An air supply device that intermittently delivers air to an ultra-high-pressure water hose. [Figure 6] A mass of air flowing along with high-pressure water through an ultra-high-pressure water hose. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Figure 1 is a specific example showing a cleaning operation in which a cleaning device 5 is lowered into a deep well pipe 1 to remove dirt adhering to the inner surface of the deep well pipe. The ultra-high pressure water hose 2, which is wrapped around the drum of the ultra-high pressure cleaning vehicle 3, is unwound and wrapped around the pulley 4 positioned directly above the deep well, and the ultra-high pressure water hose 2 is lowered straight into the deep well pipe. Here, there are no particular limitations on the performance of the pump installed in the ultra-high pressure cleaning vehicle 3, but a pump with high performance in terms of generated pressure and discharge volume will be used.

[0014] Furthermore, a cleaning device 5 is attached to the lower end of the ultra-high-pressure water hose 2. The cleaning device 5 is equipped with a rotating spray nozzle, which can spray ultra-high-pressure water onto the inner surface of the deep well pipe to wash away any dirt that has adhered to it. An air hose 14 is connected to the ultra-high pressure water hose 2, and air 18 sent from an air supplier 20 flows through and is led into the ultra-high pressure water hose 2. Generally, the cleaning operation is performed while lifting the cleaning device 5 upward from the bottom with the cleaning device 5 lowered to the bottom of the deep well pipe 1. This is because when a part of the deep well pipe 1 is damaged, there will be fewer troubles when performing the cleaning operation while lifting upward from the bottom.

[0015] A strainer is provided at an appropriate position of the deep well pipe 1, and groundwater flows into and accumulates in the deep well pipe through the strainer. FIG. 2 is a specific example showing a strainer provided in a part of the deep well pipe 1. The strainer includes a cylinder having a large number of holes 6, 6... on its circumferential surface, and a plurality of pillow lines 7, 7... extending in the vertical direction are provided at equal intervals on the outer circumference of the cylinder. Further, a winding wire 8 is wound around the outer circumference of the pillow lines 7, 7... with a slight gap left therebetween.

[0016] Therefore, groundwater can flow into the deep well pipe through the holes 6, 6... formed in the strainer and the slight gaps. Particularly, dirt adheres to the inner circumferential surface of the deep well pipe 1 and the strainer provided in a part thereof, and mud and sand clog the slight gaps of the winding wire 8 and the small holes 6, 6... After a long period of time, groundwater will not flow into the deep well through the strainer. The cleaning device 5 of the present invention can remove not only the dirt adhering to the inner circumferential surface of the deep well pipe 1 but also the mud and sand clogging the holes 6, 6... of the strainer and the gaps of the winding wire 8.

[0017] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are embodiments showing the cleaning device 5 of the present invention. The cleaning device 5 is connected to the lower end of the ultra-high pressure water hose 2. Above the cleaning device 5, an upper plate 9 and a lower plate 10 are attached at a predetermined interval as shown in FIG. 4. The upper plate 9 and the lower plate 10 are sized to be close to the inner circumferential surface of the deep well pipe 1. For this reason, the cleaning device 5 is positioned at the center of the deep well pipe 1 and is positioned so as not to tilt. As shown in Figure 3, the cleaning device 5 is equipped with four spray nozzles 12a, 12b and 13a, 13b that extend outward.

[0018] The spray nozzles 12a, 12b and 13a, 13b are attached to a rotating body 11 located at the lower end of the ultra-high-pressure water hose 2 and extend outward. The rotating body 11 is provided with flow holes through which high-pressure water flows, and injection nozzles 12a, 12b, 13a, and 13b are attached to the tips of these flow holes to spray high-pressure water. In other words, the high-pressure water supplied from the ultra-high-pressure cleaning vehicle 3 is sprayed from the spray nozzles 12a, 12b, 13a, and 13b.

[0019] Here, the two injection nozzles 12a and 12b pass through the center of the rotating body 11 and are located on the same line, but the other two injection nozzles 13a and 13b are offset from the center of the rotating body 11. The reaction force of the high-pressure water sprayed from the injection nozzles 13a and 13b generates rotational torque in the rotating body 11. Therefore, the four injection nozzles 12a, 12b, 13a, and 13b can rotate and spray high-pressure water evenly onto the inner surface of the deep well pipe.

[0020] In the cleaning apparatus shown in Figure 3, the spray nozzles 13a, 13a are offset from the center in order to rotate the rotating body 11. However, if a spray nozzle with a bent tip is used, it is not necessary to mount it offset from the center of the rotating body 11. By bending the tip, the direction of the high-pressure water spray is not radial, but tilted relative to the radial direction, which generates torque to rotate the rotating body 11.

[0021] Incidentally, as shown in Figure 1, the cleaning device 5 is lowered deep into the deep well pipe 1 and rotates while spraying ultra-high pressure water from the injection nozzles 12a, 12b, 13a, and 13b, thereby removing dirt that is clogging the inner surface of the pipe and the holes 6, 6... of the strainer. Furthermore, since an upper plate 9 and a lower plate 10 are attached above the cleaning device 5, the cleaning device 5 is positioned, and the high-pressure water that is sprayed hits the upper plate 9 and the lower plate 10 and does not rise upwards.

[0022] However, the specific structure of the cleaning device 5 of the present invention is not limited to the case shown in Figure 3. Furthermore, the form and mounting method of the spray nozzles 12a, 12b, 13a, and 13b are also flexible. In this way, by spraying high-pressure water from the rotating spray nozzles 12a, 12b, 13a, and 13b, dirt adhering to the inner surface of the deep well pipe is almost completely removed, and dirt clogging the holes in the strainer is also almost completely removed. However, strongly adhered dirt may not be detached and removed by continuous spraying as in the conventional method.

[0023] The present invention is configured to allow for intermittent injection of high-pressure water from the injection nozzle, rather than continuous injection. To achieve intermittent injection, the present invention allows for the injection of air into the high-pressure water and injecting the water together with the air. Figure 5 shows a specific example of the circuit of the air supply unit 20. Air 18 supplied from the pump 15 flows through the air hose 14, which is connected to the ultra-high pressure water hose 2 and injected into the high-pressure water. Air is then sprayed together with the high-pressure water from the spray nozzles 12a, 12b, 13a, and 13b.

[0024] A tank 16 is connected to the air hose 14, and the compressed air 18 produced by the pump 15 is stored in the pump 16. From the tank 16, the air flows through the air hose 14 via a switching valve such as a solenoid valve 17 and is connected to the ultra-high pressure water hose 2. The solenoid valve 17 can switch the flow of air 18 ON and OFF. When power is applied, the electromagnet works and air 18 flows, and conversely, when the power is stopped, the spring force works and the flow of air 18 stops. In this way, the solenoid valve 17 switches, causing air to flow intermittently, and air is injected at regular intervals into the high-pressure water flowing continuously through the ultra-high-pressure water hose 2. The switching valve used to make the airflow intermittent is not limited to the solenoid valve 17 described above.

[0025] Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of the air 18,18·· flowing through the ultra-high pressure water hose 2. As shown in Figure 5, the air 18 sent from the pump 15 flows through the air hose 14 and joins the connected high-pressure water hose 2, where the air 18 flows together with the high-pressure water 19. The shape of the air 18, 18... mixed with the high-pressure water 19 changes depending on the flow and water pressure, but it is sprayed from the spray nozzles 12a, 12b, 13a, and 13b of the cleaning device 5.

[0026] Therefore, high-pressure water 19 is sprayed from the spray nozzles 12a, 12b, 13a, and 13b, and air 18 is sprayed alternately, resulting in intermittent spraying of the high-pressure water 19. In other words, the high-pressure water 19 is intermittently sprayed, hitting the inner surface and strainer with impact. As a result, dirt firmly adhering to the inner surface of the deep well pipe, and mud and sand firmly packed into the tiny gaps and small holes 6,6… in the windings 8 of the strainer are removed by the intermittent spray accompanied by impact.

[0027] On the other hand, fine bubbles can also be mixed into the high-pressure water 19. Unlike clumps of air 18, these fine bubbles work synergistically with the intermittently sprayed high-pressure water 19. The bubbles are ejected along with the high-pressure water 19, but as they are ejected, the tiny bubbles expand as they are released from the high water pressure. The expansion of the tiny bubbles that have entered the gaps and small holes 6,6... in the strainer causes the attached dirt to detach, making it easier to remove when the high-pressure water 19 is ejected with impact. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0028] 1 Deep well pipe 2. Ultra-high pressure water hose 3. Ultra-high pressure cleaning vehicle 4 Pulleys 5. Washing device 6 holes 7 Pillow line 8 windings 9 Top plate 10 Lower plate 11. Solids of revolution 12 spray nozzles 13 Spray nozzles 14 Air Hose 15 pumps 16 tanks 17 Solenoid valve 18 Air 19 High-pressure water 20 Air supply unit

Claims

1. A method for cleaning deep well pipes, characterized in that a high-pressure cleaning vehicle and an air pump are placed on the ground to generate high-pressure water, a super-high-pressure water hose is extended from the high-pressure cleaning vehicle and inserted into the deep well, a switching valve is attached to the air hose extending from the air pump and the air hose is connected to the super-high-pressure water hose, a cleaning device is connected to the tip of the super-high-pressure water hose, and high-pressure water and air are intermittently sprayed from a spray nozzle provided on the cleaning device in a rotating manner to detach and remove the attached dirt.

2. A method for cleaning a deep well pipe according to claim 1, wherein a bubble generator is connected to the ultra-high pressure water hose described above, and fine bubbles are sprayed along with the high-pressure water that is intermittently sprayed from the spray nozzle, and the fine bubbles expand as they are sprayed, functioning to detach and remove the attached dirt.

3. A cleaning device for deep well pipes, characterized in that it removes dirt adhering to the inner surface of deep well pipes and the inner surface of piping, as well as dirt clogged in holes and gaps formed in the strainer of deep well pipes, the device includes a high-pressure cleaning vehicle and an air pump that generate high-pressure water on the ground, an ultra-high-pressure water hose that extends from the high-pressure cleaning vehicle and is inserted into the deep well, a switching valve attached to the air hose extending from the air pump and connected to the ultra-high-pressure water hose, a cleaning device connected to the end of the ultra-high-pressure water hose, and a spray nozzle provided on the cleaning device that intermittently sprays high-pressure water and air in a rotating motion to detach and remove the adhering dirt.

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