Pumps for Driven Wells.
—The method of constructing driven wells—that of driving a pipe into the earth to the water-bearing stratum of sand or gravel—requires a special end to prevent the pump tube from becoming stopped. In order that the fine material may not enter and fill the lower end of the tube, a sand-point is used, such as that shown in Fig. 128. It is made of perforated brass tubing and provided with a sharpened end to facilitate driving. The perforations act as a strainer that keeps out all but the fine particles which will pass the pump valves. Sand-points are made with strainers of various degrees of fineness to suit the different conditions of soils. These strainers may in the course of time become filled with particles of the soil that lodge in the perforations and the outside become so encrusted as to prevent the entrance of the water. In such case, the pipe must be pulled out of the ground and the point replaced by a new one. In Fig. 128 is shown a driven well with the sand-point in the water-bearing stratum. If the small particles of earth clog the strainer the pump will “work hard” and yield only a portion of the water the soil is capable of giving when the strainer is clear.
Deep-well Pumps.
—The principle of operation as described in the lift pump takes advantage of the atmospheric pressure to lift the water above the first valve. The limiting distance to which water can be lifted by the atmospheric pressure will depend on the altitude and the atmospheric pressure. With the normal atmospheric pressure at sea level, water can be lifted, theoretically, 34 feet, but in practice the limiting value is never even approximated. The pump is usually placed within 10 of 12 feet of the water and 20 feet is about the limit of distance. The reason for this is because of the impossibility of keeping the joints tight in the valve and tubing.
Where water is to be raised from a deep well, the cylinder with its piston is placed near the water and the tube and rod, as that of Fig. 133, connects the cylinder with the pump stock. After the water has passed the valve in the piston, it may be readily lifted to the pump stock. In this way water is raised from wells of great depth.
Fig. 135.
Tubular-well Cylinders.
—Tubular wells that are cased with iron pipe are provided with a special type of pump cylinder that admits of deep-well operation. The casing of the well being in place, the cylinder shown in Fig. 135 is forced down the casing to its proper place, the spring S holding it in place until it is firmly secured. A special seating tool is now lowered into the casing and attaches at T to the coupling; as the tool is turned, rubber packing R is expanded, locking the cylinder firmly to the casing. This makes a complete pump cylinder, which with the piston P in place is operated as any other pump.