Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Samuel L Wells

An elastic rebound pump comprises a flexible inner tube having a substantial elastic rebound surrounded by a pump housing. The inner tube defines an inner chamber and the pump housing forms an outer chamber for confining a pump fluid. The pump allows pressurized gas or hydraulic fluid into the outer chamber to collapse the inner tube thereby discharging liquid from the inner chamber through an outlet opening. The pump alternatively releases the pressurized fluid from the outer chamber thereby allowing the inner tube to rebound to a full configuration and draw liquid into the inner chamber through the inlet opening. By repeatedly allowing pump fluid into the outer chamber and sequentially releasing the pump fluid from the outer chamber, the pump produces a substantially steady flow of liquid. An extraction pump system includes the elastic rebound pump for removing liquid hydrocarbons from ground water collected in a well. The elastic rebound pump fits easily into small diameter wells and can be suspended above the liquid hydrocarbons in the well. An alternative extraction pump system includes a submerisble pneumatic pump positioned within the ground water in the well for creating a cone of depression, and the elastic rebound pump and the submersible pump are driven simultaneously. In another disclosed extraction pump system, the elastic rebound pump is suspended within the housing of the submerged pneumatic pump. In still another disclosed extraction pump system, the elastic rebound pump is driven with pressurized ground water from a submersible pump.

Extraction system with a pump having an elastic rebound inner tube

An elastic rebound pump comprises a flexible inner tube having a substantial elastic rebound surrounded by a pump housing. The inner tube defines an inner chamber and the pump housing forms an outer chamber for confining a pump fluid. The pump allows pressurized gas or hydraulic fluid into the outer chamber to collapse the inner tube thereby discharging liquid from the inner chamber through an outlet opening. The pump alternately releases the pressurized fluid from the outer chamber thereby allowing the inner tube to rebound to a full configuration and draw liquid into the inner chamber through the inlet opening. By repeatedly allowing pump fluid into the outer chamber and sequentially releasing the pump fluid from the outer chamber, the pump produces a substantially steady flow of liquid. An extraction pump system includes the elastic rebound pump for removing liquid hydrocarbons from ground water collected in a well. The elastic rebound pump fits easily into small diameter wells and can be suspended above the liquid hydrocarbons in the well. An alternative extraction pump system includes a submersible pneumatic pump positioned within the ground water in the well for creating a cone of depression, and the elastic rebound pump and the submersible pump are driven simultaneously. In another disclosed extraction pump system, the elastic rebound pump is suspended within the housing of the submerged pneumatic pump. In still another disclosed extraction pump system, the elastic rebound pump is driven with pressurized ground water from a submersible pump.

There is disclosed a vacuum extraction system in which one or more vacuum extraction vessels are suspended in one or more well bores and each is connected to a vacuum pump. In one embodiment, each extraction vessel has a vessel chamber, a top inlet port with an adjustable metering valve, a vent pipe, a liquid level sensor in the vessel chamber, and an outlet port connected to the vacuum pump through a controller. The controller responds to the level of liquid in the vessel chamber to connect and disconnect each of the outlet ports of each of the extraction vessels to and from the vacuum pump. The controller also activates and deactivates the vacuum pump. In another embodiment, the extraction vessel is suspended for reciprocation in the well bore in order to skim liquid hydrocarbons floating on the ground water. In another embodiment, the extraction vessel has a differentiation valve in its bottom which releases water, but not liquid hydrocarbons, when the extraction vessel is lifted free of the liquid in the well.

Vacuum extraction system

There is disclosed a pressure extraction pump system for recovering liquid hydrocarbons from contaminated ground water collected in a well. The pump system includes a pump with a pump vessel and an open top sleeve extending above the pump vessel for skimming the upper portion of the liquid collected in a well bore. The pump also includes a liquid level sensing device for sensing the level of the liquid in the sleeve and activating a pumping cycle. The pump also has a quick closing intake valve.

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Lilburn, GA, United States of America

Samuel L Wells