Air/water volume control system

Apparatus for controlling the volumes of water and headspace air in a water storage/delivery tank of an individual water well system which includes a pump for maintaining water within said tank and for maintaining the pressure in the tank within preselected limits, said tank having a water outlet pipe proximate to the bottom of said tank and a port located in said tank at an elevation above a normal water level within said tank and providing communication between the exterior of said tank and the headspace within said tank, said apparatus comprising:

• a) a piping section extending between said water outlet pipe and said port and including an in-line sight glass enabling visual observation of the water level within said tank;
• b) a float-controlled air injection piping assembly connected to said piping section for introducing pressurized air into said piping section;
• c) a source of pressurized air connected to said air injection piping assembly;
• d) a valve allowing or preventing the injection of air from said air injection piping assembly into said water storage/delivery tank, the float of said air injection piping assembly being adapted to open said valve when the water level in said water storage/delivery tank reaches a predetermined height therein at which the headspace air pressure is below a prescribed value;
• the water level within said tank and the headspace air pressure within said tank being correlated to each other and to the volume of said tank such that adjustment in either (i) the headspace air pressure in said tank or (ii) the water level and the headspace air pressure in said tank is performed only when the ratio between said headspace air pressure and said water level departs by a selected variance from an optimal ratio between said headspace air pressure and said water level for the volume of said tank.

Apparatus for storing and delivering water from an individual water well system which comprises:

• a) a water storage/delivery tank connected to receive water from an individual water well, and adapted to maintain a volume water under a headspace of pressurized air within said
• b) a pump for delivering water from said well to said tank;
• c) a water outlet pipe proximate to the bottom of said tank for delivering water on demand from said tank;
• d) said tank having a port located in said tank at an elevation above any normal water level within said tank and providing communication between the exterior of said tank and the headspace within said tank;
• e) a piping section extending between said water outlet pipe and said port and including a sight glass enabling visual observation of the water level within said tank;
• f) an air conduit connected to said piping section for introducing pressurized air into said piping section;
• g) a gauge for ascertaining the air pressure within the headspace in said tank;
• and
• h) an air valve enabling control of the air pressure within the headspace in said tank;
• the water level within said tank and the headspace air pressure within said tank being correlated such that adjustment in either (i) the headspace air pressure in said tank or (ii) the water level and the headspace air pressure in said tank is performed only when the ratio between said headspace air pressure and said water level departs by a selected variance from an optimal ratio between said headspace air pressure and said water level for the volume of said tank, said optimal ratio being correlated to the volume of said water storage/delivery tank, such that:
• A) with a standard 42-gallon tank said optimal ratio is in accordance with the relationships:
• ______________________________________ Headspace air pressure, psi 20 27 33 40 Water level in tank, inches 15 17.5 19.38 20.75 ______________________________________
• B) with a standard 82-gallon tank said optimal ratio is in accordance with the relationships:
• ______________________________________ Headspace air pressure, psi 20 27 33 40 Water level in tank, inches 27 32.38 35.5 38.25 ______________________________________
• C) with a standard 120-gallon tank said optimal ratio is in accordance with the relationships:
• ______________________________________ Headspace air pressure, psi 20 27 33 40 Water level in tank, inches 27.5 33.0 36.14 38.88 ______________________________________