# US 5,348,420 A · Method and arrangement for influencing liquid in ground > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,348,420 A - Document ID: US5348420A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 07/996,658 - Filed: 1992-12-24 - Granted: 1994-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 1991-12-24 - Assignees: IEG Industrie-Engineering GmbH - Inventors: Bruno Bernhardt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5348420A ## CPC - E03B 3/15: Keeping wells in good condition, e.g. by cleaning, repairing, regenerating; Maintaining or enlarging the capacity of wells or water-bearing layers (with artificial enrichment E03B3/32 {; cleaning, in general B08B}) - E21B 43/40: Separation associated with re-injection of separated materials {(E21B43/385 takes precedence)} - E03B: INSTALLATIONS OR METHODS FOR OBTAINING, COLLECTING, OR DISTRIBUTING WATER (drilling wells, obtaining fluids in general from wells E21B; pipe-line systems in general F17D) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A method of influencing a liquid in ground by forming a liquid circulation in ground comprises a shaft arranged in ground and extending to a desired liquid region, a pump arranged in the shaft for producing a liquid circulation, the pump having a feeding power selected so that in a shaft surrounding a liquid peak located above a normal liquid level is produced. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of circulating liquid in the ground without causing a drop in the level of such liquid in the ground, comprising: forming a shaft in the ground which extends down to a desired region occupied by said liquid, said shaft having liquid permeable portions at a lower and an upper region thereof; placing a conduit within said shaft which extends from said lower region of said shaft, upward to a location outside of said shaft; said conduit also having an outlet in said upper region of said shaft; pumping liquid up through said conduit from said shaft lower region, and pumping part of the liquid out of said outlet into said shaft upper region, and pumping part of said liquid to said location outside of said shaft. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as defined in claim 1; and further comprising the step of transporting the fluid which is removed from the shaft to an auxiliary device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A method as defined in claim 2, wherein said auxiliary device is a treatment device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A method as defined in claim 2, wherein said auxiliary device is a water utilization device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method as defined in claim 1; and further comprising returning the removed fluid to at least one location which is remote from the shaft but located in a fluid circulating region at a predetermined height of the liquid in the ground. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A method as defined in claim 5, wherein said returning of the removed fluid includes returning under pressure. ### Claim 7 An arrangement for influencing flow of liquid in ground, comprising a shaft arranged in the ground which extends down to a desired region occupied by said liquid, said shaft having liquid permeable portions at a lower and an upper region thereof; a transverse wall in said shaft between said lower and upper regions, with a throughgoing passage; a conduit in said wall throughgoing passage; said conduit extending from said lower region of said shaft, through said wall throughgoing passage, and upward to a location outside of said shaft; said conduit also having an outlet in said upper region of said shaft; a pump arranged in said conduit for pumping liquid from said lower region of said shaft through said conduit; means to allow part of the pumped liquid to exit through said outlet into said shaft upper region, and to allow part of the pumped liquid to be delivered to a treatment device at said location outside of said shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An arrangement as defined in claim 7, and further comprising a partially permeable return flow member arranged near the shaft and providing a return flow of said liquid removed from the shaft into the surrounding ground. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) An arrangement as defined in claim 8, wherein said return flow member is formed as a partially permeable return flow pipe. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) An arrangement as defined in claim 8, wherein said return flow member is formed as a partially permeable return flow shaft. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) An arrangement as defined in claim 7, wherein said outlet of said conduit comprises a plurality of openings open toward said upper region permeable portion; a valve in said conduit above said openings. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) An arrangement as defined in claim 11; and further comprising a further transverse wall, said transverse walls limiting therebetween a further shaft region in which said throughgoing passage opens. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) An arrangement as defined in claim 7, wherein said transverse wall is vertically adjustable and is provided with a screening casing placeable before one of said permeable wall portions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) An arrangement as defined in claim 7; and further comprising a water impermeable horizontal wall located in the ground substantially at a height of a liquid level in the ground. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) An arrangement as defined in claim 7, wherein said shaft is limited by a pipe provided with impermeable and permeable wall portions and transverse walls so that a space between said pipe and said shaft wall is partially filled with impermeable blocking layers and partially filled with a permeable gravel filling, at least said gravel filling being outwardly aerated through an upper one of said blocking layers before said permeable wall portion of said pipe provided for a liquid discharge. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) An arrangement as defined in claim 15, wherein said permeable gravel filling is under a negative pressure for forced ventilation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) An arrangement as defined in claim 15; and further comprising dosing means extending to said gravel filling. ### Claim 18 (depends on 7) An arrangement as defined in claim 7; and further comprising a settling cup for heavy liquid particles provided at an end of said shaft; and an aspiration conduit connected with said settling cup. ### Claim 19 (depends on 7) An arrangement as defined in claim 7, wherein a shaft region above a liquid level is under negative pressure; and further comprising a nozzle body provided for driving out volatile impurities from the liquid and distributing a supplied gas in the liquid. ### Claim 20 (depends on 7) An arrangement as defined in claim 7; and further comprising dosing means extending to a shaft region located in a fluid circulation. ### Claim 21 (depends on 7) An arrangement as defined in claim 7; and further comprising filter walls arranged before said permeable wall portions of said shaft. ### Claim 22 An arrangement for influencing flow of liquid in ground, comprising a shaft arranged in the ground which extends down to a desired region occupied by said liquid, said shaft having liquid permeable portions at a lower and an upper region thereof; a transverse wall in said shaft between said lower and upper regions, with a throughgoing passage; a conduit in said wall throughgoing passage; said conduit extending from said lower region of said shaft, through said wall passage, and upward to a location outside of said shaft; said conduit also having an outlet in said upper region of said shaft; a pump arranged in said conduit for pumping liquid from said lower region of said shaft through said conduit; means to allow part of the pumped liquid to exit through said outlet into said shaft upper region, and to allow part of the pumped liquid to be delivered to a treatment device at said location outside of said shaft; means for producing a turbulent water flow impermeably separating said shaft regions from one another. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) An arrangement as defined in claim 22, wherein said means for producing turbulent water flow between said shaft regions includes a transporting screw. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) An arrangement as defined in claim 22, wherein said means for producing turbulent water flow between said shaft regions includes a whirl flow compressor. ### Claim 25 An arrangement for influencing flow of liquid in ground, comprising a shaft arranged in the ground which extends down to a desired region occupied by said liquid, said shaft having liquid permeable portions at a lower and an upper region thereof; a transverse wall in said shaft between said lower and upper regions, with a throughgoing passage; a conduit in said wall passage; said conduit extending from said lower region of said shaft, through said wall passage, and upward to a location outside of said shaft; said conduit also having an outlet in said upper region of said shaft; a pump arranged in said conduit for pumping liquid from said lower region of said shaft through said conduit; means to allow part of the pumped liquid to exit through said outlet into said shaft upper region, and to allow part of the pumped liquid to be delivered to a treatment device at said location outside of said shaft; means for producing a water-gas mixture impermeably separating said shaft regions from one another.