Well cleaning apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for cleaning a well and well screen, comprising: a. an eduction pipe disposed within said well and having an open end positioned along said well screen length; b. a gas pipe disposed within said eduction pipe and having at least one-half its length immersed beneath the normal liquid surface of said well, and having an open submerged end within the eduction pipe and above the open lower end of the latter; c. a high pressure fluid pipe disposed within said well and adjacent but outside said eduction pipe, said fluid pipe having a jet nozzle positioned along said well screen length and at an angle to direct a jet stream of fluid against said well screen to dislodge fine particles; d. drain means connected to said eduction pipe for conveying fluid away from said well; e. means for conveying a high pressure gas into said gas pipe to cause air-lifting of water and entrained fine particles through the eduction pipe; and f. means for delivering a high pressure fluid into said fluid pipe.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a housing rigidly mounted to the high pressure fluid pipe and rotatably mounted to the eduction pipe, and enabling the housing and fluid pipe to be rotated about the eduction pipe to cause said jet nozzle to direct a jet stream of fluid at all circumferential positions within said well.

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising means for raising and lowering said jet nozzle to selected elevations within said well connected to said third pipe.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said housing includes a first and second collar slidably encompassing said first pipe and having bracket means for rigidly attaching said third pipe to said collars.

Claim 6

Apparatus for unclogging a submerged well screen and surrounding region in a well, comprising: a. an eduction pipe having an open end positioned near the bottom of said well and having its other end in communication with the surface of said well; b. a high pressure air pipe disposed within said eduction pipe and having an open positioned adjacent but above the open end of said eduction pipe, and means for connecting the air pipe to a source of compressed air; c. a housing slidably attached to said eduction pipe; d. a jet nozzle attached to said housing and directed toward said well screen, and means for connecting the jet nozzle to a source of high pressure fluid; and e. positioning means, connected to said housing and extending to the surface of said well, for varying the elevation and rotational position of said housing.

Claim 7

Apparatus for unclogging a submerged well screen and surrounding region in a well, comprising: a. an eduction pipe having an open end positioned near the bottom of said well and having its other end in communication with the surface of said well; b. a high pressure air pipe disposed within said eduction pipe and having an open positioned adjacent but above the open end of said eduction pipe, and means for connecting the air pipe to a source of compressed air; c. a housing slidably attached to said eduction pipe; d. a jet nozzle attached to said housing and directed toward said well screen, and means for connecting the jet nozzle to a source of high pressure fluid; and e. positioning means, connected to said housing and extending to the surface of said well, for varying the elevation and rotational position of said housing.

Claim 8

Appartus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said housing further comprises a first collar encompassing said eduction pipe and rigidly attached to the jet nozzle an annular bar of diameter less than said well screen, attached to said first collar; and a second collar encompassing said eduction pipe, and attached to said annular bar, wherein said annular bar is approxImately intermediate said first and second collar.

Claim 9

Apparatus for cleaning a well and unclogging a submerged well screen and surrounding region in a well, comprising: a. an air pipe submerged in the well, wherein more than one-half the length of said air pipe is immersed in well liquid and the bottom end of said pipe is open, and means for connecting the air pipe to a source of high pressure air; b. an open-ended eduction pipe of diameter at least several times that of said air pipe and of length at least several feet longer than said air pipe and extending below the bottom end of the air pipe, said eduction pipe fitted concentrically around said air pipe and having a drain connection at the ground surface of the well to convey well liquid away from said well; c. a high pressure water pipe extending into said well to a region including said well screen, said high pressure water pipe being positioned adjacent but outside said eduction pipe in said well and including means for connecting the high pressure water pipe to source of water under high pressure; d. a high pressure jet nozzle connected to the bottom end of said high pressure pipe, and directed toward the inner surface of said well screen; e. a housing rigidly attached to said high pressure water pipe, and having a pair of collars encompassing said eduction pipe but of inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of said eduction pipe, and having an annular bar of diameter less than said well screen diameter; and f. a supporting means allowing changing of the elevational and rotational position of said high pressure water pipe, said supporting means located at the ground surface of said well and attached to said high pressure pipe and being capable of both elevational and rotational movement.

Claim 10

Apparatus for cleaning a well and unclogging a submerged well screen and surrounding region in a well, comprising: a. an air pipe submerged in the well, wherein more than one-half the length of said air pipe is immersed in well liquid and the bottom end of said pipe is open, and means for connecting the air pipe to a source of high pressure air; b. an open-ended eduction pipe of diameter at least several times that of said air pipe and of length at least several feet longer than said air pipe and extending below the bottom end of the air pipe, said eduction pipe fitted concentrically around said air pipe and having a drain connection at the ground surface of the well to convey well liquid away from said well; c. a high pressure water pipe extending into said well to a region including said well screen, said high pressure water pipe being positioned adjacent but outside said eduction pipe in said well and including means for connecting the high pressure water pipe to source of water under high pressure; d. a high pressure jet nozzle connected to the bottom end of said high pressure pipe, and directed toward the inner surface of said well screen; e. a housing rigidly attached to said high pressure water pipe, and having a pair of collars encompassing said eduction pipe but of inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of said eduction pipe, and having an annular bar of diameter less than said well screen diameter; and f. a supporting means allowing changing of the elevational and rotational position of said high pressure water pipe, said supporting means located at the ground surface of said well and attached to said high pressure pipe and being capable of both elevational and rotational movement.