The use of borehole pumps for household needs and the needs of small businesses is quite wide. The first and most difficult thing is to have the well itself, in which there is water. If there is such a source, then the next, no less important task will be to raise water from it to the surface. For this purpose, well pumps are used.
The vast majority of their potential owners do not always know how to choose the right unit. It is also important to know the order and rules of pumping equipment. This will help some basic knowledge, which will be discussed below.
Well Pump Selection Criteria
When choosing this device, consider the following:
- Set point of the unit
This indicator determines the intersection of the parameters of the device properties of the well. It is known that water in wells does not have a constant level. These indicators are indicated in the passport of the water source. If there is no such document, measurements can be performed independently. Several measurements are recommended to obtain an average water level.
It is important that their average value coincides with the passport characteristics of the purchased equipment, which operates in the range from 70 to 120% of its nominal parameters. - Types of borehole pumps
Knowing the depth of the water source, you can determine what type of unit is needed - surface or submersible.
Fundamental differences between pump types:
- Self-priming surface the device will allow you to raise water from a depth of up to 9 m. This option is suitable for shallow wells.
Its plus is the possibility of external mounting and easy accessibility in case of need for repair or dismantling.
The negative thing is that this unit freezes in the cold and requires filling the suction channel with water before starting work.
The device data is divided into:
- centrifugal without ejector,
- self-priming with an ejector. - submersible unit allows you to work at any depth. This type is the most suitable in any situation. It is more difficult to install, but such a pump works all year round.
Read more on key technical characteristics and installation conditions.
The length of the water supply and the number of nodes
Although water will move horizontally through the system, losses in nodes and pipes cannot be avoided. Purchased equipment is recommended to be purchased with a power reserve of up to 20%.
These devices are also divided into two categories:
- centrifugal having a higher price and better performance;
- vibrating that cost less and perform worse.
Vibratory pumps have a suction valve that can be located:
- at the top of the device;
- at the bottom of the device.
The ability to avoid the ingress of bottom mud, in the first variant, can be compensated by a problem in operation at a low water level in the well.
The second option has downsides - near the bottom, such a pump sucks in clay, while the low water level will become an obstacle many times less.
The installation of vibration devices is not recommended in sand wells, which are considered to be all channels made to the depth of interstratal or groundwater.
Features of equipment installation
There are two pump mounting options.:
- The self-priming device is mounted next to the water source. A special submersible hose is lowered into the water at one end, and attached to the pump with the other.
- The submersible device is attached to the pipe. If it is a flexible hose, then an addition to the fasteners can be a cable, which is attached at one end to the pump, the second to any stable element with a well. A flexible mounting option is preferable, as it allows you to adjust the immersion depth of the unit. The pump is completely immersed in water. Most of these devices do not tolerate dry operation. Therefore, it is always worth monitoring the level in the well or purchasing a pump with a float switch that will protect the device in the event of a lack or critically low water level.
The submersible equipment installation algorithm includes how many points:
- All pipes are installed. If the pump will be installed on a rigid pipe, then it is recommended to put a small piece of flexible hose between it and the main channel for moving water into the house, which will dampen engine vibrations.
- The device is connected to:
- cable,
- electrical wire
- hose. - The pump is smoothly lowered to the bottom of the well.
- When the unit touches the bottom, the entire structure should be raised to a height of half a meter to a meter from the point of contact.
- The cable must be firmly fixed, the wire connected to the network, the hose connected to the rest of the system and laid in the attachment channels.
- It is recommended to provide a cover for the upper hole of the well, in order to prevent foreign objects and dirt from entering the system.
Electrical connection should be made only to a grounded source using a circuit breaker according to the following scheme:
Well features
When the well is completely ready for operation, you can turn on the pump and start pumping water out of it, the quality and quantity of which can vary greatly. There are a number of factors that influence this, namely:
1. Depth
Water of different properties is extracted from different depths. These depths of occurrence of natural resources are usually called horizons. In cases with water wells, there are four such horizons:
- simple well with a depth of up to 20 meters.
- Well-well, having a parameter up to 30 m.
- sandy horizon, which is located at a distance of 50 - 70 m below the ground surface.
- artesian horizon. Its depth can be 100 meters or less.
The choice of the depth of the future water source will depend on many factors, some of which are:
- purpose of the source
- the required amount of water
- the presence or absence of permits,
- price,
- geodetic conditions of the area,
- depth of the aquifer.
2. Diameter
This indicator directly depends on:
- drilling equipment parameters,
- characteristics of the future pump,
- process affordability,
- target destination.
The larger the diameter, the more expensive the well will cost, the larger the diameter of the pipes will be required for its arrangement.
The positive side will be high performance. When choosing a drilling diameter, you should always be guided by the principle of sufficient necessity. At the same time, it is recommended to make a small margin in the parameters, since it is not always known for certain:
- how much water will the future source give;
- how quickly it will recover;
- how the well behaves after a long time.
3. Well flow rate
This definition refers to the maximum amount of water that can be pumped out of a well in one hour.
This parameter not only depends on the power of the installed equipment, but also on the ability to restore the source itself. It is rare from any well or drilled artesian canal that water can be endlessly pumped out in large volumes. The more powerful the equipment, the sooner the water will be pumped out. The more often pumping is performed, the smaller the volumes will be.
Weak equipment can work for a long time, pumping as much water to the top as is restored in the well.
Determining the exact rate is a complex process and unnecessary for individual use sources.
4. The volume of water consumed
This indicator depends on the flow rate of the source and the needs of its user. If water consumption is less than the well can provide, then problems with its shortage can be avoided.
The amount of water in the well, in addition to its depth and width, may depend on:
- season,
- pumping intensity,
- parameters of the equipment used.
The correct calculation of consumption will allow rational use of a valuable natural resource. This will additionally allow:
- save electricity,
- extend pump life
- to provide better and cleaner produced water.
A competent and thorough approach to the arrangement of an autonomous source of water supply to the site will give its owner the opportunity to access the most valuable natural resource, which must be treated with respect and love. This will certainly have its positive consequences in the near and distant future.
