Airlift pump

Abstract

An airlift pump comprising a hollow, cylindrical main body having an injection hole near the bottom end, a channel routed in the outside surface of the main body and running continuously from the injection hole to the top end, and an air tube seated in the channel and bonded to the main body. The air tube comprises an injection end having an elbow forming an injection angle such that the air is injection into the main body in a downward direction toward the bottom end. The air tube further comprises a receiving end extending past the top end of the main body and connecting to air supply tubing. The pump has a restricted lateral width enabling the pump to fit inside the narrow monitoring wells typical in the groundwater monitoring industry.

1 . An air lift pump comprising:
 a hollow, cylindrical main body having a top end, a bottom end, and a wall;   an injection hole bored through the wall near said bottom end; and   an air tube having an injection end, said injection end having an elbow forming an injection angle such that the injection end points downward toward said bottom end, said injection end inserted into and through the injection hole such that the injection end protrudes beyond the wall and into the interior of the main body.   
   
   
       2 . The airlift pump of  claim 1 , wherein the injection hole is located at a distance from said bottom end such that the air injected into the main body does not exit said bottom end. 
   
   
       3 . The airlift pump of  claim 2 , further comprising a lateral width of less than two inches, wherein the injection hole is located at a distance from the bottom end within the approximate range of one inch to two and one half inches. 
   
   
       4 . An air lift pump comprising:
 a hollow, cylindrical main body having a top end, a bottom end, and a wall;   an injection hole bored through the wall near said bottom end;   a channel beginning at the injection hole and running along the outside surface of the main body to said top end; and   an air tube having a receiving end and an injection end, said injection end inserted into the injection hole, said air tube seated in the channel and connected to the main body by a means for continuously bonding the air tube to the main body along the full length of the channel.   
   
   
       5 . The airlift pump of  claim 4 , wherein the injection hole is located at a distance from said bottom end such that the air injected into the main body does not exit said bottom end. 
   
   
       6 . The airlift pump of  claim 5 , wherein said means for continuously bonding the air tube to the main body comprises a continuous weld. 
   
   
       7 . The airlift pump of  claim 6 , further comprising a lateral width of less than two inches, wherein the injection hole is located at a distance from the bottom end within the approximate range of one inch to two and one half inches. 
   
   
       8 . An air lift pump comprising:
 a hollow, cylindrical main body having a top end, a bottom end, and a wall;   an injection hole bored through the wall near said bottom end;   a channel beginning at the injection hole and running along the outside surface of the main body to said top end; and   an air tube having a receiving end and an injection end, said injection end having an elbow forming an injection angle such that the injection end points downward toward said bottom end, said injection end inserted into and through the injection hole such that the injection end protrudes beyond the wall and into the interior of the main body, said air tube seated in the channel and connected to the main body by a means for continuously bonding the air tube to the main body along the full length of the channel.   
   
   
       9 . The airlift pump of  claim 8 , wherein the injection hole is located at a distance from said bottom end such that the air injected into the main body does not exit said bottom end. 
   
   
       10 . The airlift pump of  claim 9 , wherein said means for continuously bonding the air tube to the main body comprises a continuous weld. 
   
   
       11 . The airlift pump of  claim 10 , further comprising a lateral width of less than two inches, wherein the injection hole is located at a distance from the bottom end within the approximate range of one inch to two and one half inches.