Autonomous ultraviolet light and brush apparatus for remediation and prevention of biological and chemical fouling in wells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12378846-B2
Application number	US-202318476241-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2023
Priority date	Sep 27, 2023
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system for cleaning a well includes (i) an ultraviolet (UV) light emitting device and/or (ii) a first brush connected with an abrasion device motor to drive the first brush in rotation around a longitudinal axis of the first brush. A cable reel and a cable are connected with (i) the UV light emitting device to power the UV light emitting device, to lower the UV light emitting device into the well, and to raise the UV light emitting device from the well; and/or (ii) the first brush and the abrasion device motor, to power the abrasion device motor, to lower the first brush and the abrasion device motor into the well, and to raise the first brush and the abrasion device motor from the well.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for cleaning a well, the system comprising:
(i) an ultraviolet (UV) light emitting device; (ii) a first brush connected with an abrasion device motor to drive the first brush in rotation around a longitudinal axis of the first brush;
a cable reel and a cable connected with (i) the UV light emitting device to power the UV light emitting device, to lower the UV light emitting device into the well, and to raise the UV light emitting device from the well; said cable reel and said cable connected with (ii) the first brush and the abrasion device motor, to power the abrasion device motor, to lower the first brush and the abrasion device motor into the well, and to raise the first brush and the abrasion device motor from the well, and a second brush connected with the cable, the UV light emitting device being disposed between the first brush and the second brush.

2. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the second brush is a passive brush which is not directly driven in rotation.

3. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the UV light emitting device is configured to emit UVC radiation at least one of two wavelengths: 185 nm and 254 nm.

4. A method for cleaning a well, the method comprising:
lowering, into the well, (i) an ultraviolet (UV) light emitting device; and (ii) a first brush which is connected with an abrasion device motor to drive the first brush in rotation around a longitudinal axis of the first brush, using a cable connected with at least one of (i) the UV light emitting device or (ii) the first brush and the abrasion device motor;
performing (i) emitting UV light from the UV light emitting device while moving the UV light emitting device up and down along a depth of the well, (ii) driving the first brush in rotation around the longitudinal axis of the first brush while moving the first brush and the abrasion device motor up and down along the depth of the well, and activating the abrasion device motor to rotate the first brush by ±θ, θ being less than 540° while moving the first brush and the abrasion device motor up and down along the depth of the well.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein a second brush is connected with the cable which is connected with the UV light emitting device and the first brush, the UV light emitting device being disposed between the first brush and the second brush, the method further comprising:
moving the second brush connected with the cable up and down along the depth of the well;
wherein a longitudinal axis of the second brush coincides with the longitudinal axis of the first brush.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
connecting the second brush to the cable as a passive brush which is not directly driven in rotation.

7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
emitting UVC radiation from the UV light emitting device, while moving at least the UV light emitting device up and down along the depth of the well, at least one of two wavelengths: 185 nm and 254 nm.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the cable comprises an electrical cable which is connected with the UV light emitting device, the first brush, and the abrasion device motor, the method further comprising:
supplying electrical power to the UV light emitting device and the abrasion device motor through the cable which bears a weight of the UV light emitting device, the first brush, and the abrasion device motor while moving the UV light emitting device, the first brush, and the abrasion device motor up and down along the depth of the well.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the cable is connected to a reel, the method further comprising:
rotating the reel driven by a reel motor to move the cable to lower at least one of (i) the UV light emitting device or (ii) the first brush and the abrasion device motor, into the well and to raise at least one of (i) the UV light emitting device or (ii) the first brush and the abrasion device motor, from the well.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
operating a controller programmed by a computer to control at least one of (i) UV emission of the UV light emitting device or (ii) the abrasion device motor to drive the first brush in rotation, and to control the reel motor driving the reel to move the cable to lower at least one of (i) the UV light emitting device or (ii) the first brush and the abrasion device motor into the well and to raise at least one of (i) the UV light emitting device or (ii) the first brush and the abrasion device motor from the well.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
supplying, using a solar power source, power to at least one of (i) the UV light emitting device or (ii) the abrasion device motor, and to the reel motor, the controller, and the computer.

12. A system for cleaning a well, the system comprising:
an ultraviolet (UV) light emitting device;
a first abrading device connected with the UV light emitting device;
an abrasion device motor connected to the first abrading device to drive the first abrading device to abrade an interior surface of the well; and
an electrical cable connected with the UV light emitting device and the first abrading device to lower the UV light emitting device and the first abrading device into the well and raise the UV light emitting device and the first abrading device from the well, and to supply electrical power to the UV light emitting device and the abrasion device motor.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising:
a second abrading device connected with the UV light emitting device which is disposed between the first abrading device and the second abrading device, the second abrading device being a passive abrading device which is not directly power-driven by a powered device.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the abrasion device motor is configured to rotate the first brush by ±θ, θ being less than 540°.

Assignees

• Us Army

Inventors

• Rycroft Taylor E
• Tomberg Zachariah E
• Donohue Griffin

Classifications

• E21B19/084 Primary

  with flexible drawing means, e.g. cables · CPC title

• B08B7/0057

  by ultraviolet radiation · CPC title

• B08B17/02

  Preventing deposition of fouling or of dust · CPC title

• B08B7/04

  by a combination of operations · CPC title

• E21B19/02

  Rod or cable suspensions · CPC title