Water Lifted By Compressed Air
For Municipal, Manufacturing, Irrigation or Other Water Supply

THE SAUNDERS AIR LIFT SYSTEM. Differing in several important features from the Air Lift patented by Dr. J. G. Pohlé, Mr. W. L. Saunders lias patented a system in which the discharge takes place through the central tube which is at all times surrounded by the compressed air. Referring to the illus- trations from Patent No. 597,023, as shown on the opposite page the operation of the device is as follows : Compressed air, produced from any source (A), passes to the well (C) and into the air-tight chamber (E), formed by the outside pipe, which may be either the casing of the well (Fig. 2) or an inserted pipe resting on the bottom of the well (Fig. 1), but open to permit free ingress of water. Extending down into the casing, but not quite to its bottom, is the discharge pipe (D). There are no valves, rods, pis- tons or working parts, and no features other than those mentioned. Pipes must, however, be properly proportioned to obtain the best re- sults. The space between casing and discharge pipe is obviously termed the “Pressure Chamber.” When idle, without air pressure, the water will stand at the normal ground level in both the pressure chamber (E) and discharge pipe (D). As the air pressure in (E) is increased the water is gradually forced down and back into the well until the end of the discharge is uncovered. Instantly a portion of the air escapes into the discharge pipe (D). This lowers the pressure in the chamber (E), and immediately the water rushes in and up the pres- sure chamber (E) and discharge pipe (D) to some point (HH) before the water and air pressure balance, when the water is again forced out, the air as before escaping through the discharge pipe. This time however, the air in rising and expanding pushes before it that quantity of water which just previously had rushed into the discharge pine Tins water was already in motion, and had a certain velocity upward To increase this velocity the discharge tube is restricted and formed into a “ventun” near the bottom, a method materially assistinn- to start the water up the eduction tube. In operation, the surface of the water in the pressure chamber is pulsating up and down past the bottom of the discharge pipe. En- tering the tube as a solid column of water with considerable velocity each wave is followed by a definite volume of compressed air and rushes up the central pipe (D) in a series of water plugs or pistons Ilie aii by the time it reaches the outlet has expanded to about atmospheric pressure. The air cannot escape past the solid moving pistons of water, and, therefore, each cubic foot of air exerts all its contained energy in useful work. Of especial utility is this form for cases where corrosive liquids, such as brine solutions, are to be raised. 41