초록 ▼

An article for sealing boreholes in the earth and particularly around well casings extending into boreholes in the earth comprises the placement of a plurality of discrete, liquid-absorbing annular sealing elements or disks formed of relatively dry, solid, particulate or granular liquid-swellable cl

An article for sealing boreholes in the earth and particularly around well casings extending into boreholes in the earth comprises the placement of a plurality of discrete, liquid-absorbing annular sealing elements or disks formed of relatively dry, solid, particulate or granular liquid-swellable clay meterial, such as bentonite, or bentonite clay which swells in size upon contact with and absorption of liquid encountered in the borehole. The elements are characterized by a disk-like planar shape having parallel, flat opposing faces and a central hole slightly larger in diameter than the cross-section of a well casing when present in a borehole. The disks are placed successively on the well casing and move down into the borehole until a stack of disks of the desired height is formed to substantially fill the space or void between the well casing and the borehole wall. When liquid comes in contact with the disk in a stack, the particulate material of the disks begins to swell and enlarge to completely fill the borehole or the space between the well casing and the borehole wall to provide a liquid-tight seal around the well casing within the borehole.

대표청구항 ▼

An article of manufacture for sealing around an elongated casing extending into a borehole in the earth; comprising: an annular disk formed of relatively dry, compacted, liquid-swellable and absorbent, material including bentonite, said disk having a pair of generally flat, spaced apart, opposite fa

An article of manufacture for sealing around an elongated casing extending into a borehole in the earth; comprising: an annular disk formed of relatively dry, compacted, liquid-swellable and absorbent, material including bentonite, said disk having a pair of generally flat, spaced apart, opposite faces and a central hole extended through said disk between said opposite faces, said hole having a cross-section greater than that of said casing, to permit said disk to be mounted on and move along said casing in guided, generally centered position thereon into said borehole; said disk having an outer periphery spaced radially outwardly around said central hole extending between said opposite faces outwardly of and smaller than said borehole for permitting said disk to move along said casing to form a stack of said disks thereon for substantially filling said borehole around said casing.