Analysis of the construction features of high-voltage electric discharge devices for processing artesian wells

Abstract High-voltage electric discharge equipment allows the effective processing of artesian (water) wells to increase their yield through a series of pulses directly in the area of the filtration zone. The equipment’s unique feature is the distance between its separate parts, which can span tens or even hundreds of meters. The analysis conducted in this work demonstrated the feasibility of implementing electric discharge devices using various design schemes. The study examined options utilizing multi-stage energy conversion in the charging circuit of the devices, with energy transfer from the ground-based source to the processing zone using alternating, direct and pulsed currents, flowing through a connecting cable with a nominal voltage of less than 1500 or more than 25000 V. A number of advantages and disadvantages were identified for each design option. It was established that when developing high-voltage electric discharge devices, attention should be paid to the interconnection of the electrical parameters of the generator’s individual parts, the cable line, and the technological processing conditions (well depth, diameter, water electrical conductivity, filter zone characteristics, etc.).