Devices and techniques relating to landfill gas extraction
First Claim
1. A control system for controlling extraction of landfill gas from a landfill via a gas extraction system, the gas extraction system comprising at least one vacuum source, well piping, and at least one well coupled to the at least one vacuum source through the well piping, the control system comprising:
- at least one sensor configured to measure one or more characteristics of landfill gas extracted from the landfill;
at least one flow control mechanism disposed in the well piping and configured to control flow rates of the landfill gas extracted from the landfill;
a heating mechanism configured to heat landfill gas; and
at least one processor configured to;
control the heating mechanism to heat at least some of the landfill gas extracted from the landfill before obtaining at least one measurement of concentration of methane in the at least some of the landfill gas;
obtain the at least one measurement of concentration of methane in the at least some of the landfill gas heated by the heating mechanism using the at least one sensor;
determine whether the measured concentration of methane is less than a first threshold concentration;
when it is determined that the measured concentration of methane is less than the first threshold concentration, automatically control the at least one flow control mechanism to increase concentration of methane in landfill gas being extracted from the landfill;
determine whether the measured concentration of methane is greater than a second threshold concentration; and
when it is determined that the measured concentration of methane is greater than the second threshold concentration, automatically control the at least one flow control mechanism to decrease concentration of methane in landfill gas being extracted from the landfill.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Devices and techniques related to landfill gas extraction are disclosed. A technique for controlling extraction of landfill gas from a landfill through a gas extraction system is described. The method may include measuring a plurality of values indicating conditions associated with the landfill; computing, based at least in part on the plurality of values and on a model of the landfill, a predicted future state of the landfill; determining, based at least in part on the predicted future state of the landfill, one or more control parameters for one or more respective control devices configured to control operation of the gas extraction system; applying the one or more control parameters to the one or more respective control, and with the one or more control devices, controlling extraction of the landfill gas from the landfill based, at least in part, on the one or more respective control parameters.
98 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A control system for controlling extraction of landfill gas from a landfill via a gas extraction system, the gas extraction system comprising at least one vacuum source, well piping, and at least one well coupled to the at least one vacuum source through the well piping, the control system comprising:
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at least one sensor configured to measure one or more characteristics of landfill gas extracted from the landfill; at least one flow control mechanism disposed in the well piping and configured to control flow rates of the landfill gas extracted from the landfill; a heating mechanism configured to heat landfill gas; and at least one processor configured to; control the heating mechanism to heat at least some of the landfill gas extracted from the landfill before obtaining at least one measurement of concentration of methane in the at least some of the landfill gas; obtain the at least one measurement of concentration of methane in the at least some of the landfill gas heated by the heating mechanism using the at least one sensor; determine whether the measured concentration of methane is less than a first threshold concentration; when it is determined that the measured concentration of methane is less than the first threshold concentration, automatically control the at least one flow control mechanism to increase concentration of methane in landfill gas being extracted from the landfill; determine whether the measured concentration of methane is greater than a second threshold concentration; and when it is determined that the measured concentration of methane is greater than the second threshold concentration, automatically control the at least one flow control mechanism to decrease concentration of methane in landfill gas being extracted from the landfill. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for controlling extraction of landfill gas from a landfill through a gas extraction system, the gas extraction system comprising at least one flow control mechanism, the method comprising:
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heating, using a heating mechanism, at least some landfill gas extracted from the landfill before measuring concentration of methane in the at least some landfill gas; measuring, using at least one sensor, concentration of methane in the at least some landfill gas extracted from the landfill heated by the heating mechanism; determining whether the measured concentration of methane is less than a first threshold concentration; when it is determined that the measured concentration of methane is less than the first threshold concentration, automatically controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase concentration of methane in landfill gas being extracted from the landfill; determining whether the measured concentration of methane is greater than a second threshold concentration; and when it is determined that the measured concentration of methane is greater than the second threshold concentration, automatically controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to decrease concentration of methane in landfill gas being extracted from the landfill. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification