LANDFILL GAS SURFACE MONITOR AND METHODS

• US 20120191349A1
• Filed: 01/18/2012
• Published: 07/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Lenz, Elmar H., Fossey, Ken W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,435,782 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/2
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0075 for multiple spatially distributed sensors, e.g. for environmental monitoring transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide systems, devices, and method for monitoring gas emissions within a geographic area. A method for monitoring gas emissions may include providing a gas-monitoring device configured to be moved within the geographic area. The method may also include determining geographic locations of the device as the device is moved within the geographic area, determining a quantity of one or more gases in the air as the device is moved within the geographic area, and associating the geographic locations with the quantity of gases to provide gas emissions data for the geographic area. The gas emissions data may be communicated to one or more external devices, sources, and/or systems for analysis, documentation, and/or compliance reporting.

Claims

1. A gas-monitoring device transportable by a user within a geographic area to monitor gas emissions within the geographic area, the gas-monitoring device comprising:

a computing component having a display for displaying information to the user and having one or more inputs for receiving input from the user;

an emission-detecting component communicatively coupled with the computing component and configured to sample surrounding air as the gas-monitoring device is moved within the geographic area so as to monitor the gas emissions within the geographic area; and

a location detecting component communicatively coupled with the computing component and configured to determine a geographic location of the gas-monitoring device as the gas-monitoring device is moved within the geographic area;

wherein the computing component is configured to associate the monitored gas emissions with corresponding geographic locations so as to provide gas emissions data for the geographic area.

2. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, further comprising an air sampling instrument having a gas inlet port fluidly coupled with the emission-detecting component so as to provide air to the emission-detecting component for sampling.

3. The gas-monitoring device of claim 2, wherein the air sampling instrument comprises a rod and a gas sampling tube including the gas inlet port, the rod being configured to be grasped at a proximal end by a user, the tube having a proximal end fluidly coupled with the emission-detecting component and a distal end coupled with the rod so that the gas inlet port is positioned near a distal end of the rod.

4. The gas-monitoring device of claim 3, wherein the rod and the gas sampling tube are coupled such that when a distal end of the rod contacts the ground, the gas inlet port is positioned between about 1 inch and about 10 inches above the ground.

5. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, further comprising a communication component configured to communicate with an external device to transmit the gas emissions data to the external device.

6. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the computing component and the location detecting component are components of a handheld device, and wherein the emission-detecting component is a component of a separate device that wirelessly communicates the monitored gas emissions with the handheld device.

7. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the handheld device further comprises a trigger configured to initiate sampling of the surrounding air and determining of the geographic location upon activation.

8. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the emission-detecting component comprises a flame ionization detection device.

9. The gas-monitoring device of claim 8, wherein the emission-detecting component further comprises a metal hydride storage matrix for storing hydrogen gas for the flame ionization detection device.

10. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, further comprising a storage medium for storing the gas emissions data for the geographic area.

11. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, further comprising an analysis component configured to assess a quantity of one or more gases within the sampled air.

12. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the geographic area comprises a landfill.

13. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the gas-monitoring device is moved along a path within the geographic area, the path corresponding to a buried gas pipeline.

20. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the emission-detecting device comprises a flame ionization detection device and a metal hydride storage matrix for storing hydrogen gas for the flame ionization detection device.

14. A system for monitoring gas emissions within a geographic area comprising:

a location detecting device configured to determine a geographic location of the location detecting device as the location detecting device is transported within the geographic area;

an emission-detecting device configured to sample surrounding air as the emission-detecting device is transported within the geographic area so as to detect a quantity of one or more gases; and

a communication device configured to communicate, with an external device, information about the determined geographic locations and the air samples within the geographical area;

wherein each of the air samples are associated with a corresponding geographic location within the geographic area so as to provide gas emissions data for the geographic area.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a computing device configured to associate the air samples with corresponding geographic locations to provide the gas emissions data.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the computing device is located remotely from the geographic area, and wherein the computing device communicates with the communication device to receive the information about the determined geographic locations and the air samples within the geographical area.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the computing device, the location detecting device, and the communication device comprise a single device separate from the emission-detecting device, and wherein the emission-detecting device wirelessly communicates with the communication device.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising an air sampling device having a gas sampling tube fluidly coupled with the emission-detecting device so as to provide air to the emission-detecting device for sampling.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the air sampling device comprises a rod configured to be grasped at a proximal end by a user, the gas sampling tube being coupled with a distal end of the rod so that a gas inlet port of the gas sampling tube is positioned near the distal end of the rod.

21. A method for monitoring gas emissions within a geographic area comprising:

providing a gas-monitoring device configured to be transported within the geographic area to monitor gas emissions;

determining with a location detecting component of the gas-monitoring device, geographic locations of the gas-monitoring device within the geographic area as the gas-monitoring device is moved within the geographic area;

determining with an emission-detecting component of the gas-monitoring device, a quantity of one or more gases in the air for each geographic location as the gas-monitoring device is moved within the geographic area;

associating with a computing component of the gas-monitoring device, the geographic locations with the quantity of one or more gases so as to provide gas emissions data for each geographic location where measurements are taken; and

communicating with a communication component of the gas-monitoring device, the gas emissions data to one or more external devices.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

calibrating the emission-detecting component of the gas-monitoring device comprising;

determining that a reading of the emission-detecting component is within a defined tolerance when subjected to zero air; and

determining that one or more of the following is within a defined tolerance when subjected to a calibration gas;

an accuracy of the emission-detecting component;

a precision of the emission-detecting component;

or

a response time of the emission-detecting component.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining one or more background air sampling conditions of the geographic area, the background air sampling conditions comprising either or both an upwind condition or a downwind condition;

storing the one or more background air sampling conditions of the geographic area on a storage medium of the gas monitoring device; and

communicating the one or more background air sampling conditions with the gas emissions data to the external device.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

displaying a map of the geographic area on a display device of the gas emissions device and either or both;

plotting a path within the geographic area along which the gas emissions device is to be transported;

or

displaying a data point for each geographic location where measurements are taken.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the path along which the gas emissions device is to be transported is received from an external device.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising alerting a user when the quantity of the one or more gases in the air exceeds a defined amount.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising re-sampling an identified geographic location within the geographic area when the quantity of the one or more gases of the identified geographic location exceeds a defined amount, the geographic location being identified by the computing component of the gas-monitoring device.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein communicating the gas emissions data to one or more external devices comprises transmitting the gas emissions data to an owner of the geographic area.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the gas-monitoring device activates the determining a quantity of one or more gases process by determining:

that the gas-monitoring device is located at a defined gas monitoring position;

that a defined amount of time has passed since a previous air sampling;

or

that the gas-monitoring device has crossed a defined boundary of a trajectory along which the gas-monitoring device is moved.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising moving the gas-monitoring device along a path within the geographic area, wherein:

the path corresponds to a buried gas pipeline, or

the geographic area corresponds to a landfill.