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 well piping and configured to control flow of the landfill gas through the well piping; and
at least one processor configured to perform;
obtaining, based on at least one first measurement obtained using the at least one sensor, a first measure of energy content in a first portion of extracted landfill gas;
controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase a flow rate of landfill gas being extracted from the landfill;
after the controlling, obtaining, based on at least one second measurement obtained using the at least one sensor, a second measure of energy content in a second portion of extracted landfill gas;
determining whether the second measure of energy content is greater than the first measure of energy content;
when it is determined that the second measure of energy content is greater than the first measure of energy content, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase the flow rate of landfill gas being extracted from the landfill; and
when it is determined that the second measure of energy content is less than the first measure of energy content, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to decrease the flow rate of landfill gas being extracted from the landfill.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A control system for controlling extraction of landfill gas, the system comprising: at least one sensor; at least one flow control mechanism; and at least one processor configured to perform: obtaining a first measure of energy content in a first portion of landfill gas; controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase a flow rate of landfill gas; after the controlling, obtaining a second measure of energy content in a second portion of landfill gas; when it is determined that the second measure of energy content is greater than the first measure of energy content, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase the flow rate of landfill gas; and when it is determined that the second measure of energy content is less than the first measure of energy content, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to decrease the flow rate of landfill gas.
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Citations
22 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 well piping and configured to control flow of the landfill gas through the well piping; and at least one processor configured to perform; obtaining, based on at least one first measurement obtained using the at least one sensor, a first measure of energy content in a first portion of extracted landfill gas; controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase a flow rate of landfill gas being extracted from the landfill; after the controlling, obtaining, based on at least one second measurement obtained using the at least one sensor, a second measure of energy content in a second portion of extracted landfill gas; determining whether the second measure of energy content is greater than the first measure of energy content; when it is determined that the second measure of energy content is greater than the first measure of energy content, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase the flow rate of landfill gas being extracted from the landfill; and when it is determined that the second measure of energy content is less than the first measure of energy content, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to decrease the flow rate of landfill gas being extracted from the landfill. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus 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, at least one flow control mechanism being coupled to the well piping and configured to control flow of landfill gas through the well piping, the apparatus comprising:
at least one processor configured to perform; obtaining, based on at least one first measurement obtained using at least one sensor, a first measure of energy content in a first portion of extracted landfill gas; controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase a flow rate of landfill gas being extracted from the landfill; after the controlling, obtaining, based on at least one second measurement obtained using the at least one sensor, a second measure of energy content in a second portion of extracted landfill gas; determining whether the second measure of energy content is greater than the first measure of energy content; when it is determined that the second measure of energy content is greater than the first measure of energy content, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase the flow rate of landfill gas being extracted from the landfill; and when it is determined that the second measure of energy content is less than the first measure of energy content, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to decrease the flow rate of landfill gas being extracted from the landfill. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for controlling extraction of landfill gas from a landfill via a control system, the control system comprising at least one sensor and at least one flow control mechanism configured to control flow of landfill gas through well piping in a gas extraction system, the method comprising:
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obtaining, using the at least one sensor, a first measure of energy content in a first portion of extracted landfill gas; controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase a flow rate of landfill gas being extracted from the landfill; after the controlling, obtaining, using the at least one sensor, a second measure of energy content in a second portion of extracted landfill gas; determining whether the second measure of energy content is greater than the first measure of energy content; when it is determined that the second measure of energy content is greater than the first measure of energy content, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to increase the flow rate of landfill gas being extracted from the landfill; and when it is determined that the second measure of energy content is less than the first measure of energy content, controlling the at least one flow control mechanism to decrease the flow rate of landfill gas being extracted from the landfill. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification