DESIGNS FOR ENHANCED RELIABILITY AND CALIBRATION OF LANDFILL GAS MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL DEVICES

• US 20170254196A1
• Filed: 04/04/2017
• Published: 09/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Loci Controls, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Peter Quigley
• Inventors: Campanella, Andrew, Martin, Ian, Michels, Joseph G., Pallo, Nathan, Quigley, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 11,067,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 1/006 Shafts or wells in waste dumps
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 3/80 involving an extraction step
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/00 Heating, cooling or insulating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for use in permafrost zones
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/003 Insulating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/06 Measuring temperature or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/07 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/08 Obtaining fluid samples or testing fluids, in boreholes or wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/0875 determining specific fluid parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2294 Sampling soil gases or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0006 Calibrating gas analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0036 specially adapted to detect a particular component physical analysis of gaseous biological material G01N33/497
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/004 CO or CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/20 of methane
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/20 Waste processing or separation

Abstract

An apparatus for sampling landfill gas from a landfill flowing through a pipe. The apparatus may comprise: an enclosure configured to receive a section of the pipe; a gas sampling port in the section of the pipe; at least one sensor device disposed in a region of the enclosure, the at least one sensor being coupled to the section of the pipe through the gas sampling port; and thermal insulation positioned to retain heat from the section of the pipe in the region of the enclosure. A method of operating a landfill gas recovery system. The method may comprise: flowing gas from a well riser pipe through a sampling subsystem to a collection system; and heating a portion of the sampling subsystem with the gas flowing from the well riser pipe to the collection system.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sampling landfill gas flowing through a pipe, the apparatus comprising:

an enclosure configured to receive a section of the pipe, the section of the pipe having at least one gas sampling port;

at least one sensor device disposed in a region of the enclosure, the at least one sensor device being coupled to the section of the pipe through a gas sampling port of the at least one gas sampling port; and

a wireless transmitter configured to transmit data from the at least one sensor device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises an hermetic seal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

thermal insulation positioned to retain heat from the section of the pipe.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

at least one thermal conductivity component configured for enhancing a thermal conductivity of the section of the pipe.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the thermal conductivity component comprises a corrosion resistant metal heat sink.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

at least one active heating element configured to emit heat within the enclosure; and

at least one controller configured to control the at least one active heating element.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises:

a sensor configured to measure flow of the landfill gas through the pipe and a sensor configured to measure characteristics of the gas.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises:

a sensor configured to measure humidity of the landfill gas.

9. An apparatus for sampling landfill gas from flowing through a pipe, the apparatus comprising:

a sampling subsystem comprising;

a gas inlet port and a gas outlet port;

a region configured to receive a section of the pipe, the section of the pipe having a gas sampling port;

a thermoelectric condenser;

at least one sensor coupled to the gas outlet port; and

a gas flow passage from the gas inlet port, over the at least one sensor, and to the gas outlet port, the gas flow passage passing adjacent to and in thermal contact with the thermoelectric condenser.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the thermoelectric condenser comprises at least one channel at a surface of a block.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the thermoelectric condenser is covered by at least one chilled plate, and

the at least one channel is configured to direct the landfill gas across the at least one chilled plate.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

an enclosure, wherein the at least one gas sensor is disposed in a region of the enclosure and coupled to the section of the pipe through the gas sampling port; and

thermal insulation positioned to retain heat from the section of the pipe in the region of the enclosure.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the sampling subsystem comprises an orifice block and a filter for at least one of a particulate and a corrosive gas, and

the gas flow passage comprises at least one fluid knock-out.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises a pressure sensor and a sensor configured to measure an amount of gas of a predetermined type.

15. An apparatus for sampling landfill gas flowing through a pipe, the apparatus comprising:

an orifice block comprising;

a gas inlet port and a gas outlet port;

a region configured to receive a section of the pipe, the section of the pipe having a gas sampling port; and

a gas flow passage from the gas inlet port to the gas outlet port, the gas flow passage comprising at least one fluid knock-out; and

a filter for at least one of a particulate and/or a corrosive gas.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

at least one end of the pipe includes a shape configured to couple with a well riser pipe, a well head, a vacuum hose, and/or an elastomeric reducing coupling.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the at least one fluid knock-out is configured to separate at least one fluid from the landfill gas and comprises a vessel having a first cross-sectional area larger than a second cross-sectional area of the gas inlet port and/or a third cross-sectional area of the gas outlet port.

18. A method of operating a landfill gas recovery system, the method comprising:

flowing gas from a well riser pipe through a sampling subsystem to a collection system; and

heating a portion of the sampling subsystem with the gas flowing from the well riser pipe to the collection system.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

passing a sample of the flowing gas into the sampling subsystem; and

extracting moisture from the sample of the flowing gas using a thermoelectric condenser.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein heating the portion of the sampling subsystem comprises:

heating at least a battery and an actuator to a temperature above freezing when the portion of the sampling subsystem is in an environment at a temperature below freezing.