LANDFILL GAS EXTRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20190277821A1
• Filed: 03/01/2019
• Published: 09/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Loci Controls, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Loci Controls, Inc.
• Inventors: Quigley, Peter, Martin, Ian, Michels, Joseph G., Sims, Melinda
• Granted Patent: US 10,946,420 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 1/00 Dumping solid waste
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 1/006 Shafts or wells in waste dumps
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/12 Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2294 Sampling soil gases or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0016 by regulating a physical variable, e.g. pressure, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/22 non-flexible
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/30 Landfill technologies aiming to mitigate methane emissions

Abstract

A control system for controlling extraction of landfill gas from a landfill via a gas extraction system comprising well piping, the landfill gas having a first temperature when extracted, the control system comprising: a gas composition chamber coupled to the well piping and comprising at least one sensor configured to measure one or more characteristics of a landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber; a temperature control mechanism configured to heat the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber to a second temperature at least a threshold amount greater than the first temperature; and a controller configured to control the at least one sensor to measure the one or more characteristics of the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber when a temperature of the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber is at least the threshold amount greater than the first temperature.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling extraction of landfill gas from a landfill via a gas extraction system, the landfill gas having a first temperature when extracted, 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:

a gas composition chamber coupled to the well piping and comprising at least one sensor configured to measure one or more characteristics of a landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber;

a temperature control mechanism configured to heat the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber to a second temperature at least a threshold amount greater than the first temperature; and

a controller configured to control the at least one sensor to measure the one or more characteristics of the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber when a temperature of the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber is at least the threshold amount greater than the first temperature.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the second temperature is at least one degree Celsius greater than the first temperature of the landfill gas.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to maintain the temperature of the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber at a constant temperature greater than or equal to the second temperature.

4. The control system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to maintain the temperature of the landfill gas at 55 degrees Celsius.

5. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the gas composition chamber further comprises a first temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber.

6. The control system of claim 5, further comprising a second temperature sensor configured to measure the first temperature, the second temperature sensor being different from the first temperature sensor.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the temperature control mechanism comprises a heating element.

8. The control system of claim 7, wherein the heating element comprises a resistive surface configured to generate heat as a result of electrical current flowing through the resistive surface.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein the gas composition chamber comprises a conductive material.

10. The control system of claim 1, wherein the gas composition chamber comprises an insulation material.

11. A method for controlling extraction of landfill gas from a landfill through a gas extraction system, wherein the landfill gas has a first temperature when extracted, the method comprising:

obtaining a sample of landfill gas in a gas composition chamber;

heating the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber to a second temperature at least a threshold amount greater than the first temperature; and

controlling at least one sensor to measure one or more characteristics of the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber when a temperature of the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber is at least the threshold amount greater than the first temperature.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the gas extraction system comprises at least one flow control mechanism, and the method further comprises controlling the at least one flow control mechanism based on the measured one or more characteristics of the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the second temperature is at least one degree Celsius greater than the first temperature.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising maintaining the temperature of the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber at a constant temperature greater than or equal to the second temperature.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising maintaining the temperature of the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber at 55 degrees Celsius.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein measuring the one or more characteristics of the landfill gas sample comprises measuring a concentration of methane in the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber.

17. The method of claim 11, comprising heating the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber by heating a surface of the gas composition chamber.

18. 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:

a gas composition chamber coupled to the well piping and comprising at least one sensor configured to measure one or more characteristics of a landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber;

a temperature control mechanism configured to maintain a temperature of the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber at a first temperature; and

a controller configured to control the at least one sensor to measure the one or more characteristics of the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber when the temperature of the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber is at the first temperature.

19. The control system of claim 18, wherein the first temperature is greater than a temperature of the landfill gas when extracted from the landfill.

20. The control system of claim 18, wherein the first temperature is approximately equal to a temperature of the landfill gas when extracted from the landfill.