Fugitive emissions monitoring system including integrated fugitive emissions analyzer and source identifier

• US 5,206,818 A
• Filed: 09/19/1991
• Issued: 04/27/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Speranza, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROSKOS, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US07/762,194
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 73/23.2, 73/31.01, 73/40, 73/40.5 R, 364/550, 364/496
• US Class Current: 702/24
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/205 Accessories or associated equipment; Pump constructions
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2273 Atmospheric sampling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0009 General constructional details of gas analysers, e.g. portable test equipment devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state G01N1/22

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and system for monitoring fugitive emissions in a multi-source fugitive emission environment. The system includes machine readable elements (as bar code) at each fugitive emissions source. These machine readable elements are for identifying the source. The system also has a portable monitor that includes a reader, a detector, and storage. Specifically, the reader reads the machine readable element and generates a machine storable source identification signal corresponding to the element. The detector generates a second machine storable signal. This signal represents the amount or other attribute of fugitive emissions from the fugitive emissions source. Finally, the portable monitor includes storage for storing the source identification signals and the fugitive emissions signals. The portable monitor is used in conjunction with or may even include a computer. The computer stores identification signals and the fugitive emissions signals and tracks the amount of fugitive emissions by source.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring fugitive volatile organic emissions in an environment having a plurality of fugitive volatile organic emission sources and comprising:

a. unique machine readable bar code means at each fugitive volatile organic emissions source for identifying the source;

b. portable monitoring means including;

(1). reader means, responsive to said unique machine readable bar code means, for reading the machine readable bar code means and generating a machine storable source identification signal responsive thereto;

(2). organic vapor analyzer detection means for generating a machine storable fugitive volatile organic emissions signal representing the chemical identity and concentration of said fugitive volatile organic emissions from said fugitive volatile organic emissions source; and

(3). means for storing said source identification signal and said fugitive volatile organic emissions signal; and

c. computer means including a database management system responsive to said stored source identification signal and said fugitive volatile organic emissions signal, said database management system having means for storing, sorting, tracking and comparing the instantaneous and total amounts of fugitive volatile organic emissions by source, commodity, source parameters including pressure and temperature, and time, and reporting fugitive volatile organic emissions across commodities, by source, across sources for a given time, and b y time series for a given source or sources.

2. A system for monitoring fugitive volatile organic emissions in an industrial complex having a plurality of fugitive volatile organic emission sources and comprising:

a. unique machine readable bar code means at each fugitive volatile organic emissions source for identifying the source;

b. portable monitoring means including;

(1). reader means, responsive to said unique machine readable bar code means, for reading the machine readable bar code means and generating a machine storable source identification signal responsive thereto;

(2). organic vapor analyzer detection means for generating a machine storable fugitive volatile organic emissions signal representing the chemical identity and concentration of said fugitive volatile organic emissions from said fugitive volatile organic emissions source; and

(3). means for storing said source identification signal and said fugitive volatile organic emissions signal; and

c. computer means including a database management system responsive to said stored source identification signal and said fugitive volatile organic emissions signal, said database management system having means for storing, sorting, tracking and comparing the instantaneous and total amounts of fugitive volatile organic emissions by source, commodity, source parameters including pressure and temperature, and time, and reporting fugitive volatile organic emissions across commodities, by source, across sources for a given time, and by time series for a given source or sources, said database management system further including means to relate individual barcodes to specific hardware, the locations of the specific hardware within the industrial complex, and the maintenance and construction history of the specific hardware.

3. A method for monitoring and reporting fugitive volatile organic emissions in an industrial complex, said industrial complex comprising:

a. a plurality of fugitive volatile organic emission sources, at least some of said sources having a unique machine readable bar code means for uniquely identifying the source;

b. portable monitoring means including;

(1). reader means, responsive to said unique machine readable bar code means, for reading the machine readable bar code means and generating a machine storable source identification signal responsive thereto;

(2). organic vapor analyzer detection means for generating a machine storable fugitive volatile organic emissions signal representing the chemical identity and concentration of said fugitive volatile organic emissions from said fugitive volatile organic emissions source; and

(3). data logger means for storing said source identification signal and said fugitive volatile organic emissions signal; and

c. computer means including a database management system responsive to said stored source identification signal and said fugitive volatile organic emissions signal, said database management system having means for storing, sorting, tracking and comparing the instantaneous and total amounts of fugitive volatile organic emissions by source, commodity, source parameters including pressure and temperature, and time, and reporting fugitive volatile organic emissions across commodities, by source, across sources for a given time, and by time series for a given source or sources, said database management system further including means to relate individual barcodes to specific hardware, the locations of the specific hardware within the industrial complex, and the maintenance and construction history of the specific hardware;

said method comprising the steps of;

a. reading the machine readable bar code means at a source and generating a machine storable source identification signal responsive thereto whereby said source is uniquely identified;

b. sampling the volatile organic vapors in the immediate vicinity of said source with the organic vapor analyzer detection means, generating a machine storable fugitive volatile organic emissions signal representing the chemical identity and concentration of said fugitive volatile organic emissions from said fugitive volatile organic emissions source;

c. storing in the data logger said source identification signal and said fugitive volatile organic emissions signal;

d. uploading the stored signals corresponding to the barcode source identification signal and said fugitive volatile organic emissions signal from the data logger to the computer means including a database management system; and

e. reporting fugitive volatile organic emissions across commodities, by source, across sources for a given time, time series for a given source or sources, and location, maintenance history, and construction history of a given source within the industrial complex.