Fugitive emissions detection system and components thereof

• US 6,530,259 B1
• Filed: 03/27/2000
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elizaberth Jordan Trust, Elizabeth Jordan, Scott Berglund
• Original Assignee: Fedd Sysytems, Inc.
• Inventors: Kelly, Michael S., Lawson, Rick A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): WIGGINS, JOHN DAVID
• Application Number:
  US09/536,486
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 73/232, 73/46, 73/40, 73/492, 73/310.5, 73/405.R, 73/310.6, 340/605
• US Class Current: 73/23.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/042 by using materials which expand, contract, disintegrate, or decompose in contact with a fluid G01M3/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/045 with electrical detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/184 for valves
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/185 for welds

Abstract

The present invention relates to detection and alarm systems for predicting and detecting the location of spills, leaks, emissions, and/or pollution sources, i.e., unwanted fluid (liquid/gas) flow/escape, at refineries, e.g., oil and gas refineries, and plants, e.g., petrochemical, chemical, pharmaceutical, and food processing plants, and avoiding said unwanted flow/escape. According to one embodiment, said system comprises at least one detector, at least one battery powered radio frequency transmitter, preferably, according to one embodiment, a 900 megahertz spread spectrum transmitter, and a central processing location which, according to one embodiment is preferably capable of handling up to 3000 points in a single cell site.

Claims

1. A detection and alarm system for predicting and detecting the location of spills, leaks, emissions and/or pollution sources at refineries or plants, said system comprising:

at least one detector operable when a voltage is applied thereto;

at least one battery powered radio frequency transmitter in electrical communication with the at least one detector to receive signals from the at least one detector responsive ,to the prediction or detection of the location of said spills, leaks, emissions, and/or pollution sources, said transmitter capable of transmitting signals to a central processing location; and

a central processing location for receiving signals from said at least one transmitter, wherein the central processing location comprises a system capable of handling up to 3000. points in a single cell site.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one detector is a pressure detector.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one detector is a temperature detector.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one detector is a level detector.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one detector is an emissions detector.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a detector selected from the group of detectors consisting of pressure, temperature, level, and emissions detectors.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter is a 900 megahertz spread spectrum transmitter.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter further transmits a low battery transmission signal.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the detector detects level.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the refinery is an oil or gas refinery.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the plant is selected from the group of plants consisting of petrochemical, chemical, pharmaceutical and food processing plants.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the transmitter is a 900 megahertz spread spectrum transmitter.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the detector detects pressure.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the detector detects temperature.

15. The system of claim 8 wherein the detector detects emissions.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the detector is an adsorption detector.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the adsorption detector comprises a substrate, electrode elements, adsorbent particles, and optically non-adsorbent particles.

18. The system of claim 16 further comprising at least one detector to detect temperature.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising at least one detector to detect pressure.

20. The system of claim 15 further comprising at least one non-pressure containing enclosure for either a valve-stuffing box or a pipe flange.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein the plant is a pharmaceutical plant and the detector detects temperature.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the transmitter is a 900 megahertz spread spectrum transmitter.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the detector is located near a valve, said valve being in communication with a pipe in said plant.

24. The system of claim 8 wherein the transmitter has its own predetermined programmed identification code and transmits a signal on a predetermined time interval.

25. The system of claim 8 wherein the plant is a pharmaceutical plant and the detector detects temperature.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the transmitter is a 900 megahertz spread spectrum transmitter.

27. The system of claim 8 wherein the plant is a pharmaceutical plant and the detector detects pressure.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the transmitter is a 900 megahertz spread spectrum transmitter.

29. The system of claim 25 wherein the transmitter has its own predetermined programmed identification code and transmits a status report on a predetermined time interval.

30. The system of claim 24 wherein the plant is a chemical plant and the at least one detector detects emissions, and further comprising at least one other detector for detecting level or pressure.

31. The system of claim 24 wherein the plant is a pharmaceutical plant and the detector detects level.

32. The system of claim 24 wherein the plant is a pharmaceutical plant and the detector detects emissions.

33. The system of claim 24 wherein the plant is a food processing plant and the detector detects temperature.

34. The system of claim 24 wherein the plant is a food processing plant and the detector detects level.

35. The system of claim 24 wherein the plant is a food processing plant and the detector detects pressure.

36. The system of claim 24 wherein the plant is a food processing plant and the detector detects emissions.

37. The system of claim 24 wherein the plant is a pharmaceutical plant, the at least one detector detects temperature, and said system further comprises at least one detector to detect pressure.

38. The system of claim 9 wherein the detector is located on an enclosure enclosing a material selected from the group consisting of oil, gas, chemicals, petrochemicals, and food.

39. The system of claim 37 wherein the at least one detector is located near a valve, said valve being in communication with a pipe in said plant.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein the transmitter is a 900 megahertz spread spectrum transmitter.

41. The system of claim 14 wherein the plant is a pharmaceutical plant and the detector detects pressure.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the transmitter is a 900 megahertz spread spectrum transmitter.

43. The system of claim 1 wherein the detector detects level and is located on an enclosure enclosing a material selected from the group consisting of oil, gas, chemicals, petrochemicals, and food.

44. A detection and alarm system for predicting and detecting the location of spills, leaks, emissions, and/or pollution sources at refineries or plants, said system comprising:

at least one detector operable when a voltage is applied thereto;

at least one battery powered 900 megahertz spread spectrum radio frequency transmitter in electrical communication with the at least one detector to receive output signals from the at least one detector relating to the prediction or detection of the location of said spills, leaks, emissions and/or sources, said transmitter capable of transmitting to a remote location; and

a central processing location for receiving signals from said at least one transmitter.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the at least one detector is a pressure detector.

46. The system of claim 44 wherein the at least one detector is a level detector.

47. The system of claim 44 wherein the at least one detector is a temperature detector.

48. The system of claim 44 wherein the at least one detector is an emissions detector.

49. The system of claim 44 wherein the detector is selected from the group consisting of pressure, level, temperature, and emissions detectors.

50. The system of claim 44 further comprising at least one detector selected from the group consisting of pressure, level, temperature, and emissions detectors.

51. The system of claim 44 wherein the transmitter further transmits a low battery transmission signal.

52. The system of claim 51 wherein the detector detects level.

53. The system of claim 51 wherein the refinery is an oil or gas refinery.

54. The system of claim 51 wherein the plant is selected from the group of plants consisting of petrochemical, chemical, pharmaceutical and food processing plants.

55. The system of claim 51 wherein the detector detects pressure.

56. The system of claim 51 wherein the detector detects temperature.

57. The system of claim 51 wherein the detector detects emissions.

58. The system of claim 51 wherein the transmitter has its own predetermined programmed identification code and transmits a signal on a predetermined time interval.

59. The system of claim 51 wherein the plant is a pharmaceutical plant and the detector detects temperature.

60. The system of claim 51 wherein the plant is a pharmaceutical plant and the detector detects pressure.

61. The system of claim 59 wherein the transmitter has its own predetermined programmed identification code and transmits a signal on a predetermined time interval.

62. The system of claim 58 wherein the plant is a chemical plant, the at least one detector detects emissions, and further comprising at least one other detector to detect level or pressure.

63. The system of claim 58 wherein the plant is a pharmaceutical plant and the detector detects level.

64. The system of claim 58 wherein the plant is a pharmaceutical plant and the detector detects emissions.

65. The system of claim 58 wherein the plant is a food processing plant and the detector detects temperature.

66. The system of claim 58 wherein the plant is a food processing plant and the detector detects level.

67. The system of claim 58 wherein the plant is a food processing plant and the detector detects pressure.

68. The system of claim 58 wherein the plant is a food processing plant and the detector detects emissions.

69. The system of claim 58 wherein the plant is a pharmaceutical plant, the at least one detector detects temperature, and said system further comprises at least one other detector to detect pressure.

70. The system of claim 52 wherein the detector is located on an enclosure enclosing a material selected from the group consisting of oil, gas, chemicals, petrochemicals, and food.

71. The system of claim 69 wherein the detector detecting temperature is located near a valve, said valve being in communication with a pipe in said plant.

72. The system of claim 57 wherein the detector is an adsorption detector.

73. The system of claim 72 wherein the adsorption detector comprises a substrate, electrode elements, adsorbent particles and optically non-adsorbent particles.

74. The system of claim 72 further comprising at least one detector to detect temperature.

75. The system of claim 74 further comprising at least one detector to detect pressure.

76. The system of claim 57 further comprising at least one non-pressure containing enclosure for either a valve-stuffing box or a pipe flange.

77. The system of claim 58 wherein the at least one detector detects pressure.

78. The system of claim 77 further comprising at least one detector to detect temperature and a transmitter in communication with said detector.

79. The system of claim 78 further comprising at least one detector to detect level and at least one transmitter in communication with said detector.

80. The system of claim 79 further comprising at least one detector to detector emissions and a transmitter in communication with said detector.

81. The system of claim 58 wherein the plant is a food processing plant and the at least one detector detects temperature and said system further comprises at least one other detector to detect level or pressure.

82. The system of claim 81 wherein at least one of the detectors for detecting level or pressure are in communication with at least one transmitter.

83. The system of claim 69 wherein the at least one other detector to detect pressure is in communication with a transmitter.

84. The system of claim 78 wherein the plant is a pharmaceutical plant.

85. The system of claim 72 further comprising at least one non-pressure containing enclosure for either a valve stuffing box or a pipe flange.

86. The system of claim 58 wherein the plant is a pharmaceutical plant, the at least one detector detects temperature, and said detector is located near a valve in communication with a pipe in said plant.

87. The system of claim 86 further comprising at least one other detector to detect pressure.

88. The system of claim 87 wherein the at least one other detector to detect pressure is in communication with a transmitter.

89. The system of claim 58 wherein the at least one detector detects temperature, said detector located on an enclosure enclosing a material selected from the group consisting of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and food.

90. The system of claim 89 further comprising a detector to detect pressure.

91. The system of claim 90 wherein the detector to detect pressure is in communication with at least one transmitter.

92. The system of claim 44 wherein the plant is a pharmaceutical plant and the detector detects temperature.

93. The system of claim 92 wherein the detector is located near a valve, said valve being in communication with a pipe in said plant.

94. The system of claim 44 wherein the plant is a pharmaceutical plant and the detector detects pressure.

95. The system of claim 44 wherein the detector detects level and said detector is located on an enclosure enclosing a material selected from the group consisting of oil, gas, chemicals, petrochemicals, and food.

96. The system of claim 44 wherein the at least one detector detects temperature, said detector located on an enclosure enclosing a material selected from the group consisting of chemicals, pharmaceuticals and food.

97. The system of claim 96 further comprising at least one other detector to detect pressure.

98. The system of claim 97 wherein the detector to detect pressure is in communication with at least one transmitter.