Landfill gas extraction constant flow control method and device

• US 6,999,883 B1
• Filed: 07/29/2004
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Marks Family Trust
• Original Assignee: The Marks Family Trust
• Inventors: Brady, John, Marks, Robin, Powell, Greg S.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGHIEM, MICHAEL P
• Application Number:
  US10/710,721
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 702/50
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 1/006 Shafts or wells in waste dumps
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/02 in well heads
• 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: G05D 7/0635 by action on throttling means G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel

Abstract

A control method and apparatus for regulating gas flow from landfill gas wells uses a differential pressure-regulating valve to maintain a set flow through a constant flow wellhead assembly. This wellhead assembly maintains a constant flow from the well despite normal variations in environmental factors affecting gas flow. The wellhead assembly includes a second valve that is used in series with the pressure-regulating valve to adjust the operating conditions of the regulating valve to keep it within its operating range. The pressure-regulating valve configuration allows a simple automatic control to position the valve. Periodic manual sampling of extracted gas and adjustment of the valve conditions is used to adjust for longer-term variations in well conditions.

Claims

1. A method of regulating landfill gas well production flow rate comprising:

a. installing a constant flow control wellhead assembly gas path in a section of piping between each well, or grouping of wells with a single extraction pipe, and a well extraction vacuum source,

b. opening a differential pressure-regulating valve in the wellhead assembly gas path to a nominal position,

c. opening a manual valve in the same wellhead assembly gas path partially,

d. measuring the differential pressure across the differential pressure-regulating valve,

e. adjusting the manual valve position to set the desired differential pressure across the differential pressure-regulating valve,

f. measuring the differential pressure equivalent to the entire flow through the wellhead assembly gas path,

g. adjusting the differential pressure-regulating valve, as needed, to maintain the desired differential pressure equivalent to the entire flow through the wellhead assembly gas path,

h. measuring the gas composition at the wellhead assembly gas path on a periodic basis,

i. re-adjusting the differential pressure-regulating valve position periodically, if needed, using the result of the gas composition measurement to determine the desired direction of adjustment,

j. measuring the adjusted differential pressure across the differential pressure-regulating valve,

k. adjusting the position of the manual valve to obtain the desired differential pressure across the differential pressure-regulating valve,

l. measuring the adjusted differential pressure across the complete wellhead assembly gas path, and

m. adjusting the regulating valve, as needed, to maintain the desired differential pressure across the complete wellhead assembly gas path.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising adjusting the manual valve position to set the differential pressure-across the regulating valve within a range of 1 to 4 inches WC.

3. A landfill gas well extraction control system comprising:

a. means for opening a differential pressure regulating valve in a complete wellhead assembly gas path to a nominal position,

b. means for opening a second valve in the gas path,

c. means for measuring the differential pressure across the differential pressure regulating valve,

d. means for setting the second valve position to obtain the desired differential pressure across the differential pressure-regulating valve,

e. means for measuring the differential pressure equivalent to the entire flow through the complete wellhead assembly gas path,

f. means for maintaining the desired complete wellhead assembly gas path differential pressure at a constant value,

g. means for obtaining a sample for measuring the gas composition on a periodic basis, and

h. means for adjusting, if needed, the differential pressure equivalent to the entire flow through the complete wellhead assembly gas path.

4. A multiplicity of constant flow wellhead assemblies controlling flow through piping for a multiplicity of landfill gas extraction wells that use a common extraction vacuum source, each constant flow wellhead assembly comprising:

a. a differential pressure-regulating valve,

b. a second valve connected to the regulating valve by piping,

c. a piping connection to the vacuum source,

d. a multiplicity of pressure taps arranged such that the taps measure the differential pressure across the differential pressure-regulating valve and measure the differential pressure equivalent to the entire flow through the wellhead assembly,

e. a control circuit providing display capability of the differential pressure between the pressure taps equivalent to the entire flow through the wellhead assembly, and display capability of the differential pressure between the pressure taps equivalent to the differential pressure across the differential pressure-regulating valve, and which positions the differential pressure-regulating valve to maintain a desired flow through the wellhead assembly, and

f. a sample collection port located in the piping such that a sample of the well gas may be obtained.

5. The wellhead assembly of claim 4 further comprising the differential pressure-regulating valve is configured such that at any initial valve position an increment of valve flap motion provides the same change in differential pressure.

6. The wellhead assembly of claim 5 further comprising gas stream temperature is measured upstream of the valves and is provided to the control circuit which closes the pressure-regulating valve in the event of high temperature.

7. The wellhead assembly of claim 6 further comprising the differential pressure equivalent to the entire flow through the wellhead assembly is the difference between the pressure upstream of a flow measurement device and the pressure downstream of a flow measurement device.

8. The wellhead assembly of claim 6 further comprising the differential pressure equivalent to the entire flow through the wellhead assembly is the difference between the pressure upstream of both the pressure-regulating valve and second valve and the pressure downstream of both the pressure-regulating valve and second valve.

9. The wellhead assembly of claim 6 further comprising a battery power supply for the control circuit.

10. A constant flow control wellhead assembly for a landfill gas well extraction system comprising:

a. a manually controlled valve providing an open position, a closed position, and a multiplicity of partially open valve positions,

b. a pressure-regulating valve,

c. a multiplicity of pressure measurement taps in the piping arranged such that two taps may be used to measure the differential pressure across the pressure-regulating valve and such that two taps may be used to measure the differential pressure equivalent to the entire flow through the wellhead assembly,

d. a sample tap such that a sample of the landfill gas passing through the wellhead assembly may be obtained, and

e. a control circuit arranged such that the differential pressure across the pressure-regulating valve may be displayed to set the desired position of the manually controlled valve, and the differential pressure equivalent to the entire flow through the wellhead assembly may be displayed such that it may be used as a control parameter for the pressure-regulating valve.

11. The wellhead assembly of claim 10 further comprising the pressure-regulating valve includes a flow area and a movable flap, the flow area is configured such that at any initial valve position an increment of valve flap motion provides a linear relationship with the change in differential pressure.

12. The wellhead assembly of claim 11 further comprising the pressure-regulating valve having a range of movement from a closed position, that entirely covers the flow area, to a fully open position, that completely uncovers the flow area, and the flap has a straight lower edge, the location of the straight lower edge in the flow area defining the size of the open flow area through which fluid may traverse the valve, and the flow area having an upstream side and a downstream side, and the flow area is configured to provide the linear relationship between the difference in fluid pressure on the upstream side and on the downstream side and the position of the flap between the open and closed positions.

13. The wellhead assembly of claim 12 further comprising the pressure-regulating valve is positioned by a signal generated by the control circuit.

14. The wellhead assembly of claim 13 further comprising gas stream temperature is measured upstream of the pressure-regulating valve and used in the electronic control circuit to close the pressure-regulating valve in the event of high temperature.

15. The wellhead assembly of claim 14 further comprising a battery power supply for the control circuit.

16. The wellhead assembly of claim 15 further comprising the differential pressure-regulating valve is directly connected to the vacuum source and the manually controlled valve is upstream of the pressure-regulating valve.

17. The wellhead assembly of claim 16 further comprising the differential pressure equivalent to the entire flow through the wellhead assembly is the difference between the pressure upstream of a flow measurement device and the pressure downstream of a flow measurement device.

18. The wellhead assembly of claim 17 further comprising the differential pressure equivalent to the entire flow through the wellhead assembly is the difference between the pressure upstream of both the manually controlled valve and pressure-regulating valve and the pressure downstream of both the manually controlled valve and pressure-regulating valve.