Landfill gas surface monitor and methods

• US 9,435,782 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2012
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Lenz, Elmar H., Fossey, Ken W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Toatley, Gregory J
• Assistant Examiner(s): DALBO, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US13/353,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20120191349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,693 Days
• Field of Search: 702/24
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0075 for multiple spatially distributed sensors, e.g. for environmental monitoring

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide systems, devices, and method for monitoring gas emissions within a geographic area. A method for monitoring gas emissions may include providing a gas-monitoring device configured to be moved within the geographic area. The method may also include determining geographic locations of the device as the device is moved within the geographic area, determining a quantity of one or more gases in the air as the device is moved within the geographic area, and associating the geographic locations with the quantity of gases to provide gas emissions data for the geographic area. The gas emissions data may be communicated to one or more external devices, sources, and/or systems for analysis, documentation, and/or compliance reporting.

Claims

1. A gas-monitoring device transportable by a user within a geographic area to monitor gas emissions within the geographic area, the gas-monitoring device comprising:

a handheld computing component having;

a display for displaying information to the user;

one or more inputs for receiving input from the user; and

a location detecting component configured to determine a geographic location of the gas-monitoring device as the gas-monitoring device is moved within the geographic area; and

an emission-detecting component separate from the handheld computing component and wirelessly coupled therewith so as to communicate information to the handheld computing component, the emission-detecting component being configured to sample surrounding air in a first mode of operation as the gas-monitoring device is moved along a predetermined path within the geographic area so as to monitor the gas emissions within the geographic area, wherein the predetermined path is a path for walking;

wherein the handheld computing component further comprises a mode changing component that, upon actuation, initiates sampling of the surrounding air via the emission-detecting component in a second mode of operation for diverting from the predetermined path and determining of the geographic location via the location detecting component;

wherein the handheld computing component is configured to plot the predetermined path on the display for a user to follow during emission detection; and

wherein the handheld computing component is configured to associate monitored gas emissions information wirelessly received from the emission-detecting component with corresponding geographic location information provided by the location detecting component so as to provide gas emissions data for the geographic area.

2. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the emission-detecting component further includes an air sampling instrument having a gas inlet port fluidly coupled with the emission-detecting component so as to provide air to the emission-detecting component for sampling.

3. The gas-monitoring device of claim 2, wherein the air sampling instrument comprises a rod and a gas sampling tube including the gas inlet port, the rod being configured to be grasped at a proximal end by a user, the tube having a proximal end fluidly coupled with the emission-detecting component and a distal end coupled with the rod so that the gas inlet port is positioned near a distal end of the rod.

4. The gas-monitoring device of claim 3, wherein the gas sampling tube is coupled with the rod such that when a distal end of the rod contacts the ground, the gas inlet port is positioned between 2 and 4 inches above the ground.

5. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the handheld computing device further includes a communication component configured to communicate with an external device to transmit the gas emissions data to the external device.

6. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein actuation of a trigger causes the emission-detecting component to perform air sampling at regular intervals.

7. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the emission-detecting component comprises a flame ionization detection device.

8. The gas-monitoring device of claim 7, wherein the emission-detecting component further comprises a metal hydride storage matrix for storing hydrogen gas for the flame ionization detection device.

9. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the handheld computing component further comprises a storage medium for storing the gas emissions data for the geographic area.

10. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the handheld computing component further comprises an analysis component configured to assess a quantity of one or more gases within the sampled air.

11. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the geographic area comprises a landfill.

12. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the gas-monitoring device is moved along the path within the geographic area, the path corresponding to a buried gas pipeline.

13. The gas-monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the handheld computing component is configured to provide instructions to the user of a speed the user is to travel on the predetermined path for measuring one or more gases in the air.

14. A system for monitoring gas emissions within a geographic area comprising:

a handheld device having;

a location detecting component configured to determine a geographic location of the handheld device as the handheld device is transported within the geographic area;

a display for displaying a map of the geographic area to a user; and

a communication component configured to communicate, with an external device, information about the determined geographic locations and air samples measured within the geographical area; and

an emission-detecting device separate from the handheld device and wirelessly coupled therewith so as to communicate information to the handheld device, the emission-detecting device being configured to sample surrounding air in a first mode of operation as the emission-detecting device and handheld device are transported within the geographic area along a predetermined path so as to detect a quantity of one or more gases;

wherein the handheld device further comprises a mode changing component that, upon actuation, initiates sampling of the surrounding air via the emission-detecting device in a second mode of operation for diverting from the predetermined path and determining of the geographic location via the location detecting component;

wherein the handheld device is configured to plot the predetermined path for the user to follow;

wherein the handheld device is configured to provide instructions to the user of a speed the user is to travel on the predetermined path for measuring one or more gases in the air; and

wherein each of the air samples are associated with a corresponding geographic location within the geographic area so as to provide gas emissions data for the geographic area.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a computing device configured to associate the air samples with corresponding geographic locations to provide the gas emissions data.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the computing device is located remotely from the geographic area, and wherein the computing device communicates with the communication device to receive the information about the determined geographic locations and the air samples within the geographical area.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the handheld device includes the computing device, and wherein the emission-detecting device wirelessly communicates emissions data with the communication device.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the emission-detecting device further comprises an air sampling device having a gas sampling tube fluidly coupled with the emission-detecting device so as to provide air to the emission-detecting device for sampling.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the air sampling device comprises a rod configured to be grasped at a proximal end by a user, the gas sampling tube being coupled with a distal end of the rod so that a gas inlet port of the gas sampling tube is positioned near the distal end of the rod.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the emission-detecting device comprises a flame ionization detection device and a metal hydride storage matrix for storing hydrogen gas for the flame ionization detection device.

21. A method for monitoring gas emissions within a geographic area comprising:

providing a gas-monitoring device configured to be transported within the geographic area to monitor gas emissions, the gas monitoring device having a location detecting component and a emission-detecting component having a plurality of modes of operation;

displaying a map of the geographic area on a display device;

plotting, on the display device, a path within the geographic area along which the gas emissions device is to be transported, wherein the path is a path for walking;

determining with the location detecting component, geographic locations of the gas-monitoring device within the geographic area as the gas-monitoring device is moved within the geographic area;

with the emission-detecting component in a first mode of operation, measuring a quantity of one or more gases in the air for each geographic location as the gas-monitoring device is moved within the geographic area, wherein the first mode of operation is used along the path within the geographic area;

with the emission-detecting component in a second mode of operation, obtaining enhanced measurements of the one or more gases in the air within one or more areas of concern within the geographic area, wherein the second mode of operation is used while diverting from the path within the geographic area;

associating with a computing component of the gas-monitoring device, the geographic locations with the quantity of one or more gases so as to provide gas emissions data for each geographic location where measurements are taken; and

communicating with a communication component of the gas-monitoring device, the gas emissions data to one or more external devices.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

calibrating the emission-detecting component of the gas-monitoring device comprising;

determining that a reading of the emission-detecting component is within a defined tolerance when subjected to zero air; and

determining that one or more of the following is within a defined tolerance when subjected to a calibration gas;

an accuracy of the emission-detecting component;

a precision of the emission-detecting component;

or

a response time of the emission-detecting component.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining one or more background air sampling conditions of the geographic area, the background air sampling conditions comprising either or both an upwind condition or a downwind condition;

storing the one or more background air sampling conditions of the geographic area on a storage medium of the gas monitoring device; and

communicating the one or more background air sampling conditions with the gas emissions data to the external device.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the path along which the gas emissions device is to be transported is received from an external device.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising alerting a user when the quantity of the one or more gases in the air exceeds a defined amount.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising storing a first set of gas emissions data for the data measured with the emission-detecting component in the first mode of operation and storing a second set of gas emissions data separate from the first set of emissions data for the data measured with the emission-detecting component in the second mode of operation.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein communicating the gas emissions data to one or more external devices comprises transmitting the gas emissions data to an owner of the geographic area.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the gas-monitoring device activates the measuring a quantity of one or more gases process by determining:

that the gas-monitoring device is located at a defined gas monitoring position;

that the gas-monitoring device has crossed a defined boundary of a trajectory along which the gas-monitoring device is moved.

29. The method of claim 21, further comprising moving the gas-monitoring device along the path within the geographic area, wherein:

the path corresponds to a buried gas pipeline, or

the geographic area corresponds to a landfill.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the first mode of operation collects samples at a first rate;

the second mode of operation collects samples at a second rate; and

the first rate is different from the second rate.