# US 2017/0254196 A1 · Designs for enhanced reliability and calibration of landfill gas measurement and control devices

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- Number: US 2017/0254196 A1
- Document ID: US20170254196A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/478,583
- Filed: 2017-04-04
- Published: 2017-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-01
- Assignees: Loci Controls, Inc.
- Inventors: Andrew Campanella; Ian Martin; Joseph G. Michels; Nathan Pallo; Peter Quigley
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170254196A1

## CPC

- G01N 33/0006: {Calibrating gas analysers}
- B09B 1/006: {Shafts or wells in waste dumps}
- B09B 3/80: involving an extraction step
- E21B 36/00: Heating, cooling or insulating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for use in permafrost zones
- E21B 36/003: {Insulating arrangements}
- E21B 47/06: Measuring temperature or pressure
- E21B 49/08: Obtaining fluid samples or testing fluids, in boreholes or wells
- G01N 1/2247: {Sampling from a flowing stream of gas}
- G01N 1/2294: {Sampling soil gases or the like}
- G01N 33/0036: {specially adapted to detect a particular component (physical analysis of gaseous biological material G01N33/497)}
- G01N 33/004: {CO or CO2}
- E21B 47/07: Temperature
- E21B 49/0875: {determining specific fluid parameters}
- G01N 1/24: Suction devices {(G01N1/22 - G01N1/2294 take precedence)}
- G01N 2001/2064: {using a by-pass loop}
- Y02C 20/20: of methane
- Y02E 50/30: Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
- Y02W 30/20: Waste processing or separation
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- B09B: DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- Y02C: CAPTURE, STORAGE, SEQUESTRATION OR DISPOSAL OF GREENHOUSE GASES [GHG]
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT

## Abstract

An apparatus for sampling landfill gas from a landfill flowing through a pipe. The apparatus may comprise: an enclosure configured to receive a section of the pipe; a gas sampling port in the section of the pipe; at least one sensor device disposed in a region of the enclosure, the at least one sensor being coupled to the section of the pipe through the gas sampling port; and thermal insulation positioned to retain heat from the section of the pipe in the region of the enclosure. A method of operating a landfill gas recovery system. The method may comprise: flowing gas from a well riser pipe through a sampling subsystem to a collection system; and heating a portion of the sampling subsystem with the gas flowing from the well riser pipe to the collection system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for sampling landfill gas flowing through a pipe, the apparatus comprising:
an enclosure configured to receive a section of the pipe, the section of the pipe having at least one gas sampling port;
at least one sensor device disposed in a region of the enclosure, the at least one sensor device being coupled to the section of the pipe through a gas sampling port of the at least one gas sampling port; and
a wireless transmitter configured to transmit data from the at least one sensor device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises an hermetic seal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
thermal insulation positioned to retain heat from the section of the pipe.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:
at least one thermal conductivity component configured for enhancing a thermal conductivity of the section of the pipe.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the thermal conductivity component comprises a corrosion resistant metal heat sink.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:
at least one active heating element configured to emit heat within the enclosure; and
at least one controller configured to control the at least one active heating element.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises:
a sensor configured to measure flow of the landfill gas through the pipe and a sensor configured to measure characteristics of the gas.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises:
a sensor configured to measure humidity of the landfill gas.

### Claim 9

An apparatus for sampling landfill gas from flowing through a pipe, the apparatus comprising:
a sampling subsystem comprising:
a gas inlet port and a gas outlet port;
a region configured to receive a section of the pipe, the section of the pipe having a gas sampling port;
a thermoelectric condenser;
at least one sensor coupled to the gas outlet port; and
a gas flow passage from the gas inlet port, over the at least one sensor, and to the gas outlet port, the gas flow passage passing adjacent to and in thermal contact with the thermoelectric condenser.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:
the thermoelectric condenser comprises at least one channel at a surface of a block.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:
the thermoelectric condenser is covered by at least one chilled plate, and
the at least one channel is configured to direct the landfill gas across the at least one chilled plate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:
an enclosure, wherein the at least one gas sensor is disposed in a region of the enclosure and coupled to the section of the pipe through the gas sampling port; and
thermal insulation positioned to retain heat from the section of the pipe in the region of the enclosure.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:
the sampling subsystem comprises an orifice block and a filter for at least one of a particulate and a corrosive gas, and
the gas flow passage comprises at least one fluid knock-out.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:
the at least one sensor comprises a pressure sensor and a sensor configured to measure an amount of gas of a predetermined type.

### Claim 15

An apparatus for sampling landfill gas flowing through a pipe, the apparatus comprising:
an orifice block comprising:
a gas inlet port and a gas outlet port;
a region configured to receive a section of the pipe, the section of the pipe having a gas sampling port; and
a gas flow passage from the gas inlet port to the gas outlet port, the gas flow passage comprising at least one fluid knock-out; and
a filter for at least one of a particulate and/or a corrosive gas.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:
at least one end of the pipe includes a shape configured to couple with a well riser pipe, a well head, a vacuum hose, and/or an elastomeric reducing coupling.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:
the at least one fluid knock-out is configured to separate at least one fluid from the landfill gas and comprises a vessel having a first cross-sectional area larger than a second cross-sectional area of the gas inlet port and/or a third cross-sectional area of the gas outlet port.

### Claim 18

A method of operating a landfill gas recovery system, the method comprising:
flowing gas from a well riser pipe through a sampling subsystem to a collection system; and
heating a portion of the sampling subsystem with the gas flowing from the well riser pipe to the collection system.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising:
passing a sample of the flowing gas into the sampling subsystem; and
extracting moisture from the sample of the flowing gas using a thermoelectric condenser.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein heating the portion of the sampling subsystem comprises:
heating at least a battery and an actuator to a temperature above freezing when the portion of the sampling subsystem is in an environment at a temperature below freezing.