US 5,957,681 AGranted

Self ignited landfill gas vent flare and flarehead

AssigneeLandfill Technologies, Inc.

InventorDavid L. Hansen

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Abstract

A landfill gas vent flare is provided which includes a flarehead disposed in communication with a landfill gas vent wherein landfill gas is permitted to flow therethrough. A spark plug is located on the flarehead and is electrically connected to a solar powered ignitor which provides electrical impulses to the spark plug at regular predetermined intervals to generate a spark every 1.5 seconds to ignite the landfill gas and ensure the landfill gas burns continuously. The sparks are continuously generated regardless of the presence of landfill gas or flame in the flarehead. The flarehead comprises an inverted, modified frusto-conical structure and includes a plurality of inlets which permit air to enter the flarehead and mix with the landfill gas to facilitate combustion and to further ensure continuous burning of the gas.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A landfill gas vent flare, comprising:

a flarehead adapted for communication with a landfill gas vent wherein landfill gas is permitted to flow in a downstream direction from the landfill gas vent to said flarehead;
and
at least one spark initiator disposed on said flarehead and adapted to generate a continuous series of sparks in said flarehead wherein the landfill gas flowing in said flarehead is ignited and continuously burned;
wherein said flarehead is adapted to mix air with the landfill gas to facilitate combustion of the landfill gas;
wherein said flarehead comprises at least one inlet to permit air to enter said flarehead and mix with the landfill gas;
wherein said flarehead is generally frusto-conical and the landfill gas flows downstream in said flarehead from an apex end to a base of said flarehead;
wherein said at least one inlet further comprises a plurality of apertures disposed in spaced relation about a circumference of said flarehead proximate said apex end;
wherein said at least one inlet further comprises a plurality of elongated slots disposed in circumferentially spaced relation about said flarehead at a position downstream of said apertures, each of said elongated slots having a longitudinal dimension which extends in a circumferential direction relative to said flarehead;
wherein said at least one inlet further comprises a first set and a second set of circumferentially spaced orifices, said first set being disposed downstream of said elongated slots, said second set being disposed downstream of said first set, and said first set being offset relative to said second set wherein each orifice of said first set and said second set is disposed at a discrete radial position along the periphery of said flarehead.

6 more elements

A flarehead for a landfill gas vent flare in said flarehead in a downstream direction from an apex end to a base of said flarehead, comprising:

a first frusto-conical portion depending from said apex end, which fairs, in the downstream direction, into an intermediate cylindrical portion;
said intermediate cylindrical portion extending a predetermined distance in said downstream direction and fairing into a second frusto-conical portion;
said second frusto-conical portion in turn fairing into a cylindrical end portion which terminates at said base;
and
a plurality of inlets disposed about said flarehead to permit ambient air to enter said flarehead and mix with the landfill gas;
wherein said apex end is an annular orifice having a predetermined first diameter, said intermediate cylindrical portion having a predetermined second diameter which is greater than said first diameter, and said cylindrical end portion having a predetermined third diameter which is greater than said second diameter;
wherein said inlets further comprise a plurality of apertures disposed in circumferentially spaced relation about said first frusto-conical portion;
wherein said inlets further comprise a plurality of elongated slots disposed in circumferentially spaced relation about said first frusto-conical portion at a predetermined distance downstream of said apertures, each of said elongated slots having a longitudinal dimension which extends in a circumferential direction relative to said flarehead;
wherein said inlets further comprise a first set and a second set of circumferentially spaced orifices, both said first set and said second set being substantially disposed on said second frusto-conical portion, said second set being disposed downstream of said first set, and said first set being offset relative to said second set wherein each orifice of said first set and said second set is disposed at a discrete radial position along the periphery of said flarehead.

6 more elements

A flarehead for a landfill gas vent flare adapted to permit a portion of said landfill gas to flow in a downstream direction in said flarehead, comprising:

a first frusto-conical portion wherein said portion of said landfill gas flows downstream through said first frusto-conical portion from an apex end to a terminal end of said first frusto-conical portion;
a plurality of apertures disposed in circumferentially spaced relation about said first frusto-conical portion;
a plurality of elongated slots disposed in circumferentially spaced relation about said first frusto-conical portion at a predetermined distance downstream of said apertures, each of said elongated slots having a longitudinal dimension which extends in a circumferential direction relative to said flarehead;
wherein said apertures and elongated slots are adapted to permit ambient air to enter said flarehead and mix with said portion of the landfill gas to facilitate combustion of said portion of the landfill gas;
wherein said first frusto-conical portion fairs, in the downstream direction, into an intermediate cylindrical portion;
wherein said intermediate cylindrical portion extends a predetermined distance in said downstream direction;
wherein said intermediate cylindrical portion fairs, in the downstream direction, into a second frusto-conical portion;
said second frusto-conical portion having a first set and a second set of circumferentially spaced orifices disposed substantially on said second frusto-conical portion, being adapted to permit ambient air to enter said flarehead and mix with said portion of the landfill gas to facilitate combustion of said portion of the landfill gas;
said second set being disposed downstream of said first set;
and
said first set being offset relative to said second set wherein each orifice of said first set and said second set is disposed at a discrete radial position along the periphery of said flarehead.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.