US 11,872,610 B2
Landfill gas extraction control system
Peter Quigley, Duxbury, MA (US); Ian Martin, Sharon, MA (US); Joseph G. Michels, New York, NY (US); and Melinda Sims, Seattle, WA (US)
Assigned to Loci Controls, Inc., Wareham, MA (US)
Filed by Loci Controls, Inc., Wareham, MA (US)
Filed on Feb. 4, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/167,539.
Application 17/167,539 is a continuation of application No. 16/290,387, filed on Mar. 1, 2019, granted, now 10,946,420.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/753,396, filed on Oct. 31, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/639,415, filed on Mar. 6, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0178436 A1, Jun. 17, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B09B 1/00 (2006.01); G01N 33/00 (2006.01); E21B 43/12 (2006.01); H05B 3/22 (2006.01); G01N 1/22 (2006.01)
CPC B09B 1/006 (2013.01) [B09B 1/00 (2013.01); E21B 43/12 (2013.01); G01N 1/2294 (2013.01); G01N 33/0016 (2013.01); H05B 3/22 (2013.01); Y02W 30/30 (2015.05)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A control system for controlling extraction of landfill gas from a landfill via a gas extraction system, the gas extraction system comprising at least one vacuum source, well piping, and at least one well coupled to the at least one vacuum source through the well piping, the control system comprising:
a chamber coupled to the well piping and comprising at least one sensor for measuring a temperature of a landfill gas sample and one or more sensors for measuring at least one other characteristic of the landfill gas sample different from the temperature of the landfill gas sample, the landfill gas sample comprising at, least, a portion of the landfill gas being extracted from the landfill, wherein the at least one sensor for measuring the temperature of the landfill gas sample and the one or more sensors for measuring at least one other characteristic of the landfill gas sample are inside of the chamber; and
at least one controller configured to perform a method for reducing deterioration of the one or more sensors, the method comprising:
obtaining, with the at least one sensor for measuring the temperature of the landfill gas sample, a measurement of the temperature of the landfill gas sample while the landfill gas sample is in the chamber;
determining, based on the temperature of the landfill gas sample in the chamber, whether to operate the one or more sensors in the chamber to take a new measurement of the at least one other characteristic of the landfill gas sample at least in part by:
determining whether the temperature of the landfill gas sample is greater than or equal to a target temperature; and
when it is determined that the temperature of the landfill gas sample is greater than or equal to the target temperature, determining to operate the one or more sensors to take the new measurement of the at least one other characteristic of the landfill gas sample while the landfill gas sample is in the chamber;
when it, is determined to operate the one or more sensors to take the new measurement of the at least one other characteristic of the landfill gas sample, operating the one or more sensors to take the new measurement of the at least one other characteristic of the landfill gas sample while the landfill gas sample is in the chamber; and
when it is determined that the temperature of the landfill gas sample is not greater than or equal to the target temperature, operating a temperature control mechanism to adjust the temperature of the landfill gas sample.
 
9. A method for reducing deterioration of one or more sensors, the method comprising:
obtaining, from at least one sensor for measuring a temperature of a landfill gas sample, a measurement of the temperature of the landfill gas sample in a chamber comprising the at least one sensor for measuring the temperature of the landfill gas sample and the one or more sensors, the one or more sensors configured for measuring at least one other characteristic of the landfill gas sample different from the temperature of the landfill gas sample, wherein the landfill gas sample comprises at least a portion of landfill gas being extracted from a landfill and the at least one sensor for measuring the temperature of the landfill gas sample and the one or more sensors for measuring at least one other characteristic of the landfill gas sample are inside of the chamber;
determining, based on the temperature of the landfill gas sample in the chamber, whether to operate the one or more sensors in the chamber to take a new measurement of the at least one other characteristic of the landfill gas sample at least in part by:
determining whether the temperature of the landfill gas sample is greater than or equal to a target temperature; and
when it is determined that the temperature of the landfill gas sample is greater than or equal to the target temperature, determining to operate the one or more sensors to take the new measurement of the at least one other characteristic of the landfill gas sample while the landfill gas sample is in the chamber;
when it is determined to operate the one or more sensors to take the new measurement of the at least one other characteristic of the landfill gas sample, operating the one or more sensors to take the new measurement of the at least one other characteristic of the landfill gas sample while the landfill gas sample is in the chamber; and
when it is determined that the temperature of the landfill gas sample is not greater than or equal to the target temperature, operating a temperature control mechanism to adjust the temperature of the landfill gas sample.