Loci Controls, Inc.

Systems and methods for controlling extraction of landfill gas from a landfill via a gas extraction system comprising a plurality of wells are provided herein. In some embodiments, the method comprises obtaining a concentration of a greenhouse gas measured a distance above a surface of a region comprising the plurality of wells; determining whether the measure of the concentration of the greenhouse gas is greater than a first threshold; and in response to determining that the measure of the concentration of the greenhouse gas is greater than the first threshold, increasing a flow rate of landfill gas being extracted from at least one well of the plurality of wells.

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.

According to some aspects, there is provided systems and methods for monitoring extraction of landfill gas from a landfill having a plurality of wells by using a communication system configured to transmit information using a low-power wide area networking (LPWAN) protocol, the communication system comprising one or more gateway devices including a first gateway device and a plurality of communication node devices including a first communication node device. Further, there is provided methods for configuring a communication system comprising one or more gateway devices including a first gateway device and multiple communication node devices including a first communication node device.

Techniques are provided for controlling extraction of landfill gas from a landfill. The techniques include obtaining a measurement of concentrations of oxygen, carbon, and methane in a sample of landfill gas. At least one processor may be used to determine based on the measurement of the concentration of oxygen in the sample, the measurement of the concentration of methane in the sample, and the measurement of the concentration of carbon dioxide in the sample, a balance gas concentration in the sample. Further, the at least one processor may be used to determine whether the determined balance gas concentration in the sample is greater than a balance gas concentration threshold. Responsive to determining that the determined balance gas concentration in the sample is greater than the balance gas concentration threshold, an actuator controls the flow control mechanism to decrease the flow rate of the landfill gas being extracted from the landfill.

Techniques are provided for controlling extraction of landfill gas from a landfill. The techniques include receiving user input indicating an upper methane concentration threshold and a lower methane concentration threshold, and obtaining a measurement of the concentration of methane in the sample of landfill gas. At least one processor may be used to determine whether to control an actuator to control the flow control mechanism to adjust the flow rate of the landfill gas being extracted from the landfill. The determining whether to adjust the flow rate may be performed by determining whether the measurement of the concentration of methane in the sample is greater than the upper methane concentration threshold and determining whether the measurement of the concentration of methane in the sample is less than the lower methane concentration threshold. The flow rate of landfill gas being extracted from the landfill may be adjusted based on the determining.

A control system for controlling extraction of landfill gas from a landfill via a gas extraction system comprising well piping, the landfill gas having a first temperature when extracted, the control system comprising: a gas composition chamber coupled to the well piping and comprising at least one sensor configured to measure one or more characteristics of a landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber; a temperature control mechanism configured to heat the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber to a second temperature at least a threshold amount greater than the first temperature; and a controller configured to control the at least one sensor to measure the one or more characteristics of the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber when a temperature of the landfill gas sample in the gas composition chamber is at least the threshold amount greater than the first temperature.

Systems and methods for controlling extraction of landfill gas from a landfill via a gas extraction system are provided herein. According to some aspects of the technology, there is provided site-level control methods for globally controlling one or more wells based on one or more characteristics of aggregate landfill gas collected from a plurality of wells at a gas output. According to some aspects of the technology, there is provided well-level control methods for locally controlling a first well based on or more characteristics of landfill gas collected from the first well. According to further aspects of the technology, there is provided hybrid control methods for making adjustments to a respective well based on both site-level and well-level control methods.

A system for extracting landfill gas from a landfill is provided. According to some embodiments, a control system for landfill gas extraction is provided. The control system uses a throttle to control flow of landfill gas extracted from the landfill. The throttle is actuated in use to vary the flow of gas between a well and a gas collection system, in accordance with a control algorithm that adjusts flow as a parameter in controlling gas extraction. The throttle is configured to ensure that there is at least some flow of landfill gas from the landfill to a gas output throughout operation. The extraction system provides an efficient system for landfill gas extraction, while mitigating a risk of creating undesired or unpleasant conditions and/or of violating regulations during operation.

A control system for controlling extraction of landfill gas, comprising: at least one sensor configured to measure one or more characteristics of landfill gas; at least one flow control mechanism disposed in well piping and configured to control flow of the landfill gas through the well piping; and at least one processor configured to: obtain a measured concentration of a first gas in landfill gas; determine whether the measured concentration of the first gas is either less than a first threshold concentration or greater than a second threshold concentration; when it is determined that the measured concentration is less than the first threshold concentration, control the at least one flow control mechanism to reduce flow rate of landfill gas; and when it is determined that the concentration is greater than the second threshold concentration, control the at least one flow control mechanism to increase the flow rate of landfill gas.