Integrated Thermal Oxidizer–Venturi Pump for Methane Venting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Natural gas pipelines often vent methane and other gases to the atmosphere during maintenance, which is wasteful and harmful to the environment, and existing thermal oxidizers do not effectively create suction to evacuate gas without additional devices.
Innovation Solution
A thermal oxidizer is integrated within a Venturi pump, coupled to a pipe outlet, where an air compressor provides suction through a heated ceramic material to convert methane to carbon dioxide and water vapor before venting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If gas is vented directly to the atmosphere during pipeline maintenance, then the evacuation process is simple and quick, but methane emissions harm the environment and create safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the thermal oxidizer and Venturi pump into a single integrated device. The thermal oxidizer converts methane to CO2 and water vapor, while the Venturi pump provides suction to evacuate gas from the pipeline. This merging eliminates the need for separate emission control and evacuation systems, reducing overall system complexity while effectively reducing methane emissions to the atmosphere.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated device performs multiple functions simultaneously: it evacuates gas from the pipeline, converts methane to less harmful substances, and vents the treated gas to the atmosphere. This multi-functionality allows a single device to address both the emission reduction goal and the gas evacuation requirement, avoiding the need for multiple separate systems.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a thermal oxidizer is used to convert methane, then emissions are reduced, but the thermal oxidizer alone cannot create suction to evacuate gas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges a thermal oxidizer with a Venturi pump into a single integrated device. The thermal oxidizer portion converts methane to CO2 and water vapor through thermal oxidation, while the Venturi pump portion creates suction to evacuate gas from the pipeline. This combination ensures that the device both reduces emissions and provides the necessary gas evacuation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The Venturi pump acts as an intermediary that enables the thermal oxidizer to function effectively. By providing suction to evacuate gas from the pipeline and deliver it to the thermal oxidizer, the Venturi pump facilitates the emission reduction process. Without this intermediary component, the thermal oxidizer would not receive the gas stream needed for conversion.
3Reliability
If separate devices are used for gas evacuation and methane conversion, then each device can be optimized for its specific function, but the number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate gas evacuation and methane conversion functions into a single integrated device. The Venturi pump and thermal oxidizer are merged into one unit that performs both functions, reducing the total number of components while maintaining the functional performance of each individual component.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated device is designed to perform multiple functions within a single system. It can evacuate gas from the pipeline, convert methane to less harmful substances, and vent the treated gas, all within one device. This multi-functionality reduces component count while ensuring each function is properly executed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Reduces methane emissions to the atmosphere, minimizing environmental harm and the risk of accidental combustion, while reducing the number of required components compared to separate evacuation and conversion processes.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal oxidizer to convert methane in the gas to carbon dioxide and water vapor
Implementation Method 2
an air compressor to provide air to the nozzle to cause suction of gas from the pipe
Implementation Method 3
A thermal oxidizer is integrated within a Venturi pump, coupled to a pipe outlet, where an air compressor provides suction through a heated ceramic material
Data Source
AI summary
Example thermal oxidation apparatus, control, and associated methods are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a pump fluidly couplable to a pipe, the pump including a nozzle at a first end of the pump, a second end of the pump open to atmosphere, an air compressor fluidly coupled to the nozzle, and a thermal oxidizer disposed in the pump between the first end and the second end, the air compressor to provide air to the nozzle to cause suction of gas from the pipe, the thermal oxidizer to convert methane in the gas to carbon dioxide and water vapor to be vented from the second end of the pump.