Passive Valveless Gas Vent for Landfills
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas extraction systems from landfills are prone to interruptions due to power failures and inefficiencies in gas collection, leading to undesirable gas buildup and instability in landfill covers, with passive vents being unreliable and mechanically weak.
Innovation Solution
A passive valveless gas vent system featuring a sub-surface gas collection manifold with a plenum and conduit extending through a geomembrane, allowing gas to flow from the plenum to a hood for discharge, ensuring continuous gas removal without the need for power and enhancing mechanical robustness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional gas extraction systems use pumps and piping to extract gases from landfills, then gas collection efficiency is improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to power failures and equipment interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The passive vent system allows the landfill gas to vent itself without external power or control systems. The gas flow naturally moves through the collection manifold and vents to atmosphere when pressure builds up, eliminating dependence on powered equipment that can fail
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides a pre-established passive venting pathway that is always available but only activates when needed. The collection manifold and vent structure are installed in advance, ready to immediately relieve pressure buildup without requiring power or active control during the emergency
2Reliability
If passive vents are used to prevent gas buildup during power outages, then system reliability is improved, but the vents become mechanically weak and unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines a robust collection manifold structure with a passive vent mechanism, creating a composite system that leverages the strength of the manifold while maintaining the passive reliability of the venting capability
Solution Approach 2:
The venting function is extracted from the powered pump system and implemented as a separate passive mechanism. This allows the venting reliability to be independent of the pump system's mechanical components and power dependencies
3Productivity
If conventional extraction wells are spaced one per acre in a grid pattern, then gas collection coverage is improved, but the system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The collection manifold merges multiple gas collection points into a single integrated structure with built-in passive venting. This consolidation reduces the number of individual well components needed while maintaining effective gas collection coverage through the distributed manifold network
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
The system provides reliable and continuous venting of sub-surface gases from landfills, preventing gas buildup and ensuring mechanical reliability, even during power outages, by using a passive valveless design that maintains gas flow and stability.
Implementation Method 1
A passive valveless gas vent for a landfill includes a sub-surface gas collection manifold for collecting sub-surface gas from beneath a geomembrane
Data Source
AI summary
A passive valveless gas vent for a landfill includes a sub-surface gas collection manifold for collecting sub-surface gas from beneath a geomembrane. The collection manifold includes a plenum for receiving sub-surface gas, and the plenum defines an interior volume. A conduit is connected to and extends upwardly from the plenum, with the conduit communicating with the interior volume of the plenum and having an upper discharge end. The conduit is adapted and provided for extending through an aperture in the geomembrane for communicating sub-surface gas from within the interior volume of the plenum through the geomembrane. A hood is positioned adjacent an upper portion of the conduit and defines a discharge chamber therein into which gas from the discharge end of the conduit is discharged. The hood also has a discharge outlet for venting gas from within the discharge chamber to atmosphere.