Removable Orifice Plate for Landfill Gas Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
In landfill gas recovery wells, existing orifice plates require disassembly for measurement, which can be hazardous and disrupt gas flow, leading to potential methane release and reduced recovery efficiency due to the need for atmospheric exposure and potential impact on well environments.
Innovation Solution
A removable orifice plate device with a circular aperture and a tee body configuration allowing for precise differential pressure measurement without opening the well, featuring a slot for the orifice plate and seal members to minimize leakage, enabling easy installation and removal while maintaining flow stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the well is opened to atmosphere for differential pressure measurement, then measurement can be performed, but methane gas may be released and outside air may enter the well
Solution Approach 1:
A removable orifice plate device is introduced as an intermediary component that can be installed within the sealed well environment. The device includes a body with a bore, an orifice plate with a precisely dimensioned aperture, and a removable cap. This intermediary allows differential pressure measurement to be taken across the orifice plate without opening the well to atmosphere, thereby preventing methane gas release and outside air entry while still enabling accurate flow rate measurement.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the coupling is disassembled to add or change the orifice plate, then orifice plate replacement is possible, but the well environment is exposed to atmosphere
Solution Approach 1:
The removable orifice plate device serves as a self-contained intermediary system that can be installed once and then have its internal orifice plate replaced without exposing the well to atmosphere. The device body with bore and removable cap creates a sealed environment where the orifice plate can be accessed, removed, and replaced through the cap mechanism while the well remains sealed.
Solution Approach 2:
The orifice plate is nested within the device body bore, and the entire device is nested within the well piping system. This nested structure allows the orifice plate to be replaced by accessing only the device component rather than the well itself, maintaining the sealed environment while providing adaptability for orifice plate changes.
3Measurement precision
If components are disassembled for measurement, then measurement access is obtained, but methane recovery efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The removable orifice plate device acts as a permanent intermediary measurement system that eliminates the need for repeated disassembly of well components. Once installed, the device provides continuous access to differential pressure measurement points through its sealed structure, allowing flow rate measurement without any disruption to the well environment or methane recovery operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The orifice plate device is preliminarily installed in a sealed manner within the well system during initial setup. This preliminary action creates permanent measurement access points that eliminate the need for future disassembly operations, thereby preserving methane recovery efficiency while enabling ongoing flow measurement.
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
Enables safe and efficient measurement of gas flow rates without exposing the well to atmosphere, reducing methane release risks and maintaining recovery efficiency by allowing for precise adjustment of orifice sizes without disrupting the well environment.
Implementation Method 1
measuring a differential pressure across the orifice plate. The measured differential pressure together with other known or measured items such as temperature and pipe size can be used to determine the methane gas flow rate
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a removable orifice plate device which has an orifice plate having a circular portion with an aperture therein, and a graspable end portion extending therefrom. A tee body is included which has oppositely extending first and second tee runs and a tee branch. The tee runs are coupled to gas inflow and outflow pipes. The tee body has internal structure forming a slot which is aligned with an opening formed by the tee branch, and which receives the circular portion of the orifice plate. The orifice plate, when installed in the slot in the tee body, thus allows a flow of fluid only through the aperture. A removable cover encloses the orifice plate within the tee body.