Integrated system for the extraction, incineration and monitoring of waste or vented gases

Abstract

Systems and methods for the extraction, incineration and monitoring of methane gas extracted from a mine are described herein. In some embodiments, a system includes a transportation platform, a fluid machine coupled to the transportation platform, an incinerator, a vent assembly and a flow interface assembly. The fluid machine is configured to be coupled to a gas well, and to produce a gas flow from the gas well. The incinerator is configured to be fluidically coupled to the fluid machine, and is configured to combust at least a portion of the gas flow from the gas well. The vent assembly is configured to be fluidically coupled to the fluid machine. The flow interface assembly is coupled to the transportation platform and is configured to selectively place the fluid machine in fluid communication with any one of the incinerator and the vent assembly.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a frame;   an inlet member coupled to the frame, the inlet member configured to be coupled to a gas well;   an outlet member coupled to the frame, the outlet member configured to be coupled to a receiver configured to receive a gas flow from the gas well when the inlet member is in fluid communication with the gas well;   a valve configured to selectively place the inlet member in fluid communication with the outlet member; and   an electrical isolation member configured to electrically isolate the inlet member and the outlet member.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the frame includes a coupling portion configured to removably couple the frame to a transportation platform. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet member includes a flexible portion configured to couple the inlet member to an outlet pipe of the gas well, the outlet pipe forming an angle with a ground surface of between zero and ninety degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller configured to deactuate the valve to fluidically isolate the inlet member from the outlet member in response to at least one of a signal associated with a pressure within the gas well, a signal associated with a temperature of a flame arrestor, a signal associated with a concentration of a constituent gas within the gas flow, and a signal associated with a status of a vent isolation valve.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a flame arrestor disposed between inlet member and outlet member.   
     
     
         6 . A system, comprising:
 a transportation platform;   a fluid machine coupled to the transportation platform, the fluid machine configured to be coupled to a gas well and to produce a gas flow from the gas well;   an incinerator configured to be fluidically coupled to the fluid machine, the incinerator configured to combust at least a portion of the gas flow when the incinerator is fluidically coupled to the fluid machine;   a vent assembly configured to be fluidically coupled to the fluid machine; and   a flow interface assembly coupled to the transportation platform, the flow interface assembly configured to selectively place the fluid machine in fluid communication with any one of the incinerator and the vent assembly.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a power source operatively coupled to the fluid machine, the power source configured to produce power to operate the fluid machine from a portion of the gas flow produced by the fluid machine.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the incinerator is coupled to the transportation platform. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a controller operatively coupled to the flow interface assembly, the controller configured to actuate a valve to place the incinerator in fluid communication with the fluid machine in response to at least one of an amount of time that the vent assembly has been in fluid communication with the fluid machine, a signal associated with a concentration of a constituent gas within the gas flow, a signal associated with a pressure within the gas well, and a signal associated with a temperature of a flame arrestor.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a controller operatively coupled to the flow interface assembly, the controller configured to actuate a valve to place the incinerator in fluid communication with the fluid machine in response to a control signal, the controller is further configured to automatically actuate the incinerator to combust the portion of the gas flow when the incinerator is in fluid communication with the fluid machine.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a controller operatively coupled to the flow interface assembly, the controller configured to receive a first signal associated with a rate of the gas flow to the incinerator and a second signal associated with a concentration of a constituent gas within the gas flow, the controller is further configured to receive a third signal associated with a status of the incinerator,   the controller is further configured to generate an output associated with a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions based, at least in part, on the first signal, the second signal and the third signal.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a gas well adapter disposed between the fluid machine and the gas well, the gas well adapter configured to electrically isolate the gas well from the fluid machine.   
     
     
         13 . A system, comprising:
 a transportation platform;   a fluid machine coupled to the transportation platform, the fluid machine configured to be coupled to a gas well and to produce a gas flow from the gas well;   an incinerator movably coupled to the transportation platform between a first position and a second position, a vertical height of the incinerator and the transportation platform is within a standard for on-road transportation when the incinerator is in the first position, the incinerator configured to be fluidically coupled to the fluid machine when the incinerator is in the second position, the incinerator configured to combust at least a portion of the gas flow when the incinerator is in the second position; and   a flow interface assembly coupled to the transportation platform, the flow interface assembly configured to selectively place the fluid machine in fluid communication with any one of the incinerator and a vent assembly.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the incinerator remains coupled to the transportation platform when moved between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the vertical height of the incinerator and the transportation platform exceeds the standard for on-road transportation when the incinerator is in the second position. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the incinerator remains coupled to the transportation platform when moved between the first position and the second position,
 a centerline of an exhaust stack of the incinerator configured to be substantially parallel with a surface of the transportation platform when the incinerator is in the first position, the center line of the exhaust stack configured to be non-parallel with the surface of the transportation platform when the incinerator is in the second position.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a controller configured to be operably coupled to the flow interface assembly, the controller configured to actuate a valve to place the incinerator in fluid communication with the fluid machine in response to at least one of an amount of time that the vent assembly has been in fluid communication with the fluid machine, a signal associated with a concentration of a constituent gas within the gas flow, a signal associated with a pressure within the gas well, and a signal associated with a temperature of a flame arrestor.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a controller configured to be operably coupled to the flow interface assembly, the controller configured to receive a first signal associated with a rate of the gas flow to the incinerator and a second signal associated with a concentration of a constituent gas within the gas flow, the controller is further configured to receive a third signal associated with a status of the incinerator,   the controller is further configured to generate an output associated with a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions based, at least in part, on the first signal, the second signal and the third signal.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a gas well adapter disposed between the fluid machine and the gas well, the gas well adapter configured to electrically isolate the gas well from the fluid machine.