GB2334572A - Combustion of waste gases - Google Patents
Combustion of waste gases Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2334572A GB2334572A GB9903512A GB9903512A GB2334572A GB 2334572 A GB2334572 A GB 2334572A GB 9903512 A GB9903512 A GB 9903512A GB 9903512 A GB9903512 A GB 9903512A GB 2334572 A GB2334572 A GB 2334572A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- combustion
- waste gases
- chamber
- landfill
- combustion chamber
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 238000002485 combustion reaction Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 79
- 239000002912 waste gas Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 37
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 45
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 claims description 14
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 8
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 238000009413 insulation Methods 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000003610 charcoal Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000003245 coal Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000000571 coke Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000004449 solid propellant Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 239000012774 insulation material Substances 0.000 abstract 1
- VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N methane Chemical compound C VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 8
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 8
- CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon dioxide Chemical compound O=C=O CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 206010016754 Flashback Diseases 0.000 description 2
- 229910002092 carbon dioxide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000001569 carbon dioxide Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000006731 degradation reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000014759 maintenance of location Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000002699 waste material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000015556 catabolic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000605 extraction Methods 0.000 description 1
- -1 for example Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000003345 natural gas Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000013022 venting Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
- F23G—CREMATION FURNACES; CONSUMING WASTE PRODUCTS BY COMBUSTION
- F23G7/00—Incinerators or other apparatus for consuming industrial waste, e.g. chemicals
- F23G7/06—Incinerators or other apparatus for consuming industrial waste, e.g. chemicals of waste gases or noxious gases, e.g. exhaust gases
- F23G7/08—Incinerators or other apparatus for consuming industrial waste, e.g. chemicals of waste gases or noxious gases, e.g. exhaust gases using flares, e.g. in stacks
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
- F23G—CREMATION FURNACES; CONSUMING WASTE PRODUCTS BY COMBUSTION
- F23G7/00—Incinerators or other apparatus for consuming industrial waste, e.g. chemicals
- F23G7/06—Incinerators or other apparatus for consuming industrial waste, e.g. chemicals of waste gases or noxious gases, e.g. exhaust gases
- F23G7/061—Incinerators or other apparatus for consuming industrial waste, e.g. chemicals of waste gases or noxious gases, e.g. exhaust gases with supplementary heating
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
- F23G—CREMATION FURNACES; CONSUMING WASTE PRODUCTS BY COMBUSTION
- F23G2203/00—Furnace arrangements
- F23G2203/60—Mobile furnace
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Processing Of Solid Wastes (AREA)
- Incineration Of Waste (AREA)
Abstract
Apparatus for and method of the combustion of landfill waste gases. The apparatus includes a combustion chamber (12) to which waste gases are supplied, through an inlet (22) and an outlet (open chamber) for combusted gases, a burner (24) being provided for igniting waste gases. The combustion chamber (12) is surrounded by an open-topped outer chamber (14) so that the chamber (12) is insulated by air or other insulation material.
Description
Title: Apparatus for the Combustion of Landfill Waste Gases
The invention relates to an apparatus for the combustion of landfill waste gases.
Landfill sites which have been used to deposit degradable waste may be reclaimed for other uses, such as agricultural purposes.
During reclamation the degradation process produces waste gases such as carbon dioxide and methane which are potentially dangerous and which need to be disposed of therefore in a controlled manner.
Conventionally, the waste gases have been collected from a plurality of wells sunk at spaced apart locations over the landfill site. The gases have been piped, either above or below ground level, to a central burner, normally a flare-stack where they are burnt. Altematively, the gases have been piped to trenches or venting wells where they have been passively diffused.
The flare-stack, must be provided with a sufficient supply (ie volume and pressure supply) of waste landfill gases to maintain the flare. On small landfill sites, there is a relatively low supply of gas, which may be insufficient to maintain the flare, which may become extinguished. At. rural sites, particularly, there may be no electric power supply to operate a flarestack. Generally, at large landfill sites, methane is evolved initially in sufficient quantities, pressure and composition to support a flare-stack. Over a period of time, the level of gas generated falls off, so that the gas pressure falls, and the composition of the waste gases also changes. A relatively higher proportion of carbon dioxide relative to methane is usually given off as the degradation within the landfill site nears completion. The lower gas supply, especially with the composition change of the gases results in the gas mixture being unable to support a flare.
One objective of the invention is to seek to ensure that the maximum volume of the gases evolved from landfill site is combusted.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for the combustion of landfill waste gases comprising a combustion chamber to which waste gases are supplied, the chamber having an inlet for waste gases, an outlet for combusted gases and a burner within the chamber for igniting the waste gases, the chamber being insulated to retain heat and encourage combustion.
The insulation of the combustion chamber retains the heat within the combustion chamber, so that should the level or composition of landfill gases temporarily becomes such that combustion is no longer maintainable, the retention of the heat enables reignition of the evolved landfill gas once this changes again to a level or composition which is sufficient to support combustion.
Preferably the insulation is provided by an outer chamber which at least partially surrounds the combustion chamber. In addition to the advantage of the retention of heat within the combustion chamber, the outer chamber has the additional advantage of reducing the risk of buming of the outer surface of the apparatus.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the base of the combustion chamber is shared with the base of the outer chamber.
The base is suitably made of steel mesh. The steel mesh allows for adequate mixing of air with the landfill gas prior to combustion.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for the combustion of landfill waste gases, comprising adding to a combustion chamber to which landfill waste gases are supplied, a support fuel to support combustion of the landfill waste gases or a material capable of retaining sufficient heat to ignite and combust waste gases, the combustion chamber having an inlet for landfill waste gases, an outlet for combusted gases and a burner within the chamber for igniting the landfill waste gases.
Combustion of the support fuel in the combustion chamber supports the combustion of landfill gases, by ensuring that the level of combustible gases and the gas composition is appropriate to maintain combustion. Consequently, if the level or composition of the landfill gases should temporarily become such that it would be unable to support combustion without such support, the combustion in the chamber is maintained by the combustion of the support fuel.
Material capable of retaining sufficient heat to ignite and combust waste gases may comprise stones.
Preferably, the combustion chamber is insulated so that heat is retained within the combustion chamber.
Suitably the burner is a burner bar.
The support fuel is preferably solid, for example, coke, coal, charcoal or bottled as.
Advantageously the gas pressure within the combustion chamber is higher than atmospheric pressure.
The combustion chamber may be open-topped.
The combustion is preferably connected by a flexible conduit one or several landfill gas wells. It is preferred that the conduit has one or more control valves to prevent the dow of gases in a backward direction towards the wells.
Suitably, the inlet has a flame arrester, which may be of wire mesh, to reduce the risk from flash-back.
Preferably the device is mobile. In embodiments where the apparatus has a combustion and an outer chamber there should be sufficient spacing between the combustion chamber and outer chamber to provide some insulation to the combustion chamber.
Combustion of the landfill gases in the combustion chamber draws further landfill gases from the wells and so positively assists the extraction of gas. The support fuel has the added advantage that it encourages a draught to draw waste gases from the well or wells.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a perspective partially cut-away view of an apparatus for the combustion of landfill gases according to the present invention.
The apparatus 10 has a combustion chamber 12 and an outer chamber 14. The base of the combustion chamber 12 is shared with the base of the outer chamber 14. The combustion chamber is substantially cuboidal, having a smaller total volume than that ofthe substantially cuboidal outer chamber 14. Both the combustion chamber and the outer chamber are open in their uppermost parts, to provide an outlet for the combusted gases.
The outer chamber 14 is supported by spiked legs 18 which may be driven into suitable ground to provide a stable foundation for the apparatus.
An inlet 20 for landfill gases is provided in the base of the combustion chamber and is connected to a flexible conduit 22. Conduit 22 is operatively connected to one or more wells in the landfill site, gases flowing through the conduit into the combustion chamber 12. In the base of the combustion chamber 12 is a bar burner 24.
The combustion chamber is approximately 0.4 metres wide, 0.5 metres deep and 0.4 metres long and is made of 3 mm thick steel plate. The base of the combustion is shared with the outer chamber and is made of steel mesh. The mesh allows for adequate mixing of air with landfill gas prior to combustion.
The outer chamber is 0.5 metres wide, 0.5 metres long and 0.5 metres deep. It is also made of 3 mm steel plate. It reduces the risk of burning of the outer surface of the apparatus, and assists in the combustion process by retaining heat within the combustion chamber.
The plant is fully mobile and stands approximately 2 metres high. On site, the spiked legs are driven approximately 0.25 metres into suitable ground to provide a stable inert foundation for the burner. The inlet port is approximately 1 00 mm in diameter. The conduit has a valve array located at strategic points along its length. The inlet port 20 contains a wire mesh flame arrester to reduce any risk from flash-back.
In use, the apparatus is securely placed on site and the conduit connected to one or more landfill site gas wells. The gas flows through the valves in the conduit into the combustion chamber through the inlet where the bar bumer ignites them. Combusted gas passes through the outlet to atmosphere. The presence of the outer chamber external to the combustion chamber insulates the combustion chamber. Should the quality or amount of landfill gas become insufficient to maintain combustion, the presence of the outer chamber maintains the heat within the combustion chamber and when the landfill gas quality and levels again become sufficient for combustion, the heat within the combustion chamber re-ignites the landfill gas or bottled gas.
Optionally support fuels such as coke, coal and charcoal may be placed within the combustion chamber. The support fuels can be burnt by the bar bumer in addition to or independently of the presence of landfill gases. Thus, when support fuel is present, if the quality or quantity of landfill gases becomes too poor to support combustion, the support fuel continues to be combusted. Thus, even low levels and poor quality landfill gases continue to be combusted in the presence of the support fuel. Clearly, the support fuel does not need to be in solid form and could for example be a supply of natural gas.
Claims (14)
- CLAIMS 1. Apparatus for the combustion of landfill waste gases comprising a combustion chamber to which, in use, waste gases are supplied, the chamber having an inlet for receiving waste gases, an outlet for combusted gases and a burner within the chamber for igniting waste gases, the chamber being insulated to retain heat and encourage combustion.
- 2 Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which insulation is provided by an outer chamber which at least partially surrounds the combustion chamber.
- 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim l or 2 in which the base of the combustion chamber is shared with the base of the outer chamber.
- 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which the base is of steel mesh.
- 5. A method for the combustion of landfill waste gases which comprises supplying landfill waste gases to a combustion chamber having an inlet therefor and a burner for the combustion thereof, the combustion chamber being insulated to retain heat and encourage combustion.
- 6. A method as claimed in claim 5 which comprises the additional step of providing a support material capable of retaining sufficient heat to ignite and combust waste gases, the support material being provided in the combustion chamber.
- 7. A method as claimed in claim 6 in which the support material comprises stones.
- 8. A method as claimed in claim 6 in which the support material comprises a fuel.
- 9. A method as claimed in claim 8 in which the support material is a solid fuel such as coke, coal or charcoal.
- 10. A method as claimed in claim 8 in which the support fuel is bottled gas and in which the gas pressure within the combustion chamber is higher than atmospheric pressure.
- 11. A method as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 10 which includes the step of connecting the combustion chamber to a plurality of sources of waste gases from a landfill site.
- 12. A method for the combustion of landfill waste gases comprising adding to a combustion chamber to which landfill waste gases are supplied, a support fuel to support combustion of the landfill waste gases or a material capable of retaining sufficient heat to ignite and combust waste gases, the combustion chamber having an inlet for landfill waste gases, an outlet for combusted gases and a burner within the chamber for igniting the landfill waste gases.
- 13. Apparatus for the combustion of landfill waste gases substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompany drawing.
- 14. A method for the combustion of landfill waste gases substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBGB9803304.6A GB9803304D0 (en) | 1998-02-18 | 1998-02-18 | Landfill gas burner plant |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9903512D0 GB9903512D0 (en) | 1999-04-07 |
| GB2334572A true GB2334572A (en) | 1999-08-25 |
Family
ID=10827111
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBGB9803304.6A Ceased GB9803304D0 (en) | 1998-02-18 | 1998-02-18 | Landfill gas burner plant |
| GB9903512A Withdrawn GB2334572A (en) | 1998-02-18 | 1999-02-17 | Combustion of waste gases |
Family Applications Before (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBGB9803304.6A Ceased GB9803304D0 (en) | 1998-02-18 | 1998-02-18 | Landfill gas burner plant |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (2) | GB9803304D0 (en) |
Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1401763A (en) * | 1971-09-27 | 1975-07-30 | Montedison Spa | Ground flares for disposing of waste or dump gas |
| US4140471A (en) * | 1977-05-09 | 1979-02-20 | National Airoil Burner Company, Inc. | Ground flare stack |
| GB1591269A (en) * | 1977-01-07 | 1981-06-17 | Continental Carbon Co | Method and apparatus for the combustion of waste gases |
| US4646660A (en) * | 1984-12-28 | 1987-03-03 | Lumalampan Aktiebolag | Arrangement in apparatus for the combustion of waste gases |
-
1998
- 1998-02-18 GB GBGB9803304.6A patent/GB9803304D0/en not_active Ceased
-
1999
- 1999-02-17 GB GB9903512A patent/GB2334572A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1401763A (en) * | 1971-09-27 | 1975-07-30 | Montedison Spa | Ground flares for disposing of waste or dump gas |
| GB1591269A (en) * | 1977-01-07 | 1981-06-17 | Continental Carbon Co | Method and apparatus for the combustion of waste gases |
| US4140471A (en) * | 1977-05-09 | 1979-02-20 | National Airoil Burner Company, Inc. | Ground flare stack |
| US4646660A (en) * | 1984-12-28 | 1987-03-03 | Lumalampan Aktiebolag | Arrangement in apparatus for the combustion of waste gases |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9903512D0 (en) | 1999-04-07 |
| GB9803304D0 (en) | 1998-04-08 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |