Apparatus and methods for reducing fugitive gas emissions at oil facilities
Apparatus and methods for detecting and reporting pollution at an oil facility are disclosed. The technology utilizes a logic control system to read from a pollution sensor and present the sensed data as a pollutant from a leak. The pollution leakage can be further managed and reduced.
1. A report generation method of reporting a leak in a monitored area, comprising:
providing a first pollution monitor at a first location defined by a first geographic coordinate comprising:
a housing defining:
an interior portion; and
an exterior portion;
an electronics package positioned in the interior portion of the housing; and
a pollution sensor electrically connected with the electronics package and configured to measure a concentration of an airborne pollutant and generate:
a first signal representative of a concentration of the airborne pollutant;
providing a second pollution monitor at a second location defined by a second geographic coordinate, the second pollution monitor comprising:
a housing defining:
an interior portion; and
an exterior portion;
an electronics package positioned in the interior portion of the housing; and
a pollution sensor electrically connected with the electronics package and configured to measure a concentration of an airborne pollutant and generate:
a second signal representative of the concentration of the airborne pollutant;
analyzing the first signal representative of an airborne pollutant concentration and the second signal representative of the concentration of the airborne pollutant for determining a differential concentration of the airborne pollutant;
identifying the leak when the differential concentration occurs over a predefined time period; and
reporting the leak to an operator of the monitored area.
2. The report generation method of claim 1 , further comprising:
creating, after reporting, a ticket to take action at the monitored area.
3. The report generation method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a false-leak event in case an amplitude of the concentration of the airborne pollutant occurs within the predefined time period.
4. The report generation method of claim 1 , wherein providing the first pollution monitor and providing the second pollution monitor further comprises:
providing a real-time clock in electrical communication with the electronics package.
5. The report generation method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a solar panel,
wherein the solar panel is electrically interfaced with the electronics package.
6. The report generation method of claim 5 , further comprising:
providing a vertical object comprising:
an upper end to support the housing and the solar panel; and
a lower end oppositely disposed to the upper end for anchoring the vertical object to a ground.
7. The report generation method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a tube positioned outside the housing, the tube comprising:
a first end fluidically coupled to at least one of the interior portion and the exterior portion of the housing;
a second end oppositely disposed to the first end; and
a forced displacement device disposed in-line with the tube, wherein the forced displacement device is positioned between the first end and the second end;
receiving ambient air using in the tube at the second end; and
moving the ambient air from the second end towards the first end of the tube and into the housing.
8. The report generation method of claim 7 , and further comprising:
providing the first pollution monitor further comprises providing:
an expansion connector on the exterior portion of the housing and in electrical communication with the electronics package.
9. The report generation method of claim 8 , further comprising:
attaching a physical sampling system to the expansion connector;
capturing and preserving a sample of air with the physical sampling system.
10. The report generation method of claim 1 , wherein the first geographic coordinate of the first pollution monitor is different from the second geographic coordinate of the second pollution monitor.
11. A report generation system for reporting a leak in a monitored area, the report generation system comprising:
a first pollution monitor at a first location defined by a first geographic coordinate comprising:
a housing defining:
an interior portion; and
an exterior portion;
an electronics package positioned in the interior portion of the housing; and
a pollution sensor electrically connected with the electronics package, and configured to measure a concentration of an airborne pollutant and generate:
a first signal representative of a concentration of the airborne pollutant;
a second pollution monitor at a second location defined by a second geographic coordinate that is different than the first location of the first pollution monitor comprising:
a housing defining:
an interior portion; and
an exterior portion;
an electronics package positioned in the interior portion of the housing;
a pollution sensor electrically connected with the electronics package and configured to measure a concentration of the airborne pollutant and generate:
a second signal representative of the concentration of the airborne pollutant; and
a logic control system communicably coupled to the first pollution monitor and the second pollution monitor, configured to:
analyze the first signal representative of an airborne pollutant concentration and the second signal representative of the concentration of the airborne pollutant to determine a differential concentration of the airborne pollutant;
identify, after analyzing, the leak when the differential concentration occurs over a predefined time period; and
report the leak to an operator of the monitored area.
12. The report generation system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a notifier connected to configured to create a ticket to take action at the monitored area.
13. The report generation system of claim 11 , wherein the logic control system is configured to:
determine a false-leak event in case an amplitude of the concentration of the airborne pollutant occurs within the predefined time period.
14. The report generation system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a real-time clock in electrical communication with the electronics package.
15. The report generation system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a solar panel,
wherein the solar panel is electrically interfaced with the electronics package.
16. The report generation system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a vertical object comprising:
an upper end to support the housing and the solar panel; and
a lower end oppositely disposed to the upper end for anchoring the vertical object to a ground.
17. The report generation system of claim 16 , further comprising:
an expansion connector on the exterior portion of the housing and in electrical communication with the electronics package.
18. The report generation system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a tube positioned outside the housing, defining:
a first end fluidically coupled to at least one of the interior portion and the exterior portion;
a second end oppositely disposed to the first end; and
a forced displacement device disposed in-line with the tube and positioned between the first end and the second end;
wherein the forced displacement device is configured to:
receive ambient air in the tube, via the second end; and
move the ambient air from the second end towards the first end of the tube and into the housing.
19. The report generation system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a physical sampling system configured to capture and preserve a sample of air using the physical sampling system.
20. The report generation system of claim 11 , wherein the first geographic coordinate of the first pollution monitor is different from the second geographic coordinate of the second pollution monitor.