Application Note: Monitoring Methane at a Landfill

March 15, 2024

Flare System Retrofit A Turnkey Solution

Problem

Outdated Control System for Flare Operation

A landfill customer was in need of a new control system for their flare operation— a secondary disposal path for methane. Their current system was 20 years old, outdated, and remained dormant for 4 years.

Their old panel had an obsolete circular chart recorder. Since their system was down for 4 years, NSI worked with them through the process of identifying potential roadblocks and old units that needed to be replaced.

Solution

Neal Systems redesigned and retrofitted their old system with custom screens and newer technology, creating a cleaner, EPA compliant, operator interface.

NSI retrofitted and rewired their current panel with Foxboro Scadapack 474 RTU and Eurotherm Nanodac for recording and PID loop control. The Scadapack 474 is ruggedized and able to operate in harsh environments, which makes it the perfect solution for outdoor operations.

Conclusion

With Neal Systems’ solution, the landfill’s methane flare is operable and compliant with EPA regulations and recording requirements. The new solution provides the customer with reduced operator involvement in startup and operation. They can simply turn it on and forget about it. Our customer now has a viable secondary disposal path for methane in the event that their generators are unavailable.