Sota, what do you do that requires so much travel. I lived that life for awhile. Working in the wastewater industry traveling CONUS and OCONUS every week. Multiple flights through multiple cities. Every week out of O'Hare or Midway. I couldn't do it any longer. I'm glad I got out before this COVID crap started up. I'd be fired.
I am the National Sales manager and part owner of a company that is like the Home Depot of landfills. We make the collection systems that remove the rainwater that gets in landfill cells. When landfills suck out methane there is condensate that collects in the gas collection system we make the pumps that remove that. Landfills that do not produce enough gas to harvest still have to deal with methane we make solar flares to burn the methane off, we also do larger flares. My job consists of traveling with our reps around the country to meet with design engineers and landfill managers. I also attend and speak at conferences as well. I did enjoy the covid lull of not traveling now back at it. I have flown many Sunday mornings this year and that sucks.
Interesting. I've visited landfills while in school, but did not have to do a job at one. I knew the methane is harvested, but never knew how. We have a local landfill that has chimney (I am sure there is a better, more industry accepted term) that burns off the methane 24/7.
Always struck me that even low volume methane producers don't seem to capture the methane for commercial venture/use v burning... Condense & sell, fuel cell, something...
The scrubbing of the gas stream and the expense of the generators is cost prohibitive, they need high volume long duration to justify the infrastructure.
I don't know the point of calling a company and choosing the option to get a call back. 26-38 minutes was the wait time with Verizon. I took the option for a call back, they called and have now been on hold 30 minutes waiting to speak with the actual representative.
Scrubbing, for commercial, could be consolidated. Not sure you could condense methane safely and cheaply though...just thinking aloud. I think temps are similar to LOx. Docking about with pressure for volition gasses well outside my area of knowledge. For fuel cells, I thought GE or Plug power were dabbling in that area (point of use) some time ago... Maybe they have up. But converting methane to hot water and electricity (+ some other scubbed byproducts, which probably are all kinds of nasty) KS seem to be a value prop... Just not sure it all exists at a value price point... And we're back to flares
Methane from a landfill is nasty scrubbers are expensive and high maintenance. When a landfill goes to large scale gas collection for fuel, it becomes a 24 -7 -365 operation. Usually ran by a company different than the actual landfill, and they blame each other for issues. Weird thing is the condensate from gas collection is way nastier than the leachate under the landfill. Hydrogen sulfide is a huge issue, one of the main reasons they do not want sheetrock mixed with municipal solid waste.
So today is the annual chilli cook off at work. 2 people from each department cook. There's 2 cooks, its been the same way fir the 17 years I have been here. One cook does the prep work and starts the chilli, the other cooks breakfast for their dept. Sitting here hungry at 8:15 and apparently they are not cooking breakfast. Crock of chit, they should be terminated.
Requesting the weekends off so not put on the OT schedule. No request means you are available to work. We work 4 10's
Ugh, had to order an OEM petcock. I'm good with it since I am positive it was the culprit for running like chit. My dumb ass cannot remember to shut the valve off and last thing I need is to fill the crankcase with gas and seize the engine up. Will be here tomorrow but not sure I put it on before deer season is over.
