Methane recovery and suppression in simulated sanitary landfills
This research project was based on suppressing methane generation in landfills, and its production in a controlled external reactor. Three different systems of simulated sanitary landfills were constructed at West Virginia University. System 1 simulated a conventional sanitary landfill. In System 2, leachate was recycled, and its pH was controlled by adding caustic. In System 3, anaerobic digestion supernatant was added to MSW to provide nutrients and bacterial seed. Leachate was treated in a hybrid upflow fixed film anaerobic reactor. The aim in system 3 was to separate the anaerobic digestion phases between the landfill simulator (acid-producing reactor) and the methane-producing reactor. Phase separation in system 3 was difficult to achieve, because methanogenic microorganisms were protected in microenvironments within the refuse. Acid addition to leachate combined with high recirculation rates controlled methane production but failed to stop it. Leachate was aerated to raise the dissolved oxygen concentration and oxidation-reduction potential. Aerated leachate was recirculated through refuse to obtain limited aerobic conditions. Recirculation of aerated leachate with low pH and total alkalinity concentrations suppressed methane production in the landfill simulator when the concentration of readily available and easily biodegradable organic matter in leachate was low. As the concentration of soluble, easily biodegradable organics was increased by adding glucose, aerated leachate recirculation failed to suppress methane gas production. Cumulative methane produced during 426 days of monitoring was 941 {ell} methane in System 1, 6,371 {ell} methane in System 2 adjusted for methane potential lost in wasted leachate, and 1,618 {ell} methane in System 3 adjusted for methane potential lost and added to the system.
- Research Organization:
- West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 5909440
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
090900* -- Biomass Fuels-- Processing-- (1990-)
ALKANES
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
BACTERIA
BIOCONVERSION
BIOREACTORS
BIOSYNTHESIS
CONTROL
DATA
DIGESTION
DISPERSIONS
GAS YIELDS
HYDROCARBONS
INFORMATION
INHIBITION
LEACHATES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS RECOVERY
METHANE
METHANOGENIC BACTERIA
MICROORGANISMS
MIXTURES
OPTIMIZATION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
PROCESS CONTROL
PROCESSING
PRODUCTIVITY
RECOVERY
RECYCLING
REDOX POTENTIAL
SANITARY LANDFILLS
SIMULATION
SOLUTIONS
SYNTHESIS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
YIELDS