Biofiltration for Reducing Methane Emissions from Modern Sanitary Landfills at the Low Methane Generation Stage

Abstract

The performance of a lab-scale model biofilter system was investigated to treat CH 4 gas emitted from modern sanitary landfills using landfill cover soil as the filter bed medium. From the batch experiment to measure the influence of moisture content and temperature of the filter medium on CH 4 removal capacity of a biofilter system, the optimum moisture content and temperature were found to be 10-15% by weight and 25-35°C, respectively. From the model biofilter experiment to measure the influence of inlet CH 4 concentration and landfill gas inflow rate on CH 4 removal capacity of a biofilter system, it was found that the removal percentage of CH 4 increased as the inlet CH 4 concentration decreased. Up to a landfill gas inflow rate of 1,000 mL min −1 (empty bed retention time=7.7 min), the CH 4 removal efficiency of the biofilter was able to reach 100%. Up to CH 4 loading rate of 278.5 g CH 4 m −3 h −1 , the ratio of elimination capacity to CH 4 loading rate was 1 while they were 0.68 and 0.34 at CH 4 loading rate of 417.8 and 557.1 g CH 4 m −3 h −1 , respectively. The CH 4 removal by biofilter was also confirmed by measuring the change of temperature and moisture content of the filter medium in the model biofilter. The results demonstrated that the installation of a properly managed biofilter system should be effective to reduce atmospheric CH 4 emissions from modern sanitary landfills at the low CH 4 generation stage.

Biofiltration of methane: effect of temperature and nutrient solution

“…In range 2, performance of biofilter remained similar to range 1. For range 3, EC reached 39±2 gCH 4 Heating increased the biofilter EC when the temperatures ranged 28-30°C (range 3), which is coherent with the optimal range (25-36°C) found in the literature for some landfill soils [6], [7]. However, after 3 weeks of heating, EC decreased and reached the same value as it was when the biofilter was operated without insulation (Range 1).…”

Analysis of the effects of temperature, the amount of nutrient solution and the carbon dioxide concentration on methane biofiltration

“…The T opt calculated from eqn (7) was 32°C. This value lies within a typical range for mesophilic microorganisms [10,13,14] and it was in the optimal range of temperature observed experimentally from 31°C to 34°C. The results of the Esener type model are signifi cant according to a t-test with a t value of 14 in a confi dence interval of 95% (n = 7), as are the results of the Arrhenius type model with a t of 13 in the same confi dence interval (n = 4).…”

“…Methanotrophic bacteria tolerant to cold have their optimum temperature under 20°C [11] and the microorganisms are still active down to 1-2°C [12]. Laboratory batch experiments have shown an optimal temperature range of 30-36°C and 25-35°C in landfi ll soil biocovers [13,14]. Results from fi eld investigations indicated a higher CH 4 elimination for a temperature range from 9°C to 25°C than the range 2-9°C, 96% and 0-22%, respectively, using mechanically biologically treated waste as a biocover [15].…”

Stripping and Dissipation Techniques for the Removal of Dissolved Gases From Anaerobic Effluents

“…Thus, while the content of hydrogen sulfide would have an important reduction, to around 500 ppm, the methane content would drop to values as low as 6% in the mixture of biogas and waste gas, posing serious difficulties and technical problems, including risks of an explosive atmosphere within the range of 5 to 15% CH 4 (Noyola et al 2006). On the other hand, in research related to landfills, coal mining and piggery, there are many studies on biofiltration of CH 4 at low concentrations (250-50,000 ppm v ), since in these fields problems related to greenhouse gas emissions are well known (Sly et al, 1993;Melse and Vander Werf, 2005;Gebert and Gröngröft, 2006;Nikiema et al, 2007;Park et al, 2009). However, we did not find in the literature any study regarding the removal of CH 4 from waste gases generated in anaerobic reactors used for the treatment of domestic wastewater, possibly because of the different requirements for the biofiltration of CH 4 in relation to odorant compound biofiltration and because of CH 4 mass-transfer limitatios in biofilms, which often reduce the abatement potential or lead to an empty bed residence time (EBRT) extremely high.…”