Aerobic Landfill Bioreactors

Laboratory Models

Numerical Simulation of Landfill Bioreactors

Introduction

• The need to control gas and leachate production and minimize refuse volume in landfills has motivated the development of simulation models that can be used to predict and design optimal treatment processes.
• Simulation models can be used to predict biodegradation assessment methods such as gas production and respiration monitoring.
• T2LBM is a module for the TOUGH2 simulator that implements a Landfill Bioreactor Model to provide simulation capability for the processes of nonisothermal aerobic or anaerobic biodegradation and the associated flow and transport of gas and liquid through the refuse mass.

Conceptualization
(click to enlarge image)

Biodegradation Reactions

LBNL Laboratory Experiment Simulation

T2LBM results at 28 days

Final Comparison Plot

Conclusions

• We have developed simulation capabilities for anaerobic or aerobic biodegradation of acetic acid (proxy for municipal solid waste) and the associated gas production along with flow and transport of aqueous and gas phases.
• T2LBM can match published results for gas production for aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation.
• Laboratory gas production and respiration tests for assessing biodegradation can be modeled with T2LBM.
• Development and improvement of T2LBM is ongoing

Documentation for T2LBM is available from Curt Oldenburg.

Laboratory Models

For more information regarding this subject, please contact:

Curt Oldenburg
510/486-7419
Email: cmoldenburg@lbl.gov

Sharon Borglin
510/486-7515
Email: seborglin@lbl.gov

Terry Hazen
510/486-6223
Email: tchazen@lbl.gov

This work is supported by Laboratory Directed Research and Development Funds at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory under Department of Energy Contract No. DE-AC03-76SF00098.