Spatial Variability of Gas Composition and Flow in a Landfill Under In-Situ Aeration

Abstract

In-situ aeration of landfills accelerates biodegradation of waste organic matter and hence advances waste stabilization. The spatial outreach of aeration greatly affects stabilization efficiency. This study analyzed the spatial variability of gas composition and flow in 230 wells spread over four compartments of a Dutch landfill which is under in situ aeration since 2017, as well as the carbon extraction efficiency, tem-perature, and settlement. Flow rates and gas composition in the extraction wells varied strongly. The highest variability was observed in the compartment with the highest water tables with submerged filter screens for most wells, with low flow rates, and elevated ratios of CH₄ to CO₂, indicating predominance of anaerobic processes (compartment 11Z). The compartment with the most uniform distribution of gas flow rates, composition and lower ratios of CH₄ to CO₂, suggesting a significant share of aerobic carbon mineralization, also showed higher temperatures, a carbon extraction efficiency, and larger cumulative settlement, all indicative of enhanced microbial activity (compartment 11N). In this compartment, the amount of extracted carbon exceeded the carbon generation predicted from landfill gas modeling by the factor of 2 over the hitherto four years aeration. The effect of water tables on gas flow and the correlation between the flow, and the ratio of CH₄ to CO₂ appeared weak, indicating that also other factors than water tables influence gas concentration and flow. Future work includes stable isotope probing to analyze the significance of microbial respiration and microbial CH₄ oxidation for the composition of the final extracted gas mixture.