What is a landfill?
A landfill site (also known as a tip, dump, rubbish dump, garbage dump or dumping ground) is a site used for the disposal of waste materials by burial. Dumping waste in this fashion is the oldest form of waste treatment.
Modern landfills are properly designed and managed facilities used exclusively for the disposal of solid waste; in the United States, landfills are located, designed, operated, and monitored to ensure compliance with federal regulations.
There are a few different kinds of landfills, and the type of landfill is representative of the type of waste/garbage the particular landfill will receive. For example, a Municipal Solid Waste Landfill (MSWLF) is designed to receive household and other types of non-hazardous waste. Bioreactor landfills are a type of MSWLF that operates to quickly break down organic waste.
At Bioreactor Landfills, the increase in waste degradation and stabilization is accomplished through the addition of liquid and air to enhance microbial processes.
Landfill Gas to Energy is also commonly known as Waste-to-Energy.
Types of Bioreactor Landfills
There are essentially two types of bioreactor landfills;
- Aerobic: At an aerobic bioreactor landfill, leachate (the liquid that drains or ‘leaches’ from the waste) is removed from the bottom layer, piped to liquids storage tanks, and is re-circulated into the landfill in a controlled manner. Air is injected into the waste mass using vertical or horizontal wells to promote aerobic activity and accelerate waste stabilization.
- Anaerobic: In an anaerobic bioreactor landfill, moisture is added to the waste mass in the form of re-circulated leachate and other sources to obtain optimal moisture levels. Biodegradation occurs in the absence of oxygen (anaerobically) and produces landfill gas.
What is Landfill Gas?
As biodegradable waste in landfills decomposes, landfill gas is released. Landfill gas consists of approximately: 50% methane, 42% carbon dioxide, 7% nitrogen and 1% oxygen compounds.
Landfill gas is a readily available, local and renewable energy source that offsets the need for non-renewable resources such as oil, coal and gas. This landfill gas is then captured to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and can be used for energy projects.
TMC Fluid Systems is a manufacturer and system integrator that designs and supplies blower systems to safely transport landfill gas either to flares for burning, or to other equipment (example gensets and or boilers) that can utilize this landfill gas to generate heat or electricity or both.