ANALYSIS OF RAINFALL INFLUENCE IN BIOGAS PRODUCTION AND VARIATIONS IN THE SELF-POTENTIAL IN A LANDFILL

Abstract

Biogas is a chemical compound rich in methane, generated by the degradation of organic matter, flammable power and applicable to energy generation. Landfills are areas with great potential for biogas generation due to the large amount of organic matter contained in solid domestic waste. The sizing and design of projects to capture and generate energy in landfills depend on reliable estimates of future generation of biogas. The currently available models are deficient in many respects due to the exclusion of relevant factors in the biogas generation process. This paper presents the results of natural electric potential through geophysical logging technique, developed alongside gas drains located in areas with residues of different ages of landfill deposition, when accompanied by measures of biogas flow and rainfall, biweekly during 12 months. The key objective was to evaluate the sensitivity of the physical parameter to seasonal variations and its relation to the production of biogas. The results show that the availability of organic matter able to degradation was the main factor responsible for differences in biogas production between the drains examined, although there are variations in periods of drought or rain. The natural electric potential demonstrated proportional variations of biogas flow rates measured in drains with different ages, where the largest biogas flows are associated to more electronegative or more reducing areas