Characterization of LFG Emissions Factors for MSW Landfills

Abstract

Conform municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills will continue to be used, in the nearest future, in accordance with environmental protection legislation. Due to this fact, the environmental factors such as: water, air, fauna and vegetation, soil, as well as the human health will be affected. The Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissions (CH4, CO2, N2O, other nitrogen oxides, water vapor steams) are taken into consideration being responsible for a great part of the world environmental changes, 3÷5%, approximately. It is to be noted that, on the national territories, the GHG emissions should be considered due to a bad management of those. The MSW landfilling allows collecting landfill gas (LFG) in a place by collection and treatment of CH4, CO2 and H2S, for economical purposes and human beings health protection. Methane (CH4) is a strong GHG but has economical value and in the same time, is an important energetic source. Collecting this gas involves important costs. Waste disposal have to be analyzed from the point of view of its enclosed constituents, humidity kept, permeability, biodegradation rate, compacting density, temperature inside the landfill body and atmospheric pressure variations. This article is dedicated to studying the parameters of LFG collection wells, which are used as part of vertical collection systems. For this purpose, the modeling approaches to the main processes occurring in the porous medium of the landfill (MSW) are taken into account.