Impact of Composition of Municipal Solid Waste on Methane Generation in Laboratory Batch and Simulator Tests

Abstract

Methane (CH4) is generated during anaerobic biodegradation of municipal solid waste in landfills and can be collected as an energy source. CH4 generation rate (k) and potential CH4 generation capacity (L0) are two key parameters of the EPA LandGEM model used to estimate CH4 generation in full-scale landfills. These parameters can be measured in laboratory batch and simulator tests. The relationships of these parameters with waste composition, and specifically the percentages of biodegradable constituents, were investigated. k was positively correlated to the percentage of biodegradable constituents. L0 correlated well with volatile solids in the waste. A k-L0 chart was developed to delineate the boundaries of CH4 generation rate and potential CH4 generation capacity during MSW biodegradation in laboratory tests. Waste composition and heterogeneity, moisture content and temperature likely contributed to the differences of k and L0 values obtained between batch and simulator tests.