Influence of Cowl on the Spatial Distribution of Oxygen in Semi-Aerobic Landfill

Abstract

To elevate the air flow rate in vent pipes of semi-aerobic landfill, promote oxygen transmit into waste and methane mitigation, a wind-driven cowl was fixed on one of the two semi-aerobic landfills’ vent pipe. With the aim of figuring out the influence of cowl on the spatial distribution of oxygen under different climates, wind speeds were set at 3 m/s, 5 m/s, 7 m/s and 0 m/s sequentially. Oxygen concentrations and temperatures were recorded once a week. Data from experimental results indicated that oxygen concentrations went up along with the height above the bottom of landfill after deducting the oxygen transported by leachate collection pipes. Average oxygen concentrations except the surface layer were 3.5%, 4.2%, 3.8%, 3.0% for S-A with cowl and 2.9%, 3.4%, 3.7%, 3.0% for S-A under the wind speeds of 3 m/s, 5 m/s, 7 m/s, 0 m/s, respectively. Meantime, the aerobic radius in S-A with cowl were 0.84 m, 1.01 m, 0.87 m, 0.62 m and 0.76 m, 0.84 m, 0.87 m, 0.65 m in S-A. The effect of the cowl on oxygen transmission maximized at the wind speed of 5 m/s. It is clearly that wind energy can be better used on enhancing the ventilation in vent pipe and expanding aerobic radius after application of cowl.