MULTIPURPOSE UTILIZATION OF LANDFILL GAS IN UKRAINE

Abstract

Handling solid waste (MSW), including their derivatives — landfill gas and leachate, today takes on strategic importance. Currently landfills in Ukraine do not have short-term alternatives for the disposal of waste received annually in an amount of 12–13 billion tons Landfills are located throughout the country near cities and work as reactors emit into the atmosphere methane-inclusive combustible gas in the volume of 1 billion m3 per year. Gas Institute of NAS of Ukraine is the leading research institution in Ukraine developing processing and utilization technologies of landfill gas. Based on a systematic analysis of major cities landfills scientific principles and methodology of biogas generation and utilization in power plants were developed, a complex technology was developed of gathering, processing and use of biogas to power generation and biomethane fuel (similar to natural gas) producing, and carbon dioxide storage, and pipeless transport supplies to consumers in the form of hydrates. Averaged results of chemical analysis indicate a high content of methane (50 %) in the landfill gas, which corresponds to net calorific value of 20–25 MJ/Nm3. High fuel capacity of landfill biogas can effectively use it instead of natural gas in power plants and vehicles, for its gas supply network in Ukraine. Projects were developed and implemented at landfills of Ukraine, industrial complexes protect the atmosphere of greenhouse gases and make their utilization with power generation of 5,2 MW total for centralized power supply. Implementation was done without the involvement of state funds. To date more than 10 billion cubic meters of methane and 35 billion kWh of electricity were produced and delivered to the network on a continuous basis. This real made reductions in greenhouse gas emissions amounted to 160 ths. tons equivalent of carbon dioxide. The implementation of the technologies developed for large landfills of Ukraine will steadily replace 0,5 billion m3 of natural gas in a year. Bibl. 10, Fig. 9, Table 1.