The objective of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of leachate recirculation and bioreactor landfills at enhancing biodegradation, and to optimize the operation of a bioreactor. Waste Management has been examining leachate recirculation landfills for several years. Samples of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) from existing leachate recirculation (LR) landfills were collected and analyzed for several physical and biochemical properties. These parameters of interest were moisture content, pH, density, temperature, volatile solids, cellulose/lignin ratios, and biological methane potential (BMP). Leachate recirculation increased the dry density 55% faster and decreased the BMP 125% more rapidly. Moisture content was the biggest factor influencing overall degradation. Therefore, leachate reciculation effectively increases biodegradation of MSW in landfills. Waste Management built a pilot-scale bioreactor in Franklin, WI, which was sampled for one year. It contained a bioreactor side and a control side. The volatile solids, cellulose, and BMP degradation rates for the bioreactor were increased by 56%, 87%, and 271% versus the control, respectively. Moisture content was the biggest factor influencing overall degradation. The column study is designed to optimize three parameters under the control of an operator: moisture content, initial aeration period, and biosolids addition. The optimum moisture content is above 45%, but it is not safe to operate heavy equipment on refuse with greater than 45% moisture. Initial aeration did not speed up the overall degradation, but it did shorten the acidogenic phase. Finally, biosolids did not have a significant effect on degradation rates. The columns maintained an average temperature of 70oF. / Master of Science

Landfill leachate characteristics vary depending on the operation type of the landfill and the age of the landfill. At landfills operated as bioreactors, where leachate recirculation is practiced, leachate ammonia nitrogen concentrations may accumulate to extremely higher levels than during single pass leaching, thereby requiring treatment before final discharge to a receiving system (Onay, 1998). Usually several physical/chemical wastewater treatment technologies are used to treat the leachate. In most cases the COD and BOD are treated, and then nitrification is performed in a separate sophisticated ex situ system. The additional costs of these systems can be very high. The use of a readily available media for in situ nitrification should be considered a prime objective to avoid extra costs. The possibility of removing ammonia nitrogen from bioreactor landfill leachate using trickling filter biofilm technology was studied in four laboratory scale reactors filled with four different types of packing media. The different packing media were examined to see which media is the most efficient at supporting ammonia removal biofilms. The highest efficiency was achieved by a packing media consisting of pine wood chips. The effects of varied concentration loading, varied hydraulic loading, and nitrification inhibitors were studied. Varied ammonia concentration did not have a huge impact on the ammonia removal rates (77-87%) in the reactor with pine wood media. The ammonia removal rates showed a strong dependence on hydraulic loading rate with the lowest loading rate producing the highest removal rates. Landfill leachate from the Middle Peninsula Landfill in Glens, Virginia was determined not to contain nitrifying inhibitors. Using a wood media filter chip and a low hydraulic loading rate was determined to be the best method to remove ammonia nitrogen from landfill bioreator leachate. / Master of Science

Anaerobic digestion of the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW) generates a mixture of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). Beyond the field capacity the water generated is collected and recirculated as leachate in Bioreactor Landfills (BLs.) Leachate recirculation has a profound advantage on biodegradation of the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW) in the landfills. Mature leachate from older sections of landfills (>20 years) and young leachate were blended prior to recirculation in the ratios 3/3 mature, 3/3 young, 1/3 mature-2/3 young and 2/3 old-1/3 young and their effect on biodegradation and biogas production monitored. In addition to analysis of the effect of blending old and new leachates, the study also analyses the effect of an open vs. a closed recirculation loop and the effect of organic loading rates of OFMSW in landfills. Data collected from initial batch tests supplement column bioreactors simulating bioreactor landfills with real world OFMSW from operational landfill facilities in Ontario, Canada. The results are conclusive that the biogas generation can be improved by up to 92% by blending the leachate in an open loop recirculation system as compared to a conventional closed loop system employed in landfills today.

Anaerobic digestion of the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW) generates a mixture of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). Beyond the field capacity the water generated is collected and recirculated as leachate in Bioreactor Landfills (BLs.) Leachate recirculation has a profound advantage on biodegradation of the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW) in the landfills. Mature leachate from older sections of landfills (>20 years) and young leachate were blended prior to recirculation in the ratios 3/3 mature, 3/3 young, 1/3 mature-2/3 young and 2/3 old-1/3 young and their effect on biodegradation and biogas production monitored. In addition to analysis of the effect of blending old and new leachates, the study also analyses the effect of an open vs. a closed recirculation loop and the effect of organic loading rates of OFMSW in landfills. Data collected from initial batch tests supplement column bioreactors simulating bioreactor landfills with real world OFMSW from operational landfill facilities in Ontario, Canada. The results are conclusive that the biogas generation can be improved by up to 92% by blending the leachate in an open loop recirculation system as compared to a conventional closed loop system employed in landfills today.

O presente estudo teve por finalidade testar a hipótese de que o uso de uma taxa de recirculação variável do lixiviado de um reator tratando a fração orgânica dos resíduos sólidos urbanos domésticos, em um sistema em batelada híbrido, seria capaz de acelerar a degradação deste substrato em comparação com um sistema idêntico, porém que operasse com taxa de recirculação constante. Dois conjuntos de reatores foram operados, um com taxa de recirculação constante (sistema controle) e o outro com taxa de recirculação variável (sistema experimental). Os reatores foram mantidos em sala climatizada, com temperatura mantida em 35 ºC '+ OU -' 1 ºC. Cada conjunto era composto de um reator de sólidos, preenchido com o resíduo a ser digerido misturado a lixiviado de aterro sanitário, e um filtro anaeróbio, destinado a tratar o lixiviado que saía do primeiro. O substrato utilizado foi a fração orgânica dos resíduos sólidos urbanos domésticos padronizada (FORSUDp). Diversas variáveis foram medidas para o acompanhamento do processo: DQO de amostras filtradas e não filtradas, alcalinidade total, alcalinidade a ácidos voláteis, série de sólidos, nitrogênio total Kjeldahl e amoniacal, fósforo total, ácidos voláteis e composição do biogás por cromatografia gasosa. Também se acompanhou o desenvolvimento da microbiota anaeróbia por microscopia óptica de contraste de fase e fluorescência. A microscopia eletrônica de varredura indicou desenvolvimento de biofilme no meio suporte dos filtros anaeróbios. Concluiu-se que a taxa de recirculação variável consegue acelerar o processo, além de alterar de forma significativa o comportamento dos reatores e a forma de interação entre os mesmos / The objective of this study was to test the following hypothesis: varying the leachate recirculation rate in a hybrid batch reactor would make it possible to shorten the time required for the digestion of MSW, in comparison to a similar system operating with constant recirculation rate. Two sets of reactors were operated, one with constant recirculation rate (control system) and the other with varying rate (experimental system). The reactors were kept in a room which internal temperature was controlled. The temperature was kept at 35 ºC '+ OU -' 1ºC. Each set of reactors was composed of a solids reactor, filled with solid wastes and inoculated with landfill leachate, and an anaerobic filter, that should treat the leachate form the first one. The substract used was the standardized organic fraction of the municipal solid wastes (FORSUDp). Several parameters were measured for process monitoring: COD (in filtered and not filtered samples), total alkalinity, volatile acids alkalinity, solids, Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, total phosphorus, volatile acids by gas chromatography and biogas composition. The development of the anaerobic microorganisms was observed with phase-contrast and fluorescence microscopy. Scanning electron microscopy of the packed bed media showed biofilm development. It was concluded that the varying leachate recirculation rate proved to be able to enhance the degradation process. Besides, this operational strategy entirely changed the behaviour and interaction of the reactors

O presente estudo teve por finalidade testar a hipótese de que o uso de uma taxa de recirculação variável do lixiviado de um reator tratando a fração orgânica dos resíduos sólidos urbanos domésticos, em um sistema em batelada híbrido, seria capaz de acelerar a degradação deste substrato em comparação com um sistema idêntico, porém que operasse com taxa de recirculação constante. Dois conjuntos de reatores foram operados, um com taxa de recirculação constante (sistema controle) e o outro com taxa de recirculação variável (sistema experimental). Os reatores foram mantidos em sala climatizada, com temperatura mantida em 35 ºC '+ OU -' 1 ºC. Cada conjunto era composto de um reator de sólidos, preenchido com o resíduo a ser digerido misturado a lixiviado de aterro sanitário, e um filtro anaeróbio, destinado a tratar o lixiviado que saía do primeiro. O substrato utilizado foi a fração orgânica dos resíduos sólidos urbanos domésticos padronizada (FORSUDp). Diversas variáveis foram medidas para o acompanhamento do processo: DQO de amostras filtradas e não filtradas, alcalinidade total, alcalinidade a ácidos voláteis, série de sólidos, nitrogênio total Kjeldahl e amoniacal, fósforo total, ácidos voláteis e composição do biogás por cromatografia gasosa. Também se acompanhou o desenvolvimento da microbiota anaeróbia por microscopia óptica de contraste de fase e fluorescência. A microscopia eletrônica de varredura indicou desenvolvimento de biofilme no meio suporte dos filtros anaeróbios. Concluiu-se que a taxa de recirculação variável consegue acelerar o processo, além de alterar de forma significativa o comportamento dos reatores e a forma de interação entre os mesmos / The objective of this study was to test the following hypothesis: varying the leachate recirculation rate in a hybrid batch reactor would make it possible to shorten the time required for the digestion of MSW, in comparison to a similar system operating with constant recirculation rate. Two sets of reactors were operated, one with constant recirculation rate (control system) and the other with varying rate (experimental system). The reactors were kept in a room which internal temperature was controlled. The temperature was kept at 35 ºC '+ OU -' 1ºC. Each set of reactors was composed of a solids reactor, filled with solid wastes and inoculated with landfill leachate, and an anaerobic filter, that should treat the leachate form the first one. The substract used was the standardized organic fraction of the municipal solid wastes (FORSUDp). Several parameters were measured for process monitoring: COD (in filtered and not filtered samples), total alkalinity, volatile acids alkalinity, solids, Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, total phosphorus, volatile acids by gas chromatography and biogas composition. The development of the anaerobic microorganisms was observed with phase-contrast and fluorescence microscopy. Scanning electron microscopy of the packed bed media showed biofilm development. It was concluded that the varying leachate recirculation rate proved to be able to enhance the degradation process. Besides, this operational strategy entirely changed the behaviour and interaction of the reactors

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a possibilidade de acelerar o processo de digestão anaeróbia da fração orgânica de resíduos sólidos urbanos domésticos em sistemas de duas fases, com taxas crescentes de recirculação de lixiviado, variando a taxa de recirculação de lixiviado em função da concentração de ácidos voláteis. Para tanto, foram operados dois sistemas de reatores, cada um composto por um reator de sólidos, que continha o resíduo sólido a ser tratado e um filtro anaeróbio de fluxo ascendente, que tratava o lixiviado do primeiro, antes que esse lixiviado fosse recirculado ao reator de sólidos. Um dos sistemas teve sua taxa de recirculação aumentada a intervalos constantes, enquanto que no outro o momento do aumento da taxa foi função da concentração de ácido propiônico no sistema. O trabalho teve ainda dois objetivos secundários: avaliar a validade de comparar os resultados dos dois sistemas, operados em paralelo, em função das características dos resíduos sólidos e dos procedimentos adotados para coleta e preparação do substrato e para o carregamento dos reatores; e avaliou-se a possibilidade de utilizar filtros anaeróbios para recuperar reatores acidificados. Durante o desenvolvimento do experimento, foram monitorados os seguintes parâmetros: DQO (não filtrada e filtrada), pH, alcalinidade, série de sólidos, nitrogênio total Kjeldahl, nitrogênio amoniacal, ácidos voláteis e composição do biogás. Foram realizados ainda exames qualitativos da microbiota que se desenvolveu nos reatores, através de microscopia óptica de fluorescência e contraste de fase. Os resultados obtidos permitiram concluir que: a) os procedimentos testados para o carregamento dos reatores de sólidos permitiram a comparação de resultados entre os sistemas; b) os filtros foram capazes de recuperar reatores acidificados; e c) a utilização da concentração de ácido propiônico para determinar o momento da variação da taxa de recirculação permitiu acelerar o processo, embora de forma restrita, para a escala de reatores utilizada. / The purpose of this dissertation was to evaluate the possibility of accelerating the process of anaerobic digestion of the organic fraction of domestic municipal solid waste, in two-stage systems, with increasing leachate recirculation rate, through the use of volatile acids as determining parameter of the moment in which the rate must be varied. To do so, two systems of reactors were operated, each being composed by a solids reactor, which contained the solid waste intended to be treated, and an upflow anaerobic filter, which treated the leachate of the first reactor, before recirculation. One of the systems had its recirculation rate increased at constant spells of time, while, in the other system, the moment of the increase in the recirculation rate was a function of the concentration of propionic acid in the system. This study had yet two secondary purposes: evaluating the validity of comparing the results from the two systems of reactors, operated in parallel, in view of the characteristics of solid waste and the adopted procedures for collecting and preparing the substrate, as well as for the loading of reactors; and evaluating the possibility of using anaerobic filters to recover acidified reactors. The following parameters were measured during the process: COD (filtered and non-filtered), pH, alkalinity, solids, Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, volatile acids and biogas composition. The development of microorganisms in the reactors was observed qualitatively, using optical microscopy. It was possible to reach the following conclusions: a) the tested procedures allow the comparison of results between the systems; b) the filters are capable of recovering acidified reactors; and c) the employment of the concentration of propionic acid to determine the moment of increase of leachate recirculation rate is capable of accelerating the process, though in a restricted way, for the scale of reactors used.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a possibilidade de acelerar o processo de digestão anaeróbia da fração orgânica de resíduos sólidos urbanos domésticos em sistemas de duas fases, com taxas crescentes de recirculação de lixiviado, variando a taxa de recirculação de lixiviado em função da concentração de ácidos voláteis. Para tanto, foram operados dois sistemas de reatores, cada um composto por um reator de sólidos, que continha o resíduo sólido a ser tratado e um filtro anaeróbio de fluxo ascendente, que tratava o lixiviado do primeiro, antes que esse lixiviado fosse recirculado ao reator de sólidos. Um dos sistemas teve sua taxa de recirculação aumentada a intervalos constantes, enquanto que no outro o momento do aumento da taxa foi função da concentração de ácido propiônico no sistema. O trabalho teve ainda dois objetivos secundários: avaliar a validade de comparar os resultados dos dois sistemas, operados em paralelo, em função das características dos resíduos sólidos e dos procedimentos adotados para coleta e preparação do substrato e para o carregamento dos reatores; e avaliou-se a possibilidade de utilizar filtros anaeróbios para recuperar reatores acidificados. Durante o desenvolvimento do experimento, foram monitorados os seguintes parâmetros: DQO (não filtrada e filtrada), pH, alcalinidade, série de sólidos, nitrogênio total Kjeldahl, nitrogênio amoniacal, ácidos voláteis e composição do biogás. Foram realizados ainda exames qualitativos da microbiota que se desenvolveu nos reatores, através de microscopia óptica de fluorescência e contraste de fase. Os resultados obtidos permitiram concluir que: a) os procedimentos testados para o carregamento dos reatores de sólidos permitiram a comparação de resultados entre os sistemas; b) os filtros foram capazes de recuperar reatores acidificados; e c) a utilização da concentração de ácido propiônico para determinar o momento da variação da taxa de recirculação permitiu acelerar o processo, embora de forma restrita, para a escala de reatores utilizada. / The purpose of this dissertation was to evaluate the possibility of accelerating the process of anaerobic digestion of the organic fraction of domestic municipal solid waste, in two-stage systems, with increasing leachate recirculation rate, through the use of volatile acids as determining parameter of the moment in which the rate must be varied. To do so, two systems of reactors were operated, each being composed by a solids reactor, which contained the solid waste intended to be treated, and an upflow anaerobic filter, which treated the leachate of the first reactor, before recirculation. One of the systems had its recirculation rate increased at constant spells of time, while, in the other system, the moment of the increase in the recirculation rate was a function of the concentration of propionic acid in the system. This study had yet two secondary purposes: evaluating the validity of comparing the results from the two systems of reactors, operated in parallel, in view of the characteristics of solid waste and the adopted procedures for collecting and preparing the substrate, as well as for the loading of reactors; and evaluating the possibility of using anaerobic filters to recover acidified reactors. The following parameters were measured during the process: COD (filtered and non-filtered), pH, alkalinity, solids, Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, volatile acids and biogas composition. The development of microorganisms in the reactors was observed qualitatively, using optical microscopy. It was possible to reach the following conclusions: a) the tested procedures allow the comparison of results between the systems; b) the filters are capable of recovering acidified reactors; and c) the employment of the concentration of propionic acid to determine the moment of increase of leachate recirculation rate is capable of accelerating the process, though in a restricted way, for the scale of reactors used.

Accélérer la dégradation anaérobie des déchets enfouis, optimiser la production de biogaz et diminuer le temps et le coût de surveillance sont les enjeux principaux d'installation de stockage des déchets non dangereux (ISDND)-bioactives, ainsi que, plus classiquement, minimiser leurs impacts sanitaires et environnementaux. L'une des méthodes les plus efficaces pour atteindre ces objectifs est la recirculation de lixiviat et l'augmentation de l'humidité des déchets. Les objectifs du bioréacteur ne seront pas atteints sans une connaissance rationnelle des phénomènes hydrauliques, biologiques et thermiques qui s’y développent et de l’influence de l'un de ces phénomènes sur les autres. Les observations in situ, les expérimentations en laboratoire ainsi que les modèles numériques permettent ensemble une approche rationnelle de ces phénomènes. C’est ce qui constitue le corps de ce travail de thèse, où nous avons étudié le comportement hydro-thermo-biologique des déchets dans la phase anaérobie en laboratoire, sur site à partir de données hydro-thermiques de deux bioréacteurs situés en France et en développant un modèle numérique pour simuler ce comportement couplé des bioréacteurs. Les travaux en laboratoire nous ont permis d’étudier l’effet de la saturation et de la densité (compactage des déchets) sur la dégradation anaérobie des déchets ménagers et l’influence de ces paramètres sur la production de biogaz. Les données hydrauliques et thermiques in-situ des bioréacteurs nous ont permis de connaître les variations des paramètres essentiels comme la température et la saturation dans les déchets, à différentes profondeurs, et estimer d’autres paramètres qui sont difficile à déterminer expérimentalement. Le modèle numérique nous a permis d’étudier le comportement couplé, hydro-thermo-biologique, des bioréacteurs à long terme (pendant une dizaine d’années) aussi bien qu’à court terme pendant la recirculation de lixiviat. L’interdépendance des différents paramètres qui influent la dégradation des déchets est la principale raison nous ayant conduits à développer un modèle de couplage qui nous permette d'étudier chaque paramètre en fonction des autres. Les travaux en laboratoire et les données thermiques de site nous ont conduits à développer un modèle d'écoulement diphasique du liquide et du gaz dans les déchets, considérant les phénomènes biologiques, en fonction des paramètres clés de la dégradation comme la température et la saturation, pour aboutir à la production de biogaz et de chaleur. Les trois parties de ce travail, les expérimentations en laboratoire, le développement d'un modèle numérique et l’analyse des données de site ont été effectuées en parallèle de façon complémentaire. Les expérimentation de laboratoire tout comme l’analyse des données de site, nous ont montré l'importance des paramètres qu'il faut considérer dans le modèle et en retour le modèle numérique nous a aidé à diriger les expérimentations en laboratoire et montré la nécessité de conduire certaines analyses sur les pilotes expérimentaux, comme l’analyse de la biomasse, de la DCO et des AGV. L'analyse des données hydrauliques et thermiques de sites de bioréacteur nous a permis de caler les paramètres hydrauliques, biologiques et thermiques des déchets qui sont difficile à définir sur le site sans le perturber (comme la conductivité hydraulique, la saturation, la conductivité thermique, la capacité calorifique, la concentration en biomasse et en AGV). Le travail réalisé dans la thèse a permis de développer un modèle couplé hydro-thermo-biologique et de tester sa capacité à prévoir le comportement thermique d'un bioréacteur, la production totale et le taux de production de méthane. Nous avons montré qu'il était adopté à l'étude du comportement à long terme d'un bioréacteur, aussi bien qu'à court terme pendant la réinjection de lixiviat, là où les techniques de mesure et le temps sont limitants en laboratoire ou sur site / The main objectives of bioreactor landfills are to accelerate anaerobic degradation of waste in order to minimize the environmental impacts, to optimize biogas production and to minimize the time of waste stabilization as well as the costs and time of monitoring of landfill sites after operation. One of the most important and cost-effective method to achieve these objectives is liquid addition and management. The objectives of bioreactor landfills could not be achieved without enough knowledge of its hydraulic, thermal and biological parameters and processes and the effects of each of them on the others. Site observations and data and laboratory experiments as well as numerical models could help to develop the knowledge of these phenomena and processes, which is the objective of this work. In this thesis we study the coupled hydro-thermo-biological behavior of bioreactor landfills in the anaerobic phase in the laboratory and using site data of two bioreactor landfills in France and developing a numerical coupled model. The laboratory experiments help us to know the effect of such important parameters as saturation and density of wastes on anaerobic degradation and biogas production. The site data help us to know the variations of saturation and temperature of wastes in a bioreactor landfill in different depths, as two key factors of anaerobic degradation and biogas production. Site analysis helps also to estimate some parameters as hydraulic and thermal conductivity of wastes, which are hard to measure in situ without disturbing the landfill site. The numerical model helps us to study the coupled behavior of bioreactor landfills during leachate recirculation, as well as on the long term during many years. The interdependence of various parameters which influence waste degradation and thermo-biological phenomena in a bioreactor landfills is the main reason of development of this coupled model. This model makes it possible to study each key parameter, as saturation and temperature, as a function of other parameters. Laboratory experiments and site data analysis lead to develop a biological model of degradation to be coupled with a two-phase flow model of liquid and gas. The three parts of this thesis, laboratory experiments, site data analysis and development of the numerical coupled model were carried out in parallel and in a complementary manner. Laboratory experiments as well as site data analysis showed us the importance of some parameters to be considered in the numerical model and coupled behavior. In return numerical model showed the importance of considering the temperature dependence behavior of microbial activity and the necessity of biomass, VFA and COD analysis in laboratory experiments. The analysis of hydraulic and thermal site data led to estimate parameters which are hard to measure in situ or in the laboratory, as hydraulic and thermal conductivity of waste, saturation, thermal conductivity of cover layer and heat capacity of waste. The numerical coupled hydro-thermo-biological model seems to be efficient enough to predict biogas and methane production in bioreactor and classical landfills and to reproduce their correct behavior