Several operational and environmental conditions can result in poor biogas yield during the operation of anaerobic digesters and anaerobic bioreactor landfills. Over time, anaerobic co-digestion and leachate blending have been identified as strategies that can help address some of these challenges to improve biogas production. While co-digestion entails the co-treatment of multiple substrates, leachate blending involves combination of mature and young landfill leachate. Despite the benefits attributed to these strategies, their impact on recirculating bioreactor landfill scenarios and anaerobic digesters requires further investigation. In the first phase of this thesis, an attempt to assess biogas production improvement from organic fraction of municipal solid waste in simulated bioreactor landfills through recirculation of blended landfill leachate was conducted. Real old and new leachate blends (67%New leachate:33%Old leachate, 33%New leachate:67%Old leachate) as well as 100%New and 100%Old leachate were recirculated through six laboratory-scale bioreactors using open-loop and closed-loops modes. Compared with the control bioreactor where 100% new leachate was recirculated and operated as a closed-loop, cumulative biogas production was improved by as much as 77 to 193% when a leachate blend of 33%New:67%Old was recirculated. Furthermore, comparison of the results from open-loop and closed-loop operated bioreactors indicated that there was approximately 28 to 65% more biogas in open-loop bioreactors. The Gompertz model applied to the methane data produced a better fit (R2 > 0.99) than first order and logistic function models. Leachate blending reduced the lag phase by almost half and thus helps in alleviating the ensiling during the start-up phase. In the second phase, a biochemical methane potential (BMP) assay was conducted to investigate the synergistic effect of percentage sewage scum addition; 10%, 20% and 40% (volatile solids basis) on biogas production during mesophilic co-digestion with various organic substrates viz; organic fraction of municipal solid waste, old leachate, new leachate and a leachate blend prepared from 67%old leachate and 33%new leachate under sub-optimal condition. Results show that the net cumulative bio-methane yield was improved with increased sewage scum percentage during co-digestion because of positive synergism. Meanwhile, the addition of 40% sewage scum to the individual co-substrates improved net cumulative bio-methane yield by 28% - 67% when compared to their respective mono-substrate digestion bio-methane yield. Furthermore, reactors containing leachate blends consistently produced more biogas over other sets because of blending. Kinetic modelling applied to the bio-methane production data shows modified Gompertz equation achieved a better fit with up to an R2 value of 0.999. Finally, co-digestion substantially reduced the lag time encountered during mono-digestion. In the last phase, the biomethane potential involved in the ACo-D of sewage scum, organic fraction of municipal solid waste was investigated in this phase using either thickened waste activated sludge or leachate blend (67%old leachate and 33%new leachate) as a tertiary component. Compared to the mono-digestion of TWAS, results shows that biomethane yield was enhanced in by as much as 32 - 127% in trinary mixtures with SS and OFMSW mainly due to the effect of positive synergism. Furthermore, LB addition improved biomethane production in trinary mixtures of SS:LB: OFMSW by 38% than in corresponding trinary mixtures of TWAS. Whereas an optimal combination of 40%SS:10%TWAS:50%OFMSW and 20%SS:70%LB:10%OFMSW produced the highest biogas yield of 407mL.gVS-1 and 487mL.gVS-1 respectively. The application of the first order model showed that lower hydrolysis rates promoted methanogenesis with k = 0.04day-1 in both 20%SS:70%LB:10%OFMSW and 20%SS:50%LB:30%OFMSW. Estimations by the modified Gompertz and logistic function were conclusive methane production rate improved by as much a 60% in a trinary mixture over the production rate during mono-digestion of TWAS alone. The results of the various experiments of this thesis therefore suggest that leachate blending can be used as a strategy to improve biogas production in both bioreactor landfills and anaerobic digesters. Also, sewage scum as an energy-rich substrate can be better utilized during co-digestion with other low-energy substrates.

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.