Technological Innovations to Mitigate Greenhouse Gas Emissions

拟议的研究计划涉及推进两项技术，即能够减少石油和天然气行业相关的点源和面源温室气体排放，以及接受可生物降解有机废物的垃圾填埋场。点源排放可以通过高速甲烷营养生物过滤(HMBF)来控制，这是我们过去通过进行基础和应用研究而开发和推广的一项技术。目前的项目进一步推进了知识库，使该技术能够在实地大规模应用。与垃圾填埋场相关的面源温室气体排放将通过应用垃圾填埋场生物单元技术(LBT)进行控制，其中废物单元以厌氧和好氧生物反应器模式运行，并随后进行采矿，以回收资源和空间。LBT的部分原因是认识到，以控制地下水污染为唯一目标的传统“埋藏式”垃圾填埋场的运营是不可持续的，在与垃圾填埋气相关的问题和资源节约方面可能会适得其反。虽然这种可持续的地下废物处理方法有可能解决与传统填埋有关的一些环境和社会问题，但一些技术障碍阻碍了它的大规模采用。目前的计划解决了几个技术问题。研究生和其他HQP的培训是该项目的关键组成部分，80%以上的项目资金用于此目的。六名研究生(三名博士和三名硕士)和几名暑期学生将参与研究。预计HQP将以实践经验补充他们的学术培训，并将继续为加拿大的知识和经济做出巨大贡献。

The proposed research program deals with advancing two technologies capable of reducing point- and area-source GHG emissions associated with oil and gas industry and landfills accepting biodegradable organic waste. The point-source emissions could be controlled by high-rate methanotrophic biofiltration (HMBF); a technology we have developed and promoted by undertaking fundamental and applied research in the past. The current project further advances the knowledge base to enable field-scale application of the technology. Area-source GHG emissions associated with landfills will be controlled by the application of landfill biocell technology (LBT), where waste cells are operated in anaerobic and aerobic bioreactor modes and subsequent mining for recovery of resources and space. LBT originated, in part, from the realization that operation of conventional “entombed” landfills for the sole objective of controlling groundwater contamination is not sustainable, and could be counter-productive in relation to landfill gas related problems and resource conservation. Although this sustainable in-ground waste processing approach has the potential to solve a number of environmental and social problems associated with conventional landfilling, a number of technical obstacles prevent its adoption in a large scale. The current program addresses several technical issues. Training of graduate student and other HQPs is a key component of this project, with more than 80% of the project funds used for this purpose. Six graduate students (three PhD and three MSc) and several summer students will participate in the research. The HQPs are expected to complement their academic training with hands on experience and will go on to contribute richly to the Canadian knowledge and economy.