The biocell approach for energy recovery and environmental protection

垃圾填埋场作为厌氧生物反应器，加上渗滤液的再循环，可通过增加水分、营养物质和细菌的循环来最大限度地提高甲烷产量，从而使甲烷回收和转化为能源具有经济性。生物细胞方法有望取得进一步的进展，允许空间和资源的回收，即在厌氧生物反应器模式下操作废物电池后进行采矿，然后在好氧模式下操作。尽管生物电池是传统垃圾填埋的一种有吸引力的替代方案，但有几个技术问题阻碍了这项技术在加拿大的采用。其中一些问题的解决是该项目的重点。在过去的三年里，利用NSREC战略赠款的资金，我们设法解决了两个问题，即：在薄的中间生物覆盖层中使用甲烷氧化菌来控制废物填充期间的气体排放，以及废物处理/废物降解之间的相互关系。目前的项目解决了另外三个问题：通过控制渗滤液再循环来优化垃圾填埋气的生产，提高预测垃圾填埋场产生的能量的能力，以及控制封闭垃圾填埋场的逃逸排放。该项目基于我们在利用甲烷氧化菌氧化来自点源的甲烷方面的专业知识，以及垃圾填埋过程的模拟，包括废物降解动力学和渗滤液在废物中的运动。我们的研究计划旨在回答与垃圾填埋池运营相关的关键问题，以最大限度地回收能源和最大限度地减少对环境的影响。该项目预计将产生一系列好处，包括渗滤液再循环和厌氧废物电池运行的新方案，预测潜在气体回收的新的经现场验证的方法，以及控制在厌氧模式下运行的封闭生物电池的逃逸CH4排放的优化生物覆盖系统。研究包括实验室实验、过程建模和全面的现场研究。全面的研究将在卡尔加里生物细胞进行。来自UOC的一个研究团队将在卡尔加里市和蒙特利尔市的专业团队和顾问的帮助下进行这项研究。

The operation of landfills as anaerobic bioreactors, with recirculation of leachate, would maximize CH4 production by increasing moisture, and cycling of nutrients and bacteria, thereby making CH4 recovery and conversion to energy economical. The Biocell approach promises further advances by allowing recovery of space and resources as well, by mining after operating the waste cell in the anaerobic bioreactor mode followed by operating in the aerobic mode. Although a Biocell is an attractive alternative to conventional landfilling, several technical issues prevent adoption of this technology in Canada. Resolution of some of these issues is the focus of the project. Over the last three years, using funds from a NSREC strategic grant, we managed to address two issues, namely: use of methanotrophs in thin intermediate biocover layers to control gaseous emissions during waste filling, and interrelation between waste settlement/waste degradation. The currentproject addresses three other issues: optimize landfill gas production by manipulating leachate recirculation, improve capability to predict energy production from landfills, and control fugitive emissions from closed landfills. This project builds upon our expertise on the use of methanotrophs to oxidize methane from point sources, and modelling of landfill processes, including waste degradation kinetics and leachate movement in waste. Our research program is aimed at answering key questions that need to be answered in relation to operation of landfill cells for maximum energy recovery and least environmental impact. The project is expected to yield a number of benefits, including a new protocol for leachate recirculation and operation of anaerobic waste cells, a new field verified methodology to predict potential gas recovery, and optimized biocap systems to control fugitive CH4 emissions from a closed Biocell operating in anaerobic mode. The researchincludes laboratory experimentation, process modeling and full-scale field studies. Full-scale studies will be undertaken at the Calgary Biocell. A team of researchers from UofC will undertake the research with the help of a team of professionals from City of Calgary and City of Montreal and consultants.