Optimization of Landfill BioCover (LBC) performance in cold climates

控制垃圾填埋场甲烷[CH 4]排放的最具成本效益的方法之一是安装垃圾填埋场生物覆盖物[LBC]。在LBC中，填埋场覆盖物的设计是通过促进甲烷氧化细菌或甲烷氧化菌的生长来最大限度地氧化甲烷，这些细菌或甲烷氧化菌能够利用甲烷作为能源并将其转化为二氧化碳和水而不产生有毒副产品。虽然LBC是一个有吸引力的技术来控制填埋场甲烷排放量，其可行性在加拿大寒冷的气候条件下受到质疑，因为在寒冷的冬季的表现有关的问题。过去的大多数研究都与理想条件下的性能有关，对加拿大垃圾填埋场全年的性能知之甚少。因此，我们的研究项目的主要目标包括：确定最具成本效益的颗粒介质在现场全年的甲烷氧化性能;进行比较评估，建立经济作物和原生草作为最合适的LBC植被，以最大限度地提高全年的甲烷氧化性能;制定一个强大的和具有成本效益的性能监测计划，以确定LBC性能在阿尔伯塔。这些目标将通过进行三个层次的实验来实现：实验室为基础的微观批量/柱实验，在现场进行的流通柱实验（而不是在实验室进行的常见做法），并在现场进行蒸渗仪实验。此外，将在阿尔伯塔奥科托克斯山麓地区垃圾填埋场新建的LBC进行实地调查。通过解决与LBC系统在加拿大全年运行有关的技术问题，该项目将为工业界和各级政府提供宝贵的技术，以尽量减少加拿大所有垃圾填埋场的甲烷排放量。大规模部署LBC技术将有助于实现阿尔伯塔省到2025年将甲烷排放量减少45%的气候变化战略目标和加拿大的气候变化减缓目标。

One of the most cost-effective methods available to control landfill emissions of methane [CH4], which is a key greenhouse gas, is the installation of a Landfill BioCover [LBC]. In an LBC, a landfill cover is designed to maximize oxidation of CH4 by promoting the growth of methanotrophic bacteria or methanotrophs capable of utilizing CH4 as an energy source and converting it to carbon dioxide and water without producing toxic by-products. Although LBC is an attractive technique to control landfill CH4 emissions, its viability under cold climatic conditions of Canada is questioned because of concerns related to performance during cold winter months. Most of the research in the past has been related to performance under ideal conditions, and very little is known of the performance throughout the year at landfills in Canada. Therefore, the key objectives of our research project include: determine the methane oxidation performance throughout the year of the most cost-effective granular media available on site; conduct a comparative evaluation of establishing cash crops and native grass as the most suitable LBC vegetation to maximize methane oxidation performance throughout the year; develop a robust and cost-effective performance-monitoring program to determine LBC performance in Alberta. These objectives will be achieved by conducting three levels of experiments: laboratory-based microcosm batch/column experiments, flow-through column experiments conducted in the field (as opposed to the common practice of conducting them in the laboratory), and lysimeter experiments conducted at a field location. In addition, field investigations will be conducted at a new LBC constructed at the Foothills regional landfill in Okotoks, Alberta. By resolving technical issues associated with operation throughout the year in Canada of LBC systems, this project will provide the industry and various levels of government with a valuable technology to minimize CH4 emissions from all Canadian landfills. Deployment of LBC technology on a large-scale will contribute to achieving Alberta's climate change strategy goals of reducing CH4 emissions by 45% by 2025 and Canada's climate change mitigation goals.