Biochemical, hydrological and mechanical behaviors of high food waste content MSW landfill: Preliminary findings from a large-scale experiment. (May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhan, Liang-Tong; Xu, Hui; Chen, Yun-Min; Lü, Fan; Lan, Ji-Wu; Shao, Li-Min; Lin, Wei-An; He, Pin-Jing
• Is Part Of: Waste management. Volume 63(2017)
• Page Start: 27
• Page End: 40
• Publication Date: 2017-05
• Subjects: Municipal solid waste (MSW) -- High food waste content -- Leachate production -- Leachate level -- Biodegradation -- Earth pressure -- Settlement; Hazardous wastes -- Periodicals; Refuse and refuse disposal -- Periodicals; 363.728
• DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2017.03.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0956-053X

Abstract

Highlights: A large-scale (5 m × 5 m × 7.5 m) bioreactor experiment was conducted on unprocessed high food waste content (HFWC) MSW. A large quantity of self-released leachate was collected within two months after waste filling. A rapid build-up of high leachate level was observed after waste filling. A linear increase of compression strain with an increase of leachate draining rate was found. Abstract: A large-scale bioreactor experiment lasting for 2 years was presented in this paper to investigate the biochemical, hydrological and mechanical behaviors of high food waste content (HFWC) MSW. The experimental cell was 5 m in length, 5 m in width and 7.5 m in depth, filled with unprocessed HFWC-MSWs of 91.3 tons. In the experiment, a surcharge loading of 33.4 kPa was applied on waste surface, mature leachate refilling and warm leachate recirculation were performed to improve the degradation process. In this paper, the measurements of leachate quantity, leachate level, leachate biochemistry, gas composition, waste temperature, earth pressure and waste settlement were presented, and the following observations were made: (1) 26.8 m 3 leachate collected from the 91.3 tons HFWC-MSW within the first two months, being 96% of the total amount collected in one year. (2) The leachate level was 88% of the waste thickness after waste filling in a close system, and reached to over 100% after a surcharge loading of 33.4 kPa. (3) The self-weight effective stress of waste was observed to be close to zero under the condition of high leachate mound. Leachate drawdown led to a gain of self-weight effective stress. (4) A rapid development of waste settlement took place within the first two months, with compression strains of 0.38–0.47, being over 95% of the strain recorded in one year. The compression strain tended to increase linearly with an increase of leachate draining rate during that two months.