Aerobic landfill bioreactor
AssigneeAmerican Technologies, Inc.
InventorsMark P Hudgins, Bernard J Bessette, John March, Scott T. McComb
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention includes a method of decomposing municipal solid waste (MSW) within a landfill by converting the landfill to aerobic degradation in the following manner: (1) injecting air via the landfill leachate collection system (2) injecting air via vertical air injection wells installed within the waste mass; (3) applying leachate to the waste mass using a pressurized drip irrigation system; (4) allowing landfill gases to vent; and (5) adjusting air injection and recirculated leachate to achieve a 40% to 60% moisture level and a temperature between 120.degree. F. and 140.degree. F. in steady state.
Claims13
A method for operating a landfill, said landfill having a waste mass covered with a cap and a leachate collection system for collecting leachate from said waste mass in said landfill, said method comprising the steps of:
- dripping leachate from a leachate injection system into said waste mass;
- combined vertical and horizontal injecting air into said waste mass;
- adjusting said air and said leachate in said waste mass so that said temperature of said waste mass is between approximately 120.degree. F. and approximately 140.degree. F.;
- and
- reducing waste density so that said waste allows improved operation.
A method for converting an anaerobic landfill to an aerobic landfill for decomposition of a waste mass, said method comprising the steps of:
- modifying existing soil cover over said waste mass;
- establish an array of holes through said cover;
- establishing an array of drip emitters on the surface of said cover, each drip emitter positioned near one of said holes in said cover to drip into said waste mass through said cover;
- collecting leachate from said landfill in a leachate system, said leachate system having collection ports;
- connecting said array of drip emitters to said collected leachate so that said drip emitters can drip leachate into said waste mass;
- connecting blowers to said cleanout ports;
- blowing air into said cleanout ports at a pressure sufficient to suffuse said portion of said landfill with air;
- continuing said blowing of air and dripping of leachate into said waste mass until the temperature of said waste mass is between 120.degree. F. and 140.degree. F.;
- adding vertical air injection to achieve said temperature;
- removing said cover;
- and
- compacting said portion of said landfill upon completion of aerobic decomposition of said portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.