The aerobic landfill can be likened to a gigantic composting unit.

The underlying
principles are the same. Air is pumped into each chamber, there is moisture addition and
optimum conditions are set for the growth of bacteria. The difference comes in the
system mixing. Composting allows for the system to be rotated or shaken (agitated) to
allow thorough mixing of the compost, landfills are fixed systems and do not allow that
flexibility of shaking or turning the waste.
Every bioreactor needs to be thoroughly shaken or mixed for efficient temperature,
moisture and nutrient distribution. This is very important for bacteria growth. This also
prevents the generation of temperature and moisture hotspots in the bioreactor. The
challenge now is how to ensure efficient distribution of temperature and moisture in the
landfill. If this challenge can be reduced to the barest minimum, methanotropic bacteria
will thrive. Methanotropic bacteria are responsible for the oxidation of methane to carbon
dioxide and water. Methane is generated as a by-product of the anaerobic activities of
some microorganisms. A good idea would be to fit as many air and water channels as
possible for maximum distribution.
The factors that may be investigated for optimum operation of the aerobic process
include, 1. Carbon to Nitrogen ratio (C:N Ratio) 2. Moisture content 3. Oxygen
concentration 4. Particle size 5. pH 6. Temperature.
Porosity (&compaction) and Time may also be investigated but porosity can be tied to the
particle size and the Time of operation can be altered depending on the length of time
available for operation. The moisture content can be modeled based on the rainfall pattern
of the specified area. The design points could be the highest rainfall amounts (possibly in
Spring) and the lowest amounts (in Summer). The temperature design points will be the
highest in Summer and the lowest in Winter. The pH should readily be available in
literature. The optimum pH for bacteria activity should be selected. Particle size will also
be selected based on the particle sizes and proportions usually encountered on the landfill
site. The carbon to nitrogen ratio is important to know the amount of nutrients available
to the microorganisms.
Based on the availability of data on the field, the moisture content, C-N ratio, Oxygen
concentration, temperature may be investigated. It should be noted also that leachate
recirculation has been found to enhance aerobic activity in the landfill. This can be
optimized to make up for the C-N and moisture contents. It could also be treated and
buffers added to help maintain an optimum pH (in the neutral region) for bacteria
activity. The temperature can also be used to measure the bacterial activity in the
bioreactor. There is a direct relationship between the temperature and the enzyme
activity. As enzyme activity increases, temperature increases (at least till an optimum is
reached). This can be studied and explored to study the microbial activity during the 4
seasons. Based on the findings, the temperature may be varied during the very cold and
hot seasons to ensure efficient oxidation.
Since the ultimate aim of this project is to reduce the methane emission to close to zero,
by oxidation to carbon dioxide (the CO
2
reduction process is studied by the other group),
another step may be investigated and added to the process. The use of compost covers has
been studied and found to be very efficient in methane oxidation to carbon dioxide. The
idea can be incorporated into our design. It basically involved putting a layer of compost
on the top of the solid waste. The compost harbors methanotropic bacteria, which would
oxidize any methane that may have escaped the previous layers.
Designed experiments and the use of multivariate statistics can be employed to study the
factors. Three factors can be studied in 8 or more (including center points) to derive a
model equation for the process. Further experiments may concentrate on the effect of the
leachate on the lining, stability of the bioreactor, the process kinetics etc.