Numerical Modelling of Generation and Transport of Gas and Heat in Sanitary Landfills Iii. Sensitivity Analysis

A mathematical model for the generation and transport of gas and heat in a sanitary landfill is developed based on earlier work on the Mountain View Controlled Landfill Project (MVCLP) in California. The present model incorporates biokinetic model equations describing the dynamics of the microbial landfill ecosystem into a multilayer, time-dependent gas and heat transport and generation models. It is based on the fundamental principles governing the physical, chemical, and microbiological processes in a porous media context such as a sanitary landfill. The model includes biochemical and temperature feedback loops to simulate the effects of their corresponding parameters on microbiological processes. The resulting integrated biokinetic, gas, and heat generation and transport model was used to simulate field data from the MVCLP and to assess the sensitivity of model results to biological parameters. The model can be used to predict the rate and total production of methane in a landfill. © 1997 ISWA