Nobutoshi Tanaka, Keiichi Koyama

(Professors of Hokkaido University)

Abstract

A method of theoretical analysis on gas and gas components migration in sanitary landfill sites is important for various kinds of landfill management such as landfill-gas control, landfill-gas utilization, rapid stabilization of refuse and removal of volatile chemicals in landfill/soil. Moreover, active investigations about these techniques will be expected. Therefore, a set of basic equations for gas and gas components migration through landfill and soil layers is developed, based on the theories of gaseous flow and diffusion through porous media. They equations can deal with gaseous flow by total pressure gradients and gaseous diffusion by composition gradients and be applied also in the region where pore diameter becomes nearly equal to average free path of gases. The application limit of these equations is also presented. Observed values of gas permeability k or tortuosity [zeta] and past investigations on gaseous flow and diffusion through refuse layers are shown and necessary subjects of research are discussed.

Key words: sanitary landfill, landfill gas, gaseous flow, gaseous diffusion, porous media, gas migration.