Analysis of Changes in Landfill Gas Output and the Economic Potential for Development of a Landfill Gas Control Prototype

The relationship between changes in local atmospheric conditions and the performance of the landfill gas collection system installed at the Rockingham County (NC) municipal solid waste landfill was studied. This work consisted of a statistical analysis of the relationship between atmospheric pressure and two critical landfill gas extraction performance metrics: total landfill gas flow and methane gas (percentage) in the collected landfill gases. An economic and energy analysis on the operation of a theoretical landfill gas-to-energy (LFGE) facility control prototype was performed to show the possible economic benefits of such a system. This study examined the wellhead variability at the Watauga County, North Carolina landfill using data collected twice a month from August 2007 to October 2013.