Title: The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions using various thermal systems in a landfill site

Authors: C. Ozgur Colpan, Ibrahim Dincer, Feridun Hamdullahpur

Addresses: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel by Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada. ' Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7L7, Canada. ' Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel by Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada

Abstract: In this paper, the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from an uncontrolled landfill site filled with Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) are compared with those from controlled sites in which collected Landfill Gases (LFG) are utilised by various technologies. These technologies include flaring, conventional electricity generation technologies such as Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and Gas Turbine (GT) and an emerging technology, Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC). The results show that SOFC is the best option for reducing the GHG emissions among the studied technologies. In the case when SOFC is used, GHG emissions from the controlled site are reduced by 63% compared to the uncontrolled site. This case has a specific lifetime GHG emission of 2.38 tonnes CO₂ .eq/MWh when only electricity is produced and 1.12 tonnes CO₂.eq/MWh for a cogeneration application.

Keywords: greenhouse gases; GHG emissions; global warming; landfill gases; LFG; municipal solid waste; MSW; solid oxide fuel cells; SOFC; carbon dioxide; flaring; electricity generation; internal combustion engines; gas turbines; cogeneration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGW.2009.027083

International Journal of Global Warming, 2009 Vol.1 No.1/2/3, pp.89 - 105

Published online: 14 Jul 2009 *

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