Performance of geosynthetics in methane oxidation systems

Landfills are a major source of methane emissions contributing to climate change. These emissions can be fugitive emissions from capped landfills, where hotspots form due to vulnerabilities (e.g., holes, fissures) in the cover. A research project investigating the use of “biowindows” for the biological oxidation of methane has been initiated by the Université de Sherbrooke. This study will examine the performance of geosynthetic drainage composite as a gas distribution layer (GDL) and a wicking geotextile as a separation layer between the methane oxidation layer and GDL. This study is a pilot scale installation with ten 2 m x 2 m biowindows fed directly by landfill gas. As occlusion due to moisture retention is a major impediment to gas transport and system efficiency, this study examines the inclusion of geosynthetics and their effects on gas transport and system efficiency.