Cost-effective and reliable measurement solutions for even the most unique applications.
Landfill Leachate Management
Modern landfill management requires strict adhesion to both environmental protection & health and safety legislation. In order to ensure the safety of the site and surrounding environment landfills typically have a protective berm to prevent leachate (contaminated water) from contaminating the ground.
The amount of leachate in a landfill varies wildly depending on the decomposition of different material mixtures and the amount of rain and snow. The chemical composition of leachate can also vary continually and can be highly corrosive.
As both the level and composition of leachate vary it will occasionally need to be removed and treated to protect against berm overflow and reduce methane emissions.
Figure 1: Modern Landfill Diagram (Image courtesy of SWACO https://www.swaco.org/)
Reliable Leachate Monitoring
Managing landfill leachate requires reliable monitoring solutions as mistakes or system failures could be devastating. The dynamic environment created by the landfill’s contaminated water creates a challenging environment where many monitoring systems may fail.
Here at GEO PSI we manufacture cost-effective real-time sensors that are up to the task, reliably measuring the water ‘leachate’ level at the relief pump location or drain siphoning point. Our systems are designed to operate reliably in some of the most hostile environments imaginable and have done so for over a decade with a track record of success.
Some characteristics of our gauges and measurement systems that make them appropriate for landfill management include:
1. Corrosion Protection
Our gauges are made from Stainless Steel 316L or Inconel 718 for superior corrosion protection. Furthermore, the gauge bodies are welded with no primary elastomer seals.Â
2. Hazardous Area Certification
Many landfills are classified as hazardous locations. We offer a number of gauges that are certified Intrinsically Safe.
Figure 2: IECEx Intrinsically Safe Certification
3. Stainless Steel or Inconel Umbilical Cables
We manufacture industry-leading cables that can withstand the corrosive environments found in landfills.
Figure 3: GEO PSI 4 wire & Single Conductor TEC in both encapsulated & bare
Our unique 4mm design ensures that they are both flexible and strong enough to deploy ‘suspended’ in a vent.
Figure 4: Step-By-Step Suspended Wellhead Deployment
4. Accuracy
Our landfill gauges are accurate to +/- 0.10% full scale and are calibrated in ranges as low as 20 psi.
5. Temperature Rating
Leachate temperature can vary wildly. We have recorded leachate temperatures > 106°C in a 30-foot berm. Elevated temperatures are dangerous and can damage pump equipment. At GEO PSI we have specialty gauges that can work in environments up to 300°C.
Figure 5: GEOTRU 300 Gauge
6. Distributed Temperature Reading
We manufacture Stainless Steel and Incoloy thermocouple cables with multiple temperature measurement points that allow landfill operators to continually measure distributed leachate temperate.
Figure 6: Mica Free Thermocouple Bundle
Summary
Data Management can be logged at site, connected to SCADA or DCS systems, or transmitted through cell phone modems to our secure cloud-based monitoring and alarm system Ignition.
Please contact us today to learn more about many of the unique applications our monitoring solutions can be used for such as landfill leachate measurement.
This Post Has 2 Comments
This is great for an industry that is trying to get a handle on its emissions. Would an extremely low flow methane datalogger help confirm the temperature findings Jeff? It would be interesting to put two technologies into this space to confirm the effects of temperature in landfills.
Hi Michael,
You are 100% correct. It’s surprising how much methane is generated in landfills. Measuring it would be an incredibly valuable proposition. The City of Calgary was actually able to sell the methane and make a small financial recovery in addition to protecting the environment!
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/landfill-gas-emissions-reduction-collection-calgary-federal-hehr-ottawa-1.5051490