Hofstetter Gastechnik AG
Utilisation of landfill gas for the generation of energy
Typical schema of a landfill site with degassing unit and gas utilisation facility
The gases in landfill sites that develop during degradation
processes, largely contribute to the greenhouse effect and
additionally harbour considerable safety and health haz-
ards. However, they are also often rich in methane and
therefore a potential energy carrier. In many countries
much of this potential for the generation of electricity and
heat from landfill gas still exists. Furthermore, through the
continual advances in technology, laws and regulations
have been passed whereby household refuse landfills
independent of their size are to be degassed and the
landfill gas burned off in a high temperature flare.
Introduction
Technical solutions
Without technical solutions, landfill gas is a dangerous
substance. The methane contained within it can form a
combustible mixture with the atmospheric oxygen so that
under certain circumstances a danger of explosion exists.
If the landfill gas collects in cavities and shafts, people
could suffocate there. Furthermore, many trace compo-
nents such as sulphur, chlorine and fluorine compounds
are contained in the landfills which even in low concentra-
tions can have a harmful effect on health.
High climatic relevance
Apart from these characteristics that form a direct danger
for people, the gas escaping uncontrolled and untreated
from a landfill also has a high climatic relevance. Methane
is deemed to be a contributory cause of destroying the
ozone layer and contributes to the greenhouse effect
being 21 times stronger than carbon dioxide. Through
thermal treatment that means through burning in high
1
temperature flares the negative effects of the gases can
be reduced.
Economic value
Through worldwide emission trading, the greenhouse gas
reductions that are achieved through the energetic utilisa-
tion of landfill gas, acquire an economic value in so-called
emerging countries. Today, this economic added value
stands under the international abbreviation CDM. The
abbreviation means Clean Development Mechanism.
This instrument agreed upon in 1997 at the international
climate conference in Kyoto, enables industrial and devel-
oping countries to mutually implement climate protection
projects in developing countries. In doing so, it is first
calculated how much climatic gas is produced by a power
station, a factory, a Landfill. It is then determined how
much greenhouse gas can be reduced when the landfill
gas is burned in a flare or utilised for the generation of
electricity and heat. After that, a company from an indus-
trial country invests in and finances the landfill gas power
station in a developing country and receives correspond-
ing certificates for the greenhouse gas reduction thereby
achieved. With these certificates, the company can meet
the obligations of saving a corresponding amount of cli-
matic gases for their own business at their own location or
the investor sells the certificates to other companies within
the framework of emission trading. The aim of the invest-
ments in such projects is to prevent as many climate-
damaging emissions as possible. At the same time how-
ever, this should help the emerging and developing coun-
tries introduce new technologies which they are not nor-
mally able to finance themselves.
Development of landfill gases
According to experience, household refuse contains
around 150 to 250 kg of organic carbon per tonne. These
substances are biologically degradable and are degraded
in five phases by microorganisms under the exclusion of
air and converted into landfill gas. This process is deter-
mined by various influencing variables that differ from
landfill to landfill: refuse composition, density and humidity
or landfill covering. Hence by variables which influence
the life quality of the methane forming microorganisms.
Landfill gas during the stable methane fermentation
The long-term phase (phase V) is distinguished by a me-
thane concentration of significantly more than 60 percent
by volume at correspondingly lower carbon dioxide con-
centration. The ratio of methane to carbon dioxide can
achieve values of up to 4 which presumably, amongst
other things, can be due to the leaching of carbon dioxide.
Just as with the stable methane phase (phase IV), it is
Phases of landfill cycle
typical that a pressure gradient to the environment is
created by the still pronounced development of gas. This
results in a situation comparable to the stable methane
phase (phase IV). Landfill gas escapes and there is no
entry of atmospheric air into the landfill body. In this
phase, considerable emissions can still be detected with
the flame ionization detector. Dangers from landfill gas
can exist inside and outside the former landfill.
Composition
If the landfill gas is continuously collected and extracted in
a controlled manner then, after adjustment of the gas
content, the following average composition can be
achieved:
INFO
Methane CH4 approx. 40-50 Vol.%
Carbon dioxide CO2 approx. 35-45 Vol.%
Nitrogen (from the air) N2 approx. 5-15 Vol.%
Oxygen (from the air) O2 approx. 1- 3 Vol.%
Water vapour H2O saturated
Added to this are additional trace elements such as sul-
phur, chlorine and fluorine compounds, heavy metals and
Siloxane.
Amounts and production process
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Based on the influencing variables such as the composi-
tion of the refuse, the annual landfill amounts, etc., the
amount of gas accumulated can be estimated in the
course of time with the aid of mathematical models. Such
a forecast of the gas production forms the basis for the
dimensioning of the degassing plant.
Dangers to the environment
From the composition of the landfill gas, it is evident that it
can become a danger to the environment. The possible
adverse effects caused by landfill gas can be divided into
physiological and physical hazards. These are insidious
and unpredictable, particularly in connection with the
migration of gas through gas pervious layers of earth. It
has already happened several times that gases caused by
overpressure in the landfill sites have collected in base-
ments and shafts hundreds of metres away from the land-
fill and have caused explosions. Landfills that freely give
off their gas production to the surroundings, heavily pol-
lute the environment. As has been proved, methane con-
tributes 21 times more to the greenhouse effect than CO 2.
In addition, the stench caused by sulphur compound
emissions is also detrimental to the surroundings.
Utilisation of gas for energy production
One cubic metre of landfill gas has a heating value of 4 to
5 kWh, which corresponds to an amount of approximately
0.5 litres of heating oil. If one takes a gas production of
approximately 180-250 m3 per tonne of household refuse
over a period of 15-20 years as a basis, the energy poten-
tial hidden in a landfill site becomes clear.
EXAMPLE
Amount of refuse deposited: 3'000'000 t over 20 years
Amount of gas collectable: max. approx. 2300 m3/h
Long-term usable amount of gas: approx. 1500 m3/h
Energy potential: 1500 m3/h = 7500 kWh
= approx. 600 kg heating oil per hour
i.e. > 5000 t of heating oil per year over >15 years!
Gas production from old landfills (maturity stage)
The landfill site lives. With increasing age, the gas produc-
tion loses in volume flow, content and quality. The existing
degassing plants are mostly too large and the risk of over
extracting the landfill increases. In order to counter this
situation, Hofstetter Gastechnik AG, based on many years
of experience, has developed a simple and inexpensive
degassing system. The Hofstetter Lowcal is perfectly
adapted to the actual gas condition. The lean gas is col-
lected and disposed of in an environmentally friendly
manner. In doing so, an important advantage is that the
infrastructure on the landfill can continue to be used.
Gas collection
Fully developed systems for landfill engineering
As long as the landfill body has an internal gas pressure
that is higher than the atmospheric pressure, landfill gas is
given off to the environment. Due to the dangers, emis-
sions and the environmental pollution, it is now compulso-
ry to collect landfill gas and dispose of it in a controlled
Landfill without degassing system
manner. With the degassing it is therefore a case of ex-
tracting the landfill gas by means of a suitable collecting
system, which means creating a slight underpressure
inside the landfill site. Todays landfill engineering has
Landfill with degassing system
fully developed systems that are either continuously
inserted in layers during the filling of the landfill or are
subsequently inserted into already filled landfills.
Low-pollution surplus gas combustion
The landfill can not be considered as a gasometer. As a
result of this, degassing has to be adapted to the quantita-
tively uninfluenceable gas production. On the other hand,
the gas recovery processes are to be adapted to the re-
quirements of the energy user; unavoidably excessive
amounts of gas are produced that have to be burned off
beyond the utilisation. For this purpose, the processing
station has normal or high temperature flares.
Hofstetter Gastechnik AG takes an internationally
leading role in the disposal and usable exploitation of
landfill gas. A project from experienced engineers
gives you access to the experience of more than 1,500
systems implemented worldwide!
Planning and implementation of degas-
sing systems
Three decisive aims
The planner of gas collection systems is faced with the
task of fulfilling three important aims as optimally as pos-
sible:
1. Stability of the gas quality
Maintaining the stability of the gas quality helps to solve
the problem between the given irregular gas production of
the landfill and the regular gas supply demanded by the
recovery plants. Only subtly applied and ever adjustable
3
forced degassing ensures the trouble-free recovery of
accumulated landfill gases in gas engines or combustion
plants.
2. Effectiveness of the gas collection
Escaping gases pollute the environment. Therefore, the
effectiveness, that means the collection of as large a
proportion as possible of the emerging gases, is impera-
tive.
3. Economic efficiency of the entire system
With regard to adaptability, durability, maintenance re-
quirement and operating effort, the economic efficiency of
the entire system lends significance to the substantial
investments and eases the decision by the responsible
authorities.
The landfill creature
The landfill site to be treated is a living organism:
- Methane bacteria work within it to an irregular timetable.
Therefore, the gas production is correspondingly erratic.
- Inside, temperatures of up to approx. 40-45C prevail.
- The biological decomposition and the compaction due to
the overlying weight lead to a substantial settling of the
landfill site.
- The changing composition of the refuse creates areas of
differing behaviour within the landfill.
- The gas produced is water vapour saturated, aggressive
and often enriched with problematic trace elements.
Condensate is already created with slight cooling.
- Polluted seepage water is present everywhere.
- The weather influences the processes inside the landfill
body with moisture, temperature, pressure, etc.
- Newly deposited refuse increases the landfill body which
is why a new gas collection area has to be made acces-
sible.
In a fast-motion picture, a landfill would appear like a
seething mass. The behaviour of the gas collection sys-
tem has to be correspondingly adaptable and resistant.
Environmental friendly disposal of landfill gas in high temperature flares, Argentine
Necessary features of system components
There are a series of requirements according to which the
components and the system construction of the gas col-
lection have to be designed:
- All gas conducting elements have to be resistant to
strongly aggressive substances and mechanical stress-
es.
- In addition, the choice of material must correspond to
the relevant safety regulations.
- Moveable parts should be insensitive to contamination.
- The locations for control, maintenance, measurement,
regulation and acquisition of the relevant operating data
should be easily accessible and demonstrate a high de-
gree of operating comfort.
- For safety reasons, shaft constructions should be avoid-
ed because a potentially explosive mixture of gases can
collect inside them.
- The flow control valves in the gas pipelines should ena-
ble a linear and fine adjustment.
Necessary features of the system construction
Each landfill demonstrates its own characteristic with
regard to its size, the composition of the refuse, etc. If
questions of the dimensioning, the positioning of the land-
fill gas well, etc. are clarified based on the normal prelimi-
nary investigations, then the system to be built must fulfil
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the requirements of the plan, in particular:
- Ensuring the comprehensive degassing of the landfill
body that allows no gas migration.
- Correct laying of the pipelines with a view to the gas and
condensate flow, preventing the formation of low points
with water plugs.
- Adaptability of the gas collection system to the sinking,
shearing and possibly growing landfill site.
- Fulfilling the safety-related requirements according to
the professional guidelines and regulations.
Priority: measuring controlling regulation
In the course of time, the uninfluenceable, biological pro-
cesses in the landfill body produce gas of variable compo-
sition and amounts. The fluctuations have to be compen-
sated by the forced degassing with regulative interven-
tions. For this purpose, on commissioning, the suction
pressure is carefully adjusted for each landfill gas well. If,
in the course of time, the gas production changes in indi-
vidual sections of the landfill, the respective landfill gas
wells can be reset individually or combined in measuring
and control stations. Great attention must be paid to the
operating comfort of the control elements: The responsible
personnel should be able to carry out regulation in an
easy and safe manner and in as few as possible, well
accessible places. It is therefore advantageous to com-
bine the suction pipes at collection points with measuring In relation to landfill gas, high-temperature combustion
and control units. The increasingly required acquisition of can be defined as follows:
the relevant operating data of the landfill leads to meas-
urements being carried out in a control centre. However
this involves the installation and the operation of a sample vEG Exhaust Gas h
[m/s]
gas line system from the measuring points to the control hEG

centre. Official, operational and safety-relevant demands QI

give ever increasing weight to measuring controlling

regulating. Therefore, the future belongs to the gas col-
lection system that is equipped with an operational data hCC
VCC.T
High
Temperature
acquisition system. hRet Zone
[m]
TIC

Harmony of three independent processes

The basic task of the regulation of the landfill gas recovery
exists in bringing three fully independent processes into
harmony with one another: hhup Heating-up Zone

- On the one hand, there is the uninfluenceable, change- 800 1'000 1'200
TC [C]
900 1'100
able gas production of the landfill that can not be stored. Average Combustion Temperature
Premix Air
For reasons of cost it is hardly worth it to temporarily Primary Air

store the gas in a gasometer.

SSV
M
- On the other hand, gas recovery processes that have to
Landfill Gas Combustion Air tRet = hRet / vEG [s]
orientate themselves to the requirements of the energy
user run autonomously.
Zones in the combustion chamber
- In between, the flare fulfils the important task of safely
burning excess amounts of gas and of maintaining the
- controlled combustion with excess air
environmentally compatible degassing of the landfill on
- combustion at minimum 1000 C
shutdown or malfunction of the recovery plant.
- residence-time in the combustion chamber of at least
0.3 seconds
Hofstetter Gastechnik AG know the problems. With
- no cold zones in the combustion chamber
the available know-how, the experience and the modu-
lar construction of their control systems, optimum
With these conditions, it is ensured that the limit values in
solutions can be achieved!
the exhaust gas are maintained or fallen short of.

Why high-temperature combustion of

landfill gases

Tightened environmental laws in emerging countries

With the continuously growing level of knowledge over the
last few years and the tightening of environmental laws,
landfill engineering has occupied itself intensively with the
question of problematic trace elements. With landfill gas;
the pollution by sulphur, chlorine, fluorine, halogenated
hydrocarbons and heavy metals is in the foreground.
Other trace elements such as volatile organic hydrocar-
bons also represent environmental pollution factors. The
high-temperature combustion is predestined to eliminate
these dangerous risk factors in an efficient manner.

The high temperature process

High temperature combustion is distinguished in that it
destroys high-molecular compounds. This includes the
polycyclic aromatic compounds that can have a cancer-
causing effect and other complex hydrocarbons. Condi-
tions for this process are the height and distribution of the
temperature as well as the effective duration of this tem-
perature.

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International project examples

Safe handling of landfill gas Large projects as container construction

(Marley landfill, England) (Welbeck/Wakefield landfill, England)

The Marley landfill in England should be systematically
degassed in order to safely collect the harmful landfill
gases and to protect the environment. Marley is a relative-
ly small landfill and delivers too little gas for an economic
electricity production. For this reason, directly after collec-
tion, the landfill gas is disposed of in an environmentally
compatible manner in a high temperature flare.
The Welbeck landfill close to Wakefield in England is a
one-time gravel quarry and has been operated for the last
ten years as a controlled landfill. Around 600,000 tonnes
of household refuse are stored per year and in addition, a
compost works with around 10,000 tonnes of organic
refuse is operated. The gas resulting from this is collected
and forwarded for conversion into electricity. Annually
around 8 MW of electricity are fed into the public electricity
grid which is the equivalent to covering the electricity
supply for around 8,000 households.

Hofstetter MGP 7000 degassing plant in a container and 3

high temperature flares

HOFSTETTER solution
Hofstetter MGP compact degassing plant
Use of the Hofstetter MGP container plant with multiple
compression stations and several high temperature flares
HOFSTETTER solution
designed for safe degassing, forwarding of the landfill gas
Use of the compact degassing plant with the Hofstetter
for conversion into electricity and the safe combustion of
HTF high temperature flare, constructed for safe degas-
the excess landfill gas. Ideal for large landfills with gas
sing and gas disposal. Ideal for small landfills without gas
recovery.
recovery.

INFO INFO
Degassing plant for small landfills Degassing plant for large landfills
Type Hofstetter MGP without gas utilisation Type Hofstetter MGP with gas utilisation
Gas flow rate 40-1,000 Nm3/h Gas flow rate 40-10,000 Nm3/h
- Thermal output max. 5,000 kW Thermal output max. 50,000 kW
- Methane concentrations 30-50 Vol.% Methane concentrations 30-50 Vol.%
- Combustion temperature 1,000-2,000 C Combustion temperature 1,000-2,000 C
- Residence time 0.3 s Residence time 0.3 s

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Degassing plant with high temperature flare for CDM projects Hofstetter MGP 2750

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Project HOFSTETTER solution

(Bisasar Road landfill, Durban, South Africa) Use of the Hofstetter MGP degassing plant with high
temperature flare designed for safe degassing, forwarding
The medium sized landfill Bisasar Road lies close to Dur- of the landfill gas for conversion into electricity and for the
ban in South Africa. Since 1996, part of this landfill has safe combustion of excessive landfill gas. Equipped with
already been degassed. As an extension was planned in the necessary measuring instruments for CDM registra-
2006 one used the opportunity and realised a profitable tion. Ideal for large landfills that are approved for CDM
CDM project. The plant is equipped with the necessary projects.
measuring instruments such as gas analysis, gas flow,
gas pressure, temperature measurements and combus- INFO
tion temperature measurements. These values were re- Degassing plant for CDM projects
quired by the official inspection authority in order to re- Type Hofstetter MGP with or without gas utilisa-
quest the so-called CO2 certificate. The landfill gas is also tion
forwarded to so-called gas engines that produce electricity Gas flow rate 40-3,000 Nm3/h
for the region. The excess gas arrives at the high temper- Thermal output max. 15,000 kW
ature combustion chamber that disposes of the gas safely Methane concentrations 30-50 Vol.%
and in an environmentally compatible manner while com- Combustion temperature 1,000-1,200 C
plying with the emission regulations. Residence time 0.3 s

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Degassing plant for an old landfill
(Brownlow landfill)
Even weak things have power! Because landfill engineer-
ing and its degassing have already been applied for sev-
eral years, many landfills come into the last phase after 10
to 15 years. The gas flow rate reduces as well as the
methane concentrations. An example of this is the landfill
in Brownlow. It covers 3.2 hectares and was closed in
1990 and recultivated into agricultural grassland. The low
residual flow rate of 50 Nm3/h with low methane content of
around 20 Vol.% should be safely collected and disposed
of.
INFO
Customer benefits
- Safe and continuous degassing of landfills
- Reduction of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere
- Continuous monitoring of the landfill gas
- Utilisation of the landfill gas for electricity production
and feeding into the grid
- Generation and trading of CO2 certificates
- Reliable combustion of excess landfill gas in high
temperature flares
- Compliance with the relevant exhaust gas regulations
- Automatic control and operation of the plant
- ATEX conformity for increased safety

Hofstetter Gastechnik AG International

market leader for the recovery and utilisa-
tion of landfill gas!

In the last years, many countries have tightened their legal

regulations with regard to environmental protection. With
the Kyoto Protocol, an international cooperation was cre-
ated for protection of the environment. However, it is not
only the protection of the environment and climate that
demand new successful technologies under the large
aspect of safety. Then, particularly with landfill gas, not
only the disposal but also the economic factor plays an
ever increasing and decisive role. For operators as well as
for investors, landfill gas can be economically, efficiently
and attractively recovered and utilised as green energy.
Degassing plant for weak gas Hofstetter MGP Lowcal 50
INFO
HOFSTETTER solution High-Tech from HOFSTETTER
Use of the Hofstetter MGP Lowcal degassing plant with Hofstetter Gastechnik AG plays an international leading
high temperature flare, designed for the safe degassing role in the field of this recovery and utilisation of landfill
and combustion of weak landfill gas. gas. As pioneers in this field, Hofstetter have existing
high tech plants all over Europe. Because of the high
INFO availability, Hofstetter today has international repre-
Degassing plant for old landfills sentatives in all countries. Since 1975 until today more
Type Hofstetter MGP Lowcal without gas utilisa- than 1,500 plants from Hofstetter have been installed
tion worldwide, amongst these also plants in Cuba, South
Gas flow rate 40-600 Nm3/h America, Canada, South Africa, China and now also in
Thermal output max. 1,800 kW Australia. As the economically efficient recovery and
Methane concentration 15-30 Vol.% utilisation of landfill gas is only worthwhile in landfills of
Combustion temperature 1,000-1,200 C a certain size, this division of Hofstetter Gastechnik AG
Residence time 0.3 s is exclusively active in the export business.

CONTACT
Hofstetter Gastechnik AG
CH-3324 Hindelbank/Switzerland
Phone +41 (0)34 411 86 86
Fax +41 (0)34 411 86 87
info@hofstetter-gt.ch
www.hofstetter-gt.ch