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Upper section of a biogas collection well

Upper section of a biogas collection well

The decomposition and transformation of the waste deposited also generates biogas, the gas resulting from the anaerobic decomposition of the organic material in dumped municipal waste. This gas is formed basically by methane and carbon dioxide, in approximate percentages of 55% and 45% respectively.

For collecting the biogas, a set of wells are bored into the mass of waste and uniformly distributed around the surface of the controlled depot. These wells are connected to the aspiration centre via a network of collectors that sends the biogas collected towards the combustion engines and electric generators.

The characteristics of the biogas are controlled in terms of production and composition. Moreover, the collection system uses forced venting, so that the collection wells are always subject to a slight drop in pressure, allowing the minimisation of biogas emissions through the surface of the depot.

This system can be observed on the surface as a series of tubes and aerial pipes to the areas pending restoration. In the areas of the depot that are definitively closed and restored, the biogas collecting network is buried within the thickness of the plantation lands, so that access to the regulation valves and measuring and sampling points is carried out using inspection chambers.

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