Energy Production from Landfill Technology Context of Improved Solid Waste and Management in Khartoum State – Sudan

Abstract

Recently, the world has begun to experience depletion in energy resources and this issue has become a major concern. Sudan faces a problem with limited fossil fuel resources and an increase in waste accumulation as population growth and economic development play an important role in increasing solid waste generation in addition to increasing energy demand. Sudan is one of the most densely populated countries in Africa, with an annual growth of 2%. We find that about 20% of the population of Sudan is located in its capital (Khartoum) and its population is about 8 million, according to the census of the current year. Waste is a must-have product and can be a valuable concern or resource that can be used through waste to energy technologies. This study aims to develop the engineering waste dump in the Faculty of Engineering, Sudan University of Science and Technology, which was designed in October 2017 in the form of a trapezoid with dimensions (2 * 1.75 * 1.4) to provide a suitable technical solution for both the waste and energy sectors by changing the waste layers and collection tubes Gas, organic waste was used only and then began monitoring landfill gases and measuring the methane content that can be produced from the total landfill gases. Periodically moisturizing of the landfill was carried out. Water is considered an auxiliary factor for the bacteria responsible for the production of methane and previous studies prove that. A questionnaire was also conducted to analyze and evaluate waste management in Khartoum and to highlight waste dumps in Khartoum and compare them with the standards of engineering landfills. The study proved that the experimental landfill can be an energy source, as the methane ratio reached 68%; which is a good flammable percentage, and the pH of the landfill was 7.7; which is suitable for bacterial growth. The study also showed the weakness of the administrative system for collecting, transporting and treating solid waste in Khartoum State and the extent of the existing dumping sites. The study contains recommendations for improving management and technical development of landfills.