The role of aerobic activity on refuse temperature rise, I. Landfill experimental study

The temperature field in a landfill situated in the south of France has bee n characterized and analysed. Sixty-four probes, measuring temperature and gas composition, were placed directly in municipal solid waste during the f illing of a 200 000-m(3) cell and the spatial and temporal temperature vari ations recorded. The average temperature increase was about 20 degrees C. I t occurred within the first 20 days. The thermal properties of the waste (c onductivity and diffusivity) were measured with a thermal shock probe. A he at balance shows the predominant role of oxygen diffusion and aerobic react ions in the rising temperature.