The Physical Clogging of the Landfill Leachate Collection System in China: Based on Filtration Test and Numerical Modelling

Clogging of the leachate collection system (LCS) has been a common operation problem in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills in China, which can result in high water levels that threaten the safety of landfill operations. To determine the cause of failure in an LCS, raw leachate from a municipal solid waste transfer station was collected and the high content of particulate matter was characterized. Based on the parameters obtained in a filtration test, a numerical simulation was performed to estimate the influence of particle deposition on drainage system clogging. The results showed that LCSs were confronted with the risk of clogging due to the deposition of particulate matter resulting from the higher concentration of total suspended solids (TSS level > 2200 mg L−1) and larger particle size (>30% TSS particles > 15 μm) in the leachate. On one hand, the non-woven geotextile, as the upper layer of the LCS, retained most particulate matter of large diameters, reducing its hydraulic conductivity to approximately 10−8 to 10−9 m s−1 after 1–2 years of operation and perching significant leachate above it (0.6–0.7 m). On the other hand, the geotextile prevented the gravel layer from physically clogging and minimized the leachate head above the bottom liner. Therefore, the role of geotextile should be balanced to optimize the LCS in MSW landfills in China.