Solar Drying of Domestic Solid Waste and Capture Water as an Alternative to Reduce Landfill Leachate Production

Institute for Research and Development of Chemical Processes, UMSA, Bolivia

 Abstract: The management of leachate from landfills and its treatments it is still a serious problem. To avoid the production of leachate, solar drying of domestic solid waste is studied, followed by the capture of water and dry matter. The area of the solar collector was 0.9 m2 with a 43° inclination and the dryer area was 0.79 m2. Two drying tests were carried out, with 3135 g and 5640 g of domestic solid waste. The temperature inside the dryer and the luminosity of the outside environment. A glass bottle was installed underneath the dryer to capture the evaporated water. In the first test 2250 cm3 of water was obtained in five days, the second test was divided into two periods, in the first one 2870 cm3 was obtained in five days, in the following days only 1000 cm3 of water was obtained. In the first test, the luminosity was recorded between 160 and 100 Klux and the temperature inside the dryer between 80 to 85°C, while in the second between 60 to 40 Klux and 60 to 50°C. The final dry matter was 440 g for the first test and 875 g for the second test. Based on the results obtained, the use of solar energy for the drying of domestic solid waste can be an alternative for a new paradigm shift in the management of domestic solid waste to avoid the production of leachate with two positive externalities, water production and dry matter.