The Effect of Fatty Acid Diffusion in Leachate on the Propagation of Concentration Waves in the Process of Municipal Solid Waste Decomposition

A distributed model of municipal solid waste decomposition is proposed. The main model parameters are concentrations of municipal solid waste, volatile fatty acids, and the biomass of methane-producing microorganisms. Numerical analysis of the model is made. Diffusion of fatty acids in leachate, which facilitates the formation of anaerobic conditions, is shown to cause the formation of concentration chemical waves propagating in the space. The area of initiation methane production is found to expand.