Benefícios da implantação de um biodigestor na central de tratamento de resíduos de Maceió-AL

Abstract

Human activities, population growth and purchasing power have caused an increased uncontrolled generation of urban solid waste and the consumption of energy from non-renewable sources. The reduction in electricity consumption from the supply system, which in Brazil originates predominantly from hydroelectric plants, tends to reduce the need to build huge reservoirs, which impacts the entire aquatic ecosystem, in addition to flooding large areas, destroying riparian forests and displacing populations. Better management of urban solid waste prevents it from being improperly disposed, causing environmental damage, such as; the contamination of soil and bodies of water; the release of methane into the atmosphere; creating unhealthy areas close to where they are stored; attracting plagues and associated diseases. Therefore, this work should aim to evaluate the technical and economic viability, also the environmental benefits of implementing a system for the energetic use of biogas generated at CTR/MA (Waste Treatment Center of Maceió), based on the use of waste Class IIA received daily and those already stored on site. Using the model by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and the biogas conversion factor into electricity, presented by FEN (National Ecological Foundation) for this purpose, questionnaires were applied, reports were obtained and visits were made to CTR/MA, seeking to estimate the biogas and electricity production. It is estimated that around 82% of the waste currently landfilled in the CTR/MA ditches can be used in the biodigestion process, increasing the useful life of the landfill and reducing the cost of disposing of this waste. The landfill in Maceió has showned the capacity to produce 80,330.8425 m3 of methane per month, which was convert into electricity, resulting in 67,477.91 kwh per month. In all, the municipality will be able to reduce its annual expenses by R$ 30,847,301.16, of which R$ 607,301.16 through the conversion of biogas into electricity and R$ 30,240,000.00 by not storing Class IIA waste in the ditches and sending them to a Biological Mechanical Treatment Plant.

Keywords: Urban solid waste; biogas; environmental damage; electricity generation.