Detection of gas leakage from landfills using infrared thermography--applicability and limitations

Although landfill gas emission can be greatly reduced by extraction and converting gas to energy, in practice not all gas can be collected and some leaks can still occur. Management of landfill gas can be improved if leaks can be detected and rectified effectively. This paper provides a brief review of methods available for detecting landfill leakage, with a focus on infrared thermography. It then describes a study which was conducted to test if an infrared camera can be used to detect gas leaks accurately by identifying them as anomalies. It examined the applicability and limitations of the technique by investigating fundamental factors such as weather conditions, ground conditions and distance of sensor from source. The paper also describes a test case conducted to reinforce the findings. It concluded that unless all the fundamental factors are clearly understood and addressed, the technique currently can only be used as a screening tool rather than as a precise tool to detect landfill gas leakages. For this reason, it would be difficult to use the technique as a basis for modelling gas emission from landfills.