The CW H.A.W.C provides the best and fastest way to start evaporating leachate on your site. Start by pumping and piping the leachate from tanks to the top of the hill. The evaporation process separates out the elements and compounds of concern from the water. Particles smaller than 5 microns constitute a “primary aero-sol” and behave much like a gas travelling into the atmosphere as water vapor. All larger sized particles fall out of the aerosol in what is called the “zone of equilibrium”. This equilibrium zone is approximately 125 feet long as we have seen in extensive testing. Larger particles precipitate earlier in the process and smaller particles become the “fallout”.

Being able to evaporate more leachate per day can substantially increase the savings gained from implementing the H.A.W.C. evaporation system. Evaporate the highest amount of leachate per day by creating a 30’ wide by 125’ long bermed in area that is lined and graded back to the point of origin. This “evaporation alley” will allow the system to remain stationary and capture the fallout. Capturing the fall-out over a liner is the key to long term and large volume use.

The changes to landfill characteristics over time can pose additional challenges to a leachate treatment system. The treatment used at one stage of the landfill’s life may not be as effective later. Evaporation technology has the advantage over other technologies (membrane, chemical treatment, etc.) of being able to handle a wide range of waste stream variability.  Not only is this system safer and more flexible, it is much more cost effective.

By Bob Seifert