Utilization of the mass curve technique to determine leachate pond capacity- Case study of the Baruni Landfill in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Bharali, n.d, defines the mass curve analysis as a cumulative plotting of net reservoir inflow, where the maximum difference between the supply peaks and the demand curve is taken n as the required storage capacity of a reservoir. Many existing methods are used to determine the capacity of leachate ponds, however; in this study, the mass balance method and the mass curve method were applied to calculate the leachate pond’s capacity. The major influencing parameters observed in this study were rainfall and evapotranspiration and the meteorological data was sourced from the meteorological bureau in Port Moresby the capital city of Papua New Guinea where the Baruni landfill is located. Port Moresby experiences a tropical climatic condition however, its rainfall pattern is lesser than other townships as it is located in a rain shadow area. The Baruni Landfill is a semi-aerobic landfill rehabilitated in 2014. For a closed system of leachate to be feasible, leachate generation has to be lower than leachate consumption. Leachate is reduced through evapotranspiration during the dry season when the leachate stock is recycled back to the disposal surface to enhance evapotranspiration. Semi-arid areas can utilize the mass curve method to design their leachate pond.