High voltage DC leakage detection for double-lined hazardous waste landfill based on finite element method

According to the structural characteristics of hazardous waste landfill, a new model based on the finite element method (FEM) is developed. The detection layer is considered as a sealed space and it is assumed that total current flows through the leak for the high resistivity of geomembrane liner. The leak current is regarded as a positive point current +I and the other current source is -I. Electrical potential of an arbitrary point in detection layer satisfies Poisson equation. Experiments for detecting leaks in liner were carried out. Excellent agreement between experimental data and simulated model data validates the new model. Parametric curves for a single leak show that with optimum selection of field survey parameters leaks can be detected effectively. For multiple leaks, the simulated results indicate that they are detectable when leak separation is larger than measurement spacing.