Bulk CO₂ removal inside a compressor train: IVYS PSA at an Ohio landfill-gas-to-pipeline plant

At Waste Management’s American Landfill in Waynesburg, Ohio, an IVYS fast-cycle Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) system sits between the third and fourth stages of a gas compressor and removes the bulk of the CO₂ from 3,000 SCFM of landfill gas before the gas is sent by pipeline to the local utility for blending and injection.

WM (Waste Management) owns American Landfill and operates its RNG plant. IVYS, then Xebec Adsorption, supplied WM with the PSA in 2014, adding CO₂ removal to the plant’s existing compressor train.

The Challenge: Fitting CO₂ Removal into an Existing Gas Train

The raw gas is typical of a mature landfill, containing about 52% CH₄, 36% CO₂, 9–11% N₂ from air drawn into the wells, and 50 ppm H₂S. WM needed CO₂ removal that would integrate with its existing gas systems and accommodate variable landfill gas flow as the site ages.

The Solution: A Rotary-Valve PSA Between Compressor Stages

The IVYS rapid-cycle PSA integrates with WM’s existing gas train. The PSA reduces CO₂ concentrations from 36% to below 2%, removing approximately 97% of the CO₂ in a single step.

Because the PSA targets CO₂ as designed by the customer, most of the N₂ drawn into the wellfield passes through alongside the methane, resulting in a design product containing approximately 83% CH₄.

Why It Matters for Landfill Operators

American Landfill shows a PSA working in coordination with existing equipment to create an upgrading plant.

• Integrates with existing equipment: runs between compressor stages and reuses the site’s blowers and compressors.
• Heavy lifting on CO₂: takes landfill gas from 36% to under 2% CO₂ in a single pass.