Research Accomplishment Reports 2009

Systems for Controlling Air Pollutant Emissions and Indoor Environments of Poultry, Swine and Dairy Facilities

D.G. Overhults, A.J. Pescatore, R.E. Fehr
Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

 

Non-Technical Summary

In general, air quality and emission control technologies used for industrial sources appear to be uneconomical, and often impractical, for agricultural animal production. The purpose of this study is to improve understanding of animal interactions with the built environment, and to improve control of emissions from animal facilities.

2009 Project Description

Objectives:

1) Develop and improve sustainable technologies and systems to measure, model and control indoor air quality and reduce air pollution emissions from poultry and livestock buildings;

2) Quantify animal response to thermal environments and develop improved methods for providing productive thermal environments without degrading air quality or sustainability; and

3) Develop and improve methods of optimizing energy and resource utilization in poultry and livestock facilities to increase profitability without degrading air quality or animal well being.

2009 Impact

Accomplishments: (KY and IA) Results from a two-year study to quantify emissions from U.S. broiler housing were analyzed and presented at national and international scientific meetings. Final reports and publications were prepared. Results were presented to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Data from this study will be used by EPA in the national emissions data set that is being developed through the Air Consent Agreement studies currently in progress. The "Quality Assurance Project Plan" was published in electronic form through the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.

Impact: High quality time-series data of gaseous and particulate emissions from U.S. systems are necessary to provide baseline information to inform policy and advise industry and regulatory agencies on potential areas for abatement and mitigation technologies. The Quality Assurance Project Plan serves as a reference and model for similar studies.

Accomplishments: (KY) A project was initiated to help poultry growers reduce energy costs associated with maintaining a controlled production environment. On-farm energy assessments are being conducted for a sample of farms from each of seven integrated poultry production complexes in the state. For each production complex, recommendations for potential energy saving practices are developed from the energy assessments and presented to all poultry growers.

Impact: Identified improvements in energy efficiency have the potential to reduce growers' annual energy costs by 10 to 40%.

2009 Publications

Gates, R.S. 2008. Emission Measurement Technologies. Invited Lecture. Proceedings of the 2008 National Poultry Waste Management Symposium. 21-23 October, West Des Moines IA. Gates, R.S. 2008. US Animal Feeding Operations Air Emissions Mitigation: State of Science. Keynote Address. Conference on Mitigating Air Emissions from Animal Feeding Operations: Exploring the advantages, limitations, and economics of mitigation technologies. May 19-21, 2008 Des Moines, IA.

Overhults, D. G. 2008. Ammonia Emissions from Kentucky Broiler Houses. 2008 Producer Educational Conference-Kentucky Poultry Federation. March 1, Owensboro, KY.

Overhults, D. G. 2008. Energy Auditing Poultry Housing. 2008 Poultry Housing Short Course. November 18-20. Auburn University, Auburn, AL.

Overhults, D. G. 2008. Field Observations of Ventilation Fan Performance. 2008 Poultry Housing Short Course. November 18-20. Auburn University, Auburn, AL.

Moody, L., H. Li, R.T. Burns, H. Xin, R.S. Gates, S.J. Hoff, and D.G. Overhults. 2008. A Quality Assurance Project Plan for Monitoring Gaseous and Particulate Matter Emissions from Broiler Housing. ASABE Special Publication. ASABE, St. Joseph, MI (289 pages).

Bridges, T.C., R.S. Gates, J. Nienaber. 2008 (In Press). Animal modeling. Chapter 5 in DeShazer, J.A. and L. Hahn. Animal Thermal Bioenergetics. ASABE, St. Joseph, MI.

Bridges, T.C., R.S. Gates, E.M. Smith and L.W. Turner. 2008. Modeling the growth of laboratory and farm animals Part1: Monotocus animals and the relationship of birth weight, gestation time and mature size. Transactions of the ASABE 51(6): 2123-2133.

Singh, A., K.D. Casey, W.D. Young, A.J. Pescatore, R.S. Gates and M. Ford. 2008 (In Press). Efficacy of urease inhibitor to reduce ammonia emission from poultry houses. Journal of Applied Poultry Research.

Amaral, M.F.P., R.S. Gates, D.G. Overhults, I.F.F. Tinoco, H. Li, R.T. Burns, H. Xin and J.W. Earnest, Jr. 2008. Analysis of different methods to compute ammonia concentration and emission rate. Proceedings of the Eighth International Livestock Environment Symposium, Iguassu Falls, Brazil, 9/08.

Burns, R.T., H. Li, H. Xin, R.S. Gates, D.G. Overhults, J.E. Earnest and L. Moody. 2008. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from broiler houses in the southeastern United States. Paper No. 084649. ASABE Intl Mtg, July 1-3, St. Joseph, MI, ASABE.

de Carvahlo, V.F., T. Yanagi Jr, H. Xin, R.S. Gates, F.A. Damasceno, S.R.P. de Moraes. 2008. Modeling thermal environment to evaluate the performance of broiler chickens lodged in acclimatized housing. Proceedings of the Eighth International Symposium, Livestock Environment VIII, Sept 1-4, Iguassu Falls, Brazil. ASABE Publications, St. Joseph MI, ASABE.

Del Nero Maia, G., R.S. Gates, G.B. Day V., M.D. Montross and J.L. Taraba. 2008. Comparison of water sorption isotherms applied to compost biofilters of different particle sizes. Paper No. 084642. ASABE Intl Mtg, July 1-3. St. Joseph, MI, ASABE.

Gates, R.S. 2008. Broiler, turkey and layer building ammonia emissions overview. 2008. Presentation to US Poultry & Egg Association Environmental Management Seminar, 5-6 March. Atlanta, Georgia.

Gates, R.S. 2008. Emission Measurement Technologies. Proceedings of the 2008 National Poultry Waste Management Symposium. 21-23 October, West Des Moines IA. Gates, R.S. 2008. US animal feeding operations air emissions mitigation: state of science. Keynote address. Conference on Mitigating Air Emissions from Animal Feeding Operations: Exploring the advantages, limitations, and economics of mitigation technologies. May 19-21, 2008, Des Moines, Iowa.

Gates, R.S., K.D. Casey, H.Xin, R.T. Burns, H. Li. 2008. Uncertainty Analysis in Animal Building Aerial Emissions Measurements. Proceedings of the Eighth International Livestock Environment Symposium, Sept 1-4, Iguassu Falls, Brazil, p. 223-228.

Li, H., R. T. Burns, H. Xin, R.S. Gates, S.Trabue, D.G. Overhults, L.Moody, J. Earnest. 2008. Hydrogen Sulfide and Nonmethane Hydrocarbon Emissions from Broiler Houses in the Southeastern United States. Presented at the ASABE Annual International Meeting, Paper no. 084417, Providence, Rhode Island, June 29-July 2, 2008.

Liang, Y., H. Xin, H. Li, R.S. Gates, E. F. Wheeler, K.D. Casey, B.R. Behrends and D.J. Burnham. 2008. Dietary manipulation to reduce ammonia emission from high-rise layer houses. Proceedings of the National Conference on Mitigating Air Emissions From Animal Feeding Operations: Exploring the advantages, limitations, and economics of mitigation technologies. May 19-21, 2008 Des Moines, Iowa.

Menegali, I., I.F.F. Tinoco, R.S. Gates, F. C. Baeta, K.R.A. Inoue. 2008. Effect of two different minimum ventilation systems on the thermal comfort and productive performance of broiler chickens in winter conditions. Proceedings of the Eighth International Symposium, Livestock Environment VIII, Sept 1-4, Iguassu Falls, Brazil. ASABE Publications, St. Joseph MI, ASABE.

Overhults, D. G., R. S. Gates, A. Pescatore, and M. Miller. 2008. Energy assessments for broiler houses. Presented at the ASABE Annual International Meeting, Paper no. 080027, Providence, Rhode Island, June 29-July 2, 2008.

R. Burns , H. Li, L. Moody, H. Xin, R. Gates , D. Overhults , J. Earnest, Jr. 2008. Quantification of particulate emissions from broiler houses in the southeastern United States. Proceedings of the Eighth International Livestock Environment Symposium, Sept 1-4, Iguassu Falls, Brazil, ASABE, St. Joseph, MI.

Sales, G.T., E.T. Fialho, T. Yanagi Jr., R.T.F de Freitas, V.H. Teixeira, R.S. Gates, G.B. Day. 2008. Thermal environment influence on the swine reproductive performance. Proceedings of the Eighth International Symposium, Livestock Environment VIII, Sept 1-4, Iguassu Falls, Brazil. ASABE Publications, St. Joseph MI, ASABE.

Sales, G.T., G.B. Day V., R.S. Gates, N. Lovanh, G. Del Nero Maia and A. Sing. 2008. Assessment of different biofilter media particle sizes for ammonia removal optimization. Paper No. 084201. ASABE Intl Mtg, 30 June-3 July. St. Joseph, MI, ASABE.

Del Nero Maia, G., R.S. Gates, G.B. Day V., G.T. Sales, A. Singh and J.L. Taraba. 2008. Contaminant gas generation as product of degraded ammonia during biofiltration. Paper No. 084630. ASABE Intl Mtg, July 1-3, St. Joseph, MI, ASABE.

Sama, Michael P., Richard S Gates, Will C Adams, George B Day, Carl L King. 2008. Fan Assessment Numeration System (FANS) Scaling and Upgrades. Presented at the ASABE Annual International Meeting, Paper number 084723, Providence, Rhode Island, June 29-July 2, 2008.

Wheeler, E.F., K.D. Casey, R.S. Gates, H. Xin, Y. Liang, and P. Topper. 2008. Litter management strategies in relation to ammonia emissions from floor-raised birds. Proceedings of the National Conference on Mitigating Air Emissions From Animal Feeding Operations: Exploring the advantages, limitations, and economics of mitigation technologies. May 19-21, 2008 Des Moines, Iowa.

Wheeler, E.F., K.D. Casey,R.S. Gates, H. Xin, P.A. Topper and Y. Liang. 2008. Ammonia emissions from USAbroiler chicken barns managed with new bedding, built-up litter, or acid-treated litter. Proceedings of the Eighth International Symposium, Livestock Environment VIII, Sept 1-4, Iguassu Falls, Brazil. ASABE Publications, St. Joseph MI, ASABE.

Gates, R.S. 2008. Broiler, Turkey and Layer Building Ammonia Emissions Overview. 2008. Invited Presentation to US Poultry & Egg Association's Environmental Management Seminar, 5-6 March. Atlanta, GA.