886
Effects of electrostatic particle ionization on hog barn air quality, emissions and pig growth performance
Electrostatic particle ionization (EPI) systems emit negative ions which in turn create polarized air particles. These polarized air particles attach to conductive or grounded surfaces in the barn. An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of EPI on hog barn air quality, emissions, and nursery pig growth performance. To make the comparison, the EPI system was installed in 2 identical nursery barns (200 pigs/barn) at the same location. During 5, 6-week periods (6 to 23 kg BW) the EPI system was utilized in a single barn for one complete turn and then rotated to the opposite barn to ensure no barn effects would be present (5 replications per treatment). Each barn was equipped with three external exhaust fans, and 12 internal attic air inlets. Pigs were allotted randomly between barns at the beginning of each period and measurements were taken every week for the 6-week period. Dust particles were collected weekly inside the barn and in exhaust air for determination of particle size and average quantity for the turn. Additional measurements included in-barn air hydrogen sulfide and ammonia as well as ADG and final BW. Overall, there were fewer (P<0.02) in-barn 0.3, 2.5 and 10.0 µ dust particles when the EPI system was active. The EPI system also reduced (P<0.03) 0.3, 2.5 and 10.0 µ dust particles/m3 in exhaust fan air. There were no differences for in-barn air ammonia and hydrogen sulfide concentrations. The EPI system tended to improve (P=0.09) ADG and final BW. In conclusion, EPI was able to reduce airborne dust concentrations in-barn and in exhaust air and tended to improve growth performance.
Treatment: |
Control |
EPI |
|
|
|
Item |
|
|
SEM |
Probability P < |
|
ADG, g |
414 |
442 |
12.5 |
0.09 |
|
Final BW, kg |
22.60 |
23.27 |
2.25 |
0.06 |
|
Inside dust, particles/min |
|
|
|
|
|
0.3 µ |
687,345 |
417,797 |
98,698 |
0.02 |
|
2.5 µ |
173,363 |
77,759 |
27,236 |
0.01 |
|
10.0 µ |
166,980 |
72,998 |
30,189 |
0.01 |
|
Exhaust dust, particles/m3 |
|
|
|
|
|
0.3 µ |
104.37 |
54.70 |
16.84 |
0.03 |
|
2.5 µ |
18.51 |
7.52 |
4.35 |
0.02 |
|
10.0 µ |
7.03 |
2.51 |
1.57 |
0.03 |
|
Ammonia, ppm |
4.02 |
4.21 |
1.39 |
0.86 |
|
H2S, ppm |
0.81 |
0.82 |
0.31 |
0.89 |
|
Keywords: electrostatic particle ionization, emissions, nursery pig