Aviary Plenum Ventilation to Reduce Cold Stress and Ammonia Buildup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aviary ventilation systems, such as tunnel ventilation, are not suitable for cooler months as they can stress poultry by introducing cold air, leading to overcrowding and the buildup of harmful gases like ammonia.
Innovation Solution
A ventilation system with exterior fans and a plenum that circulates air within the aviary, ensuring efficient airflow to prevent hot and cold spots, improve manure drying, and reduce ammonia levels without stressing the birds, by using a method that includes positioning fans in exterior walls and a plenum with a top and bottom opening for air circulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If tunnel ventilation is used to cool the aviary and remove harmful gases, then air circulation and gas removal are improved, but cold air directly contacts hens causing stress and overcrowding
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates different air temperature zones within the aviary by using side-wall fans to draw air along the sides and a rear fan to pull air through the center. This allows warm air to be removed from the center while cooler air circulates along the sides, providing local quality differentiation that prevents direct cold air contact with hens in the center area while still achieving effective gas removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The ventilation system divides the air circulation path into separate zones: side air paths along the walls and a center air path through the middle of the aviary. This segmentation allows different air temperatures to be maintained in different regions, enabling harmful gas removal without subjecting the entire aviary to cold air that would stress the hens.
2Productivity
If tunnel ventilation is operated during cooler months, then air circulation is maintained, but hens become stressed and cluster together causing overcrowding
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains air circulation productivity by using multiple fans positioned at different locations (side walls and rear) to create localized air flows. The center area where hens are located experiences warmer air circulation while air is still effectively moved through the entire aviary, maintaining productivity without causing the uniform cold air contact that leads to stress and overcrowding.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the aviary is sealed to outside airflow to protect from cold, then poultry stress is reduced, but harmful gases like ammonia build up
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows selective air removal by targeting the center area where harmful gases accumulate while maintaining warmer conditions at the sides where hens are located. The rear fan draws air through the center, effectively removing ammonia and other harmful gases, while the side fans draw air along the walls, creating a localized gas removal system that doesn't require sealing the entire aviary.
4Use of energy by moving object
If conventional ventilation is used in cooler months, then energy consumption is reduced by limiting airflow, but hot spots and cold spots develop reducing ventilation efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the air circulation into multiple independent paths using fans positioned at different locations. This allows air to be drawn from different zones (sides and center) and distributed more uniformly throughout the aviary, preventing the formation of hot spots and cold spots while maintaining energy efficiency by only moving the necessary amount of air through each segmented path.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system maintains poultry comfort by preventing cold stress, reducing ammonia buildup, and enhancing manure drying efficiency, allowing for effective ventilation in cooler months without stressing the birds.
Implementation Method 1
A first fan is disposed in an exterior wall of the aviary... drawing air from within the aviary through the exterior wall
Implementation Method 2
A plenum is disposed on one of the at least one exterior walls. A second fan is disposed in flow communication with the plenum
Implementation Method 3
circulates air within the aviary, ensuring efficient airflow to prevent hot and cold spots
Implementation Method 4
assists in the drying of manure in the aviary, and removes harmful gases
Data Source
AI summary
A ventilation system for an aviary including at least one exterior wall disposed between a floor and a roof. The ventilation system includes a first fan disposed in one of the at least one exterior walls. A plenum is disposed on one of the at least one exterior walls. A second fan is disposed in flow communication with the plenum. The present embodiments also provide a method of constructing a ventilation system in an aviary, which aviary includes at least one exterior wall disposed between a floor and a roof, a first fan, a plenum, and a second fan. The method includes disposing the first fan in one of the at least one exterior walls. The method also includes disposing the plenum on one of the at least one exterior walls. The method also includes disposing the second fan in flow communication with the plenum.