Photobioreactor System for Ammonia Reduction in Poultry Houses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Poultry houses emit high levels of pollutant gases such as ammonia and carbon dioxide, as well as dust and particulate matter, which negatively impact animal health, production efficiency, and environmental sustainability. Existing solutions, like biofilter systems, face limitations in effectiveness and energy efficiency, especially in temperate regions.
Innovation Solution
A photobioreactor system integrated into poultry houses, utilizing microalgae to absorb and convert pollutant gases, combined with an organic oil bath filter to remove dust and particulate matter, and a heat exchanger to manage indoor air quality and temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If biofilter systems are used to reduce pollutant gases, then ammonia and hydrogen sulfide reduction efficiency is improved, but the system effectiveness decreases when indoor humidity and temperature are not controlled within certain ranges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the filter system by using activated carbon instead of traditional biofilter media. This parameter change allows the system to effectively reduce pollutant gases across a wider range of temperature and humidity conditions, resolving the contradiction between high reduction efficiency and adaptability to varying environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs activated carbon, which can be easily replaced when saturated, rather than requiring complex maintenance systems for biofilter media. This approach maintains high effectiveness while being more adaptable to varying environmental conditions through simple parameter adjustments and media replacement.
2Speed
If ventilation efficiency is increased in temperate regions, then air circulation is improved, but ammonia concentration drops below 10 ppm which reduces biofilter system effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses activated carbon filters that maintain effectiveness across a broader concentration range including low ammonia levels (<10 ppm). The filters can be simply replaced when saturated, allowing the system to maintain high ventilation efficiency without sacrificing filter effectiveness, thus resolving the contradiction between ventilation speed and filter productivity.
3Productivity
If chemical air-scrubber systems are used to mitigate ammonia gas, then ammonia reduction effectiveness is improved, but the system complexity and operational challenges increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex chemical air-scrubber systems with simpler activated carbon filters. These filters effectively mitigate ammonia gas through physical adsorption rather than complex chemical reactions, significantly reducing system complexity while maintaining high ammonia reduction effectiveness. The simple filter media can be easily replaced when saturated.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential function of ammonia mitigation from complex chemical scrubber systems and implements it through simpler activated carbon filtration. This extraction of the core function achieves effective ammonia reduction while eliminating unnecessary system complexity and operational challenges.
4Productivity
If biological air mixers are used at ventilation exit points, then pollutant gas and particulate matter reduction is improved, but microbial concentrations increase in the indoor environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses activated carbon filters that effectively reduce pollutant gases and particulate matter without introducing microbial growth issues. The simple filter media does not support microbial proliferation like biological air mixers, thereby reducing pollutants while avoiding the harmful increase in microbial concentrations in the indoor environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the pollutant reduction function from biological air mixers and implements it through activated carbon filtration. This extraction eliminates the microbial growth problem inherent in biological systems while maintaining effective reduction of pollutant gases and particulate matter through physical adsorption and filtration mechanisms.
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 effectively reduces ammonia and carbon dioxide concentrations, improves indoor air quality by removing dust and particulate matter, and enhances energy efficiency by providing insulation and reducing the need for artificial lighting and heating.
Implementation Method 1
a photobioreactor system for the reduction of pollutant gases, mainly ammonia and carbon dioxide, released in poultry houses (chicken coop) by microalgae
Implementation Method 2
reduces dust and particulate matter in the internal environment of the house by means of an organic oil bath filter
Implementation Method 3
a heat exchanger to manage indoor air quality and temperature
Implementation Method 4
creating an insulation effect on the exterior of the house by integrating into the exterior wall
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a photobioreactor system that reduces pollutant gases, mainly ammonia and carbon dioxide, released in poultry houses with microalgae and reduces dust and particulate matter in the internal environment of the poultry house, and also creates a brighter and more spacious environment for animals in the internal environment, while creating an insulation effect on the exterior of the poultry house by integrating into the exterior wall.