2002 Annual Report
Research
Methods to Measure Dust (PM10) and Ammonia Emissions from Minnesota
Pig Facilities
Larry Jacobson, Professor
David Schmidt, Assistant Extension Engineer
Verlyn Johnson, Information Technology Professional
Funding Source
National Pork Board
Objective
To determine the PM10 emissions from slatted and deep-bedded pig grow-finishing
facilities in Minnesota. To determine the ammonia emissions from these
facilities and find the relationship between ammonia and dust emissions
for these typical Minnesota pig finishing facilities.
Project Description
Two commercial pig finishing facilities, one a totally slatted-deep pit
unit and the other a deep-bedded hoop barn, were selected in Minnesota
to determine the dust emissions from these sources. At least two, 24-hour
dust measurements will be made over an approximate two-week time period
for each of the selected buildings during cold and warm weather. Ventilation
rates for these facilities will be measured by calibrating and monitoring
fan operations or using the carbon dioxide (CO2) balance method. Ammonia
and hydrogen sulfide concentrations will also be measured continuously
using an instrumented mobile trailer. The concentration of contaminants
and ventilation rates will be combined to determine emission rates for
each barn.
Results
The concentration and emission rate for ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, particulate
matter or dust under 10 microns in diameter (PM10), and odor were measured
in a representative deep-bedded hoop pig finishing barn and a slatted-floor,
curtain-sided pig finishing barn during 2+ week periods in the winter
and summer in Minnesota. Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide were continuously
measured with gas analyzers in an environmentally controlled instrument
trailer while PM10 and odor were measured roughly twice during the 2+
week sampling period.
Ammonia concentrations inside both barns were quite similar in the winter
and summer but the emission of ammonia was higher in the hoop barn on
a per pig basis. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) concentrations and emissions were
lower in the hoop barn compared to the curtain barn during both the winter
and summer except for the per pig emissions in the winter which were similar.
Fine particle dust (PM10) concentrations and per pig emissions were very
similar for both barn types during the winter and summer. Odor concentrations
and per pig emissions in the winter were lower in the hoop barn compared
to the curtain barn but both levels were similar between the barns in
the summer, showing a slight advantage of lower odor emissions in the
hoop barn during warm conditions.
Although these results are helpful in evaluating the air quality impacts between these different finishing housing systems, it must be remembered that the winter and summer values were not measured simultaneously because of the availability of only one set of gas analyzers, dust collectors, and a single instrument trailer. Also these comparisons are only between single barn types and these specific barns may not exactly represent the general barn type. Considering these limitations, it would seem from the results that the hoop barn has lower hydrogen sulfide and odor concentrations and emissions compared to the more conventional curtain barn. Lower emissions of ammonia exist in the curtain barn than the hoop barn even though concentrations are quite similar. There seems to be no difference in concentrations or per pig emissions of dust, or more specifically PM10 that represent 10 micron diameter (relatively small) particles, between the two barn types.