Determining the Pit and Wall Emission Streams for H2S, NH3, CO2, PM, & Odor from Deep-pit Pig Finishing Facilities for Selecting Mitigation Technologies

Larry Jacobson, Professor
Brian Hetchler, Research Associate
David Schmidt, Assistant Extension Engineer
Charles Clanton, Professor

Funding Source

National Pork Board

Objective

This research project proposes to quantify emissions of several key hazardous compounds, including H2S, NH3, and PM10, and the nuisance parameter odor from a tunnel-ventilated, deep-pit, pig-finishing building over a six-month period (October - April) that begins with moderate temperatures, transitions to cold winter conditions and then back to warm springtime temperatures. More importantly, the project will separate the airborne emissions into two fractions, the portion that are emitted through the pit fans and the part exhausted through the wall fans.

Need or Impact

There is a need to know the distribution of odor and gas emissions through the pit and wall airstreams from pig finishing barns so that target control technologies can be used in the most effective airstreams from both emission reduction and economic considerations.

Project Status

To date about two months worth of data has been collected, and as previously determined, it seems that proportionally more gas (H2S and NH3) and odor is emitted through the pit airstreams (by pit fans) than through the wall airstreams (by wall fans). If this is found to be consistently true then one can strategically use control technologies like biofilters on only certain airstreams (pit fans) and remove a majority of the hazardous gases (H2S and NH3) and odor that are emitted from the barn.