Design and Evaluation of a Horizontal Airflow Biofilter on a Swine Facility

Hoff

Kozieł

et al. 2008

Bioresource Technology

A pilot-scale mobile biofilter was developed where two types of wood chips (western cedar and 2 in. hardwood) were examined to treat odor emissions from a deep-pit swine finishing facility in central Iowa. The biofilters were operated continuously for 13 weeks at different air flow rates resulting in a variable empty bed residence time (EBRT) from 1.6 to 7.3 s. During this test period, solid-phase microextraction (SPME) PDMS/DVB 65 microm fibers were used to extract volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from both the control plenum and biofilter treatments. Analyses of VOCs were carried out using a multidimentional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry (MDGC-MS-O) system. Results indicated that both types of chips achieved significant reductions in p-cresol, phenol, indole and skatole which represent some of the most odorous and odor-defining compounds known for swine facilities. The results also showed that maintaining proper moisture content is critical to the success of wood-chip based biofilters and that this factor is more important than media depth and residence time.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Performance evaluation of a wood-chip based biofilter using solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy–olfactometry

Hoff

Kozieł

et al. 2008

Bioresource Technology

“…Compost has many of the qualities mentioned above, with the main drawback being a relatively fast degradation, 15 which leads to compaction, a limitation on bed life, and a high airflow resistance that must be overcome with the use of large, expensive fans. 6,16 The mixture of wood chips and compost (70:30 to 50:50% by weight) has been recommended as biofilter media for agricultural uses 17 ; however, special care is needed to screen fines from wood chip/compost mixtures to reduce operating static pressure. 17 To keep reasonable fan ventilation efficiency, agricultural ventilation fans should be run at pressure drops of less than 60 Pa (0.25-in.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Wood Chip-Based Biofilters to Reduce Odor, Hydrogen Sulfide, and Ammonia from Swine Barn Ventilation Air

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association

Hoff

Cai

et al. 2009

A pilot-scale biofilter was developed in which two types of wood chips (western cedar [WC] and 2-in. hardwood [HW]) were examined to treat odor emissions from a deep-pit swine finishing facility in central Iowa. The biofilters were operated continuously for 13 weeks at different airflow rates resulting in variable empty bed residence times (EBRTs) from 1.6 to 7.3 sec. The effects of three media moisture levels were also evaluated. A dynamic forced-choice olfactometer was used to evaluate odor concentrations from both the control (inlet) plenum and biofilter treatments (outlet). Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) and ammonia (NH 3 ) concentrations were also measured from these olfactometry samples. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)/ divinylbenzene (DVB) 65-m fibers were used to extract volatile organic compounds from both the control plenum and biofilter treatments. Analyses of separated odors were carried out using a gas chromatographymass spectrometry-olfactometry (GC-MS-O) system. Static sample results indicated that both types of chips achieved significant reductions in odor (average 70.1 and 82.3% for HW and WC, respectively), H 2 S (average 81.8 and 88.6% for HW and WC, respectively) and NH 3 (average 43.4 and 74% for HW and WC, respectively) concentrations. GC-MS-O aromagram results showed both treatments reached high odor reduction efficiency (average 99.4 and 99.8% for HW and WC, respectively). The results also showed that maintaining proper moisture content and a minimum EBRT are critical to the success of wood chip-based biofilters.

“…The first manuscript is a literature review paper entitled "Mitigating Odors from Agricultural Facilities: A Review of Literature Concerning Biofilters" which will be submitted to the Transactions of the ASABE. The second paper entitled "Performance Evaluation of a Wood Chip-Based Biofilter Using Solid-phase Microextraction and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry-Olfactometry" has been published in the Journal of Bioresource Technology 99 (16): 7767-7780. The third paper entitled "Evaluation of Wood Chip-Based Biofilters to Reduce Odor, Hydrogen Sulfide, and Ammonia from Swine Barn Ventilation Air" has been approved for publication in the Journal of Air & Waste Management Association.…”

Section: Dissertation Organizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…. However, the mixture media can cause a high air flow resistance that must be overcome, often with the use of large expensive fans Garlinski and Danny, 2003) which in turn results in excessive electrical energy use.…”

Section: Deactivation Of Microbesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Compost has many of the qualities mentioned above, with the main drawback being a relatively fast degradation 15 which leads to compaction, a limitation on bed life, and a high air flow resistance that must be overcome with the use of large, expensive fans. 6,16 The mixture of wood chips and compost (70:30 to 50:50 percent by weight) has been recommended as biofilter media for agricultural uses. 17 However, special care is needed to screen fines from wood chip/compost mixtures to reduce operating static pressure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Mitigating odors from animal facilities using biofilters