Evaluation of the Indoor Air Velocity of a Sidewall Inlet and Roof Exhaust Ventilated Broiler Shed Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

Abstract

Fast-growing broiler chickens, bred for meat, find it difficult to adapt to warm conditions during hot weather periods in an enclosed environment. They tend to change their behavioural and physiological mechanisms to survive. This study was carried out to evaluate the air velocity distributions within a sidewall inlet and roof exhaust ventilated broiler shed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The simulation was conducted using three turbulence models (standard, realizable, and SST ) to determine the best predictive model for the hot weather ventilation of the broiler shed under consideration. The results predicted by the turbulence models were validated with the field experimental results. It was discovered that the standard turbulence model predicted air velocity distributions, close to that of the air velocity distributions obtained during the experimental study except at the centre of the broiler shed where the CFD predicted higher air velocity. This shows that CFD could be adopted by Agricultural Engineers to create appropriate environments for animals before the structures are physically erected.