Ammonia Control for Animal Housing
Systems with Liquid Manure - Filtration and Biofiltration
| Pro |
Con |
| Traps multiple gases and odor |
Needs good maintenance to operate properly |
| Versatile for mechanically ventilated operations |
Potential to have a limited life effectiveness |
Filters trap particles and emissions, whereas biofilters not only
trap emissions but also provide an environment for aerobic biological
degradation of trapped compounds. Biofilters have been developed
to reduce emissions from deep-pit manure ventilation exhaust, and,
to a lesser extent, from the building exhaust. Although mechanical
filtration may be costly, biofiltration can be a low-cost means
of effectively reducing exhaust odors. Biofiltration costs for
a 700-head farrow-to-wean swine facility are estimated at $0.25
per piglet, amortized over a 3-year life of the biofilter. Reductions
of ammonia emission at that operation are approximately 74 percent,
whereas reductions in both hydrogen sulfide and odor emissions
are about 90 percent.
Biofilters must be designed to provide suitable conditions for
the growth of a mixture of aerobic bacteria within the biofilter.
These bacteria will degrade the odorous compounds, including ammonia.
Oxygen concentration, temperature, residence time, and moisture
content are among the parameters that must be considered when building
a biofilter. Although management must be taken into consideration,
it is clear that low-cost biofiltration systems ($150-200 per 1,000
cfm of air treated) can be implemented in livestock housing facilities
that are mechanically ventilated and can contribute to greater
efficiency of the operation.
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