Comprehensive Evaluation of a Landscape Fabric Based Solar Air Heater in a Pig Nursery

Li Yu, Sanjay B. Shah, Mark T. Knauer, Michael D. Boyette and Larry F. Stikeleather
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Li Yu: Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering Department, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
Sanjay B. Shah: Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
Mark T. Knauer: Animal Science Department, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
Michael D. Boyette: Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
Larry F. Stikeleather: Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 21, 1-15

Abstract: Supplementing fossil fuels with solar air tempering for brooding young livestock could reduce energy use and improve indoor air quality. Metal transpired solar collectors (TSC) are effective but too expensive for heating livestock buildings. An inexpensive 12.7 m 2 dark grey landscape-fabric-based transpired solar collector (fTSC) was evaluated in a swine nursery with two herds of pigs. A fraction of the fTSC area was underlain with phase change material (PCM) to store excess heat. The Test room with the fTSC was compared with an adjacent identical Control room, each with 120 piglets. The fTSC provided supplemental heating, e.g., with a suction velocity ( V s ) of 0.027 m/s during a 9 h period, air temperature was increased by 11.6 °C (mean irradiance of 592 W/m 2 ). Between 4 pm and 9 pm that same day, the PCM increased air temperature by 3.9 °C. The fTSC did not reduce propane use or improve pig performance. Higher V s , operational changes and controller modifications could improve system performance and reduce cost. Modeling could be used to optimize PCM use. Hence, this very low-cost fabric-based solar air heater offers potential for considerable reduction in heat energy use in livestock barns.

Keywords: transpired solar collector; livestock; ventilation; microclimate control; heat storage (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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