Piglets Comfort with Hot Water by Biogas Combustion under Controllable Ventilation

The purpose of this study is to develop a hot-water heating system for pig farms which use biogas as the energy source while the air quality is regulated using an inverter-controlled fan. The biogas is a by-product from the 3-stage wastewater treatment process in regular pig farms. The biogas is burned for hot water which is circulated to warm piglet compartments with regulated, forced ventilation. The hot water is connected to a heat exchanger and hot air is hence blown into the pigsty. To maintain the pigsty at a comfort atmosphere, ventilation is regulated using an inverter-controlled fan. The mechanical ventilation is to be optimized as a compromise between indoor air quality and ventilation rate. The temperature uniformity and air quality in the pigsty is to be secured for comfortability. Experimental results show that hot water circulating at 0.043 m3/min and 60°C could keep the pigsty at 28°C for a stocking density of 1.77 pig/m2. Forced ventilation of 1.7 ACH (air change rate per hour) at 28°C could keep the pigsty comfort in terms of indoor temperature, relative humidity, and carbon-dioxide concentration