Abstract
Creating and maintaining the microclimate in livestock buildings is associated with numerous engineering and technical challenges. Together with adequate feeding, the microclimate determines the health, reproductive ability, and production potential of the animals (obtaining a maximum amount of high-quality products). One of the deciding steps in improving the parameters of microclimate, i.e., temperature and humidity in agricultural facilities, particularly in livestock buildings, is to develop reliable and highly efficient air curtains in the vestibules. The objective of the manuscript is to investigate the parameters of the microclimate in livestock buildings using the air curtain, supported by automation and ICT technologies for rational operating modes. The presented theoretical and experimental studies on improving the microclimate parameters in livestock buildings were carried out using an innovative air curtain system. Its power is calculated based on the dimensions of the room, and the flow rate of warm air near the floor level is three times lower than at the installation site. The use of air curtains reduces consumption of thermal energy needed to maintain an optimal microclimate for livestock by 10–15%. Furthermore, the use of an automated digital control system maintains an optimal microclimate in the building. The developed energy-saving system for creating an optimal micro-climate in livestock buildings using air curtains was tested in a pigsty of the Research and Training Farm “Vorzel” of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, located in the Kiev region. The developed automated microclimate system using air curtains significantly improves the microclimate parameters and significantly reduces power consumption. The system can be further developed by adding remote control based on the Internet of Things (IoT) technology.
Highlights
Modern animal husbandry technologies place high demands on the microclimate in livestock buildings
The purpose of this study is to improve the functioning of the microclimate in livestock buildings through the use of an air curtain, to determine its rational operation, and to introduce an automated control system using the proprietary mechanism based on an integrated Arduino board, along with a control system using the LabView programming language
Theoretical and experimental studies on improving the microclimate parameters in livestock buildings were carried out based on a schematic electrical diagram of an air curtain, as well as statistical methods for processing experimental data, using LabViewbased software and automation hardware based on the Arduino controller
Summary
Modern animal husbandry technologies place high demands on the microclimate in livestock buildings. According to animal husbandry experts, the productivity of animals is determined by feed in 50–60%, by care in 15–20%, and by the microclimate in the livestock room in 10–30%. Deviation from established limits of microclimate parameters leads to a reduction in milk production by 10–20%, the consumption of additional feed followed by an increase in live weight by 20–33%, an increase in the waste of young animals by. The efforts to insulate the walls and install a proper heating system can be futile if heat leaks freely through windows or gates. This is especially true of livestock buildings in which the front gate is opened very often, or even remains open for an extended time
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