Gases emissions estimation and analysis by using carbon dioxide balance method in natural-ventilated dairy cow barns

Bing Zou,Zhengxiang Shi,Songhuai Du

doi:10.25165/j.ijabe.20201302.4802

Bing Zou, Zhengxiang Shi + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.25165/j.ijabe.20201302.4802

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Abstract

Contaminated gases emissions from livestock industry are becoming one of the most significant contributors to the increasingly serious environmental pollution. To find a way to reduce gases emissions, it is essential to reveal the factors that can affect the gases emissions. In this study, the concentrations of typical gases (including ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and sulfur dioxide (SO2)) generated from naturally-ventilated dairy cow barns were detected through the sample-data method in Tianjin, northern China. Indoor environmental conditions, such as temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH), were measured simultaneously. After applying the carbon dioxide mass balance method, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide emissions were determined. The correlation analysis and regression analysis between the climate condition and gas emissions were conducted to assess the data collected in dairy cow barns during the whole study period. There was a significant relationship between environmental conditions and gas emissions. NH3, H2S and SO2 emissions from the building are in the range of 0.98-2.36 g/LU·h, 0-0.034 g/LU·h, and 0-0.069 g/LU·h, respectively. The numerical analysis shows that the NH3 emission is highly correlated with the temperature and relative humidity. The ventilation rate shows a positive correlation with all the three gases. Keywords: gas emissions, environmental conditions, correlation analysis, regression analysis, carbon dioxide, H2S emission, NH3 emission, SO2 emission DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20201302.4802 Citation: Zou B, Shi Z X, Du S H. Gases emissions estimation and analysis by using carbon dioxide balance method in natural-ventilated dairy cow barns. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2020; 13(2): 41–47.

Highlights

The thermal environment and gases emissions from the dairy cow houses directly affect the production performance of dairy cows, and have an impact on the global ecological environment
The concentrations of typical gases (including ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and sulfur dioxide (SO2)) generated from naturally-ventilated dairy cow barns were detected through the sample-data method in Tianjin, northern China
Complementary to the former insight that high temperature increases emissions, we find that ammonia concentration increases a rise in temperature, while the opposite situation occurs under relative humidity

Summary

Introduction

The thermal environment and gases emissions from the dairy cow houses directly affect the production performance of dairy cows, and have an impact on the global ecological environment. The main factors that affect the performance of dairy cows are genetics, physiology, nutrition, and environment[1]. The greatest influence from ambient environment on dairy cows is the temperature, relative humidity, and the concentration of ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the cow house. Dairy cows are homoeothermic animals and need to maintain a constant body temperature[2]. They are sensitive to factors, which influence their thermal exchange with the environment. These factors include air temperature, radiant temperature, air velocity, and relative humidity[3]

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