Heating Performance and Ammonia Removal of a Single-Stage Bioscrubber Pilot Plant with Integrated Heat Exchanger under Field Conditions

Manuel S Krommweh,Wolfgang Büscher,Hauke F Deeken,Hannah Licharz

doi:10.3390/en14206484

Abstract

In this study, biological exhaust air treatment was combined with a recuperative heat exchanger in one process stage. The aim of this plant development and testing is not only to reduce ammonia from the exhaust air of pig houses but also to recover thermal energy at the same time. This is intended to offset the high operating costs of exhaust air treatment with savings of heating costs in cold seasons and to use the plant more efficiently. This system was tested for the first time under practical conditions in a pig fattening house in southern Germany. Three different assembly situations of the heat exchanger were examined for 13 days each and then compared with each other. The heating performance of the plant is primarily dependent on the outside air temperature and secondarily on the scrubbing water temperature. Depending on the assembly situation of the heat exchanger, an average heating performance of between 6.0 and 10.0 kW was observed; the amount of recovered thermal energy was between 1860 and 3132 kWh. The coefficient of performance (COP) ranked between 7.1 and 11.5. Furthermore, ammonia removal up to 64% was demonstrated. A long-term investigation of the system under practical conditions is recommended to validate the data collected in this study.

Highlights

In order to reduce emissions from animal husbandry, such as particulate matter, ammonia (NH3) and odor, various exhaust air treatment systems (EATS) are used in mechanically ventilated livestock buildings for pigs and poultry in practice [1,2]
A long-term investigation of the system under practical conditions is recommended to validate the data collected in this study
The cold incoming fresh air is preheated by the exchange scrubber, which, on the one hand, has a positive effect on the climate in the animals’ living area

Summary

Introduction

In order to reduce emissions from animal husbandry, such as particulate matter, ammonia (NH3) and odor, various exhaust air treatment systems (EATS) are used in mechanically ventilated livestock buildings for pigs and poultry in practice [1,2]. EATS in Germany must be designed to treat the total required maximum exhaust air flow according to DIN 18910 [5] (cf [3]). In this context, these systems’ high investment and operating costs lead to the requirement to reduce the total costs

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Conclusion