Use of Computational Fluid Dynamics to Study Ammonia Concentrations at Pedestrian Height in Smart Broiler Chamber Clusters

Abstract

NH3 emissions are an environmental issue that is of wide concern in livestock production. In intensive livestock farming, it is necessary to study outdoor ammonia concentrations under various conditions to maximize the protection of livestock caretakers’ health in and around the facilities. In this study, the ammonia concentrations outside smart broiler chambers in 60 scenarios, with conditions including 4 broiler chamber densities, 3 wind directions, and 5 outlet emission intensities, were simulated based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technology. The results show that (1) outdoor ammonia tends to accumulate near the outlet when the wind direction angle is small, while it has a wider range of influence when the angle is vertical; (2) building a smart broiler chamber cluster for intensive livestock farming is environmentally friendly; and (3) keeping the ammonia outlet perpendicular to the local dominant wind direction can effectively prevent high concentrations of ammonia around the chambers. In practical applications, the conclusions of this study can be used to arrange the layout and direction of smart broiler chamber clusters.