Energy input is vital in every swine operation as it directly affects production performance and overall profitability. With the increasing trend in energy prices and feed costs, the swine industry needed to find ways to improve energy use efficiency in their operations in order to reduce overall cost of production. The goals of this study were to gather benchmark information on current energy usage in swine barns through survey and energy audit, and evaluate different energy-saving measures through building simulation.<p>
The results of the survey showed that the average electricity and gas cost was $6.50/head for farrow-to-finish barns, $1.70/head for grow-finish barns, $0.59/head for nursery and $1.95/head for farrow-wean barns. Significant difference (P<0.05) in energy usage within the same type of operation was observed, implying significant opportunities to improve energy use practices in some barns to reduce overall energy costs.<p>
The results of the barn monitoring showed that the average daily electricity consumption during summer for farrowing, nursery, grow-finish and gestation room was 3.79 kWh/head (16 sows); 0.12 kWh/head (226 pigs); 0.14 kWh/head (551 pigs) and 0.33 kWh/head (349 sows); respectively. During winter, the average daily electricity consumption for farrowing, nursery, grow-finish and gestation room was 3.92 kWh/head (15 sows); 0.14 kWh/head (227 pigs); 0.09 kWh/head (521 pigs) and 0.22 kWh/head (322 sows); respectively. Highly negative correlation (range from -0.6 to -0.9) was observed between the fan energy consumption and gas concentration of H2S, NH3 and CO2 during summer. This implied that reducing ventilation rate was not a sound option to reduce energy consumption.<p>
A simulation model was developed using the principle of heat transfer and thermodynamics to evaluate various energy-conservation measures through building simulation. Applying energy conservation strategies to lighting, creep heating, recirculation fans, exhaust fans, feed motor and heat recovery, an average annual savings of 25,957 kWh (43 kWh/sow); 47,391 kWh (79 kWh/sow); 9,872 kWh (16 kWh/sow); 118,890 kWh (198 kWh/sow); 1,846 kWh (3 kWh/sow); and 74,952 m3 (125 m3/sow) can be achieved, respectively. The outcome of this research project will help pork producers in managing the use of energy in their operations more efficiently, thereby reducing overall energy costs. Additionally, the reduction of energy use across the industry would contribute to the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy generation.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:USASK/oai:usask.ca:etd-11122008-144458 |
| Date | 19 November 2008 |
| Creators | Navia, Eleonor |
| Contributors | Predicala, Bernardo, Guo, Huiqing, Baik, Oon-doo |
| Publisher | University of Saskatchewan |
| Source Sets | University of Saskatchewan Library |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://library.usask.ca/theses/available/etd-11122008-144458/ |
| Rights | restricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University of Saskatchewan or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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