Teng Teeh Lim, Ph.D., P.E.Commercial Agriculture Program and
Food Systems and BioengineeringUniversity Of Missouri
Field Evaluation of DDGS Diet, Alum Manure Additives, and BMPs to Reduce Ammonia
Emissions
2
Overview• Test barns• Effects of “Alum” and “Aluminum
Chloride” applications.• Effects of DDGS in the diet,
combined with several best management practices.
• Effects of only BMPs.
3
Field Test Site
Instrumentshelter
48-in dia
Conventional high-rise houses (completed 1994)
201 m x 21 m169K hens
4
High-Rise Layer Barns
• 169K hens, 8-rows, 4-tier crates.• Sidewall fans spaced 7.3 m apart.• 10 fan stages.• “Turbo” ventilation system• Manure scraped daily.• Manure drying enhanced with 18,
918-mm dia. pit circulation fans.
5
Alum and Aluminum Chloride Applications
• Nitrogen is released as ammonium (NH4+) under acidic or neutral conditions, or as NH3 at higher pH. Acidifying agents reduce manure pH and decrease NH3 volatilization
• The addition of alum to poultry litter:– reduces NH3 volatilization.– increases total and soluble N and N/P
ratios.– lowers in-house NH3 concentrations.
6
Alum Application System• A 3000-gal holding tank stored the
chemical. • 1500 gal alum + 1500 gal water. • Spray tubes and sprinkling nozzles were
installed along the barn length.• An air pump provided pressure for
spraying, and the water pump filled the spray pipe with the solution.
• Solutions were sprayed for 4 s per hr.
7
Monitoring PlanMonitoring
Plan
Thermocouple Air sampling (1-13)Anemometer (SVA)
RH/Temp probeStatic pressure portTEOM PM monitor
Vibration sensor on each fan
Fan number
Instrument shelter
F26F50 F38 F29F47
F25 F1F4F22
Floor plan (201 m x 21 m)
F26F50
F13
F38 F29F47
F13F25 F1F4F22
Barn 1 (control)
Barn 2
Cages
Barn 1 (control)Pit
Barn 2 (treated)٭ Activity sensor
Wind sensorSolar sensorS
S
S
٭٭٭٭٭٭
٭٭
٭٭٭٭٭٭
٭٭
٭ ٭ ٭ ٭ ٭ ٭٭ ٭ ٭ ٭ ٭ ٭ ٭ ٭٭ ٭
٭
٭
٭٭
1
2
3
23
3
instrument shelter
1
2 2
3
3
3710
44
44
5
55
566 6 6 6
7 7 7 7
7
8 8 8
8 8 8 89
9 9 9
9 9 9
9910 10 10 10
10 10 10 10
710
44
44
5
55
566 6 6 6
7 7 7 7
7
8 8 8
8 8 8 89
9 9 9
9 9 9
9910 10 10 10
10 10 10 10
Fan stage
Alum nozzle lineAlum storage tankAlum spraying pump
Monitoring Plan
Thermocouple Air sampling (1-13)Anemometer (SVA)
RH/Temp probeStatic pressure portTEOM PM monitor
Vibration sensor on each fan
Fan number
Instrument shelter
F26F50 F38 F29F47 F26F50 F38 F29F47
F25 F1F4F22
Floor plan (201 m x 21 m)
F26F50
F13
F38 F29F47
F13F25 F1F4F22
Barn 1 (control)
Barn 2
Cages
Barn 1 (control)Pit
Barn 2 (treated)٭ Activity sensor
Wind sensorSolar sensorS
S
S
٭٭٭٭٭٭
٭٭٭٭٭٭٭٭
٭٭
٭٭٭٭٭٭
٭٭٭٭٭٭٭٭
٭٭
٭ ٭ ٭ ٭ ٭ ٭٭ ٭٭ ٭ ٭ ٭ ٭ ٭٭ ٭ ٭ ٭ ٭ ٭ ٭ ٭٭ ٭٭ ٭ ٭ ٭ ٭ ٭٭ ٭
٭
٭
٭٭
1
2
3
23
3
instrument shelter
1
2 2
3
3
3710
44
44
5
55
566 6 6 6
7 7 7 7
7
8 8 8
8 8 8 89
9 9 9
9 9 9
9910 10 10 10
10 10 10 10
710
44
44
5
55
566 6 6 6
7 7 7 7
7
8 8 8
8 8 8 89
9 9 9
9 9 9
9910 10 10 10
10 10 10 10
710
44
44
5
55
566 6 6 6
7 7 7 7
7
8 8 8
8 8 8 89
9 9 9
9 9 9
9910 10 10 10
10 10 10 10
710
44
44
5
55
566 6 6 6
7 7 7 7
7
8 8 8
8 8 8 89
9 9 9
9 9 9
9910 10 10 10
10 10 10 10
Fan stage
Alum nozzle lineAlum storage tankAlum spraying pump
8
Measurement Plan • Ammonia was measured with a
chemiluminescence analyzer (Model 17C, Thermo Scientific), after conversion to nitric oxide.
• A photo-acoustic infrared monitor (Mine Safety Appliances) was collocated with the 17C.
• Fan operation & static pressure were monitored for barn ventilation rate.
• Temperature, humidity, wind speed, and direction.
9
Alum Test Measurement Plan
Table 1. Tests conducted during study. Test Date Description Emission difference
1 9/1-9/10 ESCS 11% 2 9/11-9/20 Alum 29% 3 9/21-9/29 ESCS 12% 4a 9/30-11/4 ESCS + alum, some nozzles were clogged 16% 4b 11/5-12/12 ESCS + alum, nozzles were cleaned on 11/4 16% 4c 12/22-1/20 ESCS + alum, new hens in B2, nozzles cleaned (1/12) 17% 5 1/21-2/9 ESCS + alum (A7, single dose) 33% 6 2/10-2/15 ESCS + alum (A7, 1.5 dose) 23% 7 2/16-3/7 Alum (A7, 1.5 dose) + evening manure scraping* 40% 8 3/8-3/31 Aluminum chloride + evening manure scraping 27%
* ESCS operation was discontinued on March 4, 2006.
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Alum Application NH3 Emissions
The mean untreated NH3 emission rate was 480 g/d-AU (1.35 g/d-hen)The alum and AlCl3 applications reduced NH3 emission by 23%
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
8/25 9/22 10/20 11/17 12/15 1/12 2/9 3/9 4/6
Day in 2005 and 2006
Em
issi
on, g
/d-A
U
*
B1 Emission
B2 Emission
11
Alum Test Results• The highest paired NH3 emission reductions were
observed in Tests 5 (33%) and 7 (40%), which were probably due to the combined effects of well-functioning nozzles, evening manure scraping, and application of the A7 alum.
• Due to the lack of test replication and only one treated barn and one control barn, it is not known which factor contributed the most.
• The emission rate differences between the two barns averaged 32%, and ranged from -10% to 52% between January 21 and March 31.
A newly installed nozzle and lateral tube next to the ESCS system (left, picture was taken on September 8), and a clogged nozzle
(right, picture was taken on November 1)
Alum Application Nozzle
13
Limitations• Application of dry alum was not economically
feasible.• Manure moisture content (%) ranged from the
upper 20s (warm months) to the upper 30s (cold months), thus limiting the amount of liquid alum that could be applied.
• The nozzles were easily clogged by salt accumulation.
• The chemicals were acidic and corrosive.• The major limitation is related to the fact that
manure on 2nd floor is untreated.
14
Costs and Limitations Alum = $0.13/L, AlCl3 = $0.14/L, without
delivery charges. $44 per barn per day. The automatic spray controller cost about
$3000, and the doubled-wall holding tank was $6500.
The labor to maintain the controller, air and water pumps is about 3 hours per week per barn.
15
DDGS and BMPs Tests• To determine effectiveness and potential
of DDGS and best management practices (BMPs) in mitigating NH3 emissions from commercial high-rise layer houses.
• DDGS = fiber-enhanced diet. • The BMPs included the operation of 36
manure drying fans in the manure pit, reduced crude protein in the feed, improved waterline leak management practices, and lower bird density.
16
DDGS+BMPs Measurement Plan
Table 1. Tests conducted during study. Test Date Description
1 8/1-8/6 Reduced bird density¹ 2 8/7-8/27 Stabilizing period¹ 3 8/28-12/10 DDGS + BMPs 4 12/11-1/14 BMPs only, old manure 5 1/15-2/18 Manure removal period¹ 6 2/19-3/17 BMPs only, new manure
¹) Emission rate was not used to calculate effectiveness of tests
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DDGS and BMPs TestsMean Manure MC and pH
5
6
7
8
9
10
0
20
40
60
80
100
8/1 8/29 9/26 10/24 11/21 12/19 1/16 2/13 3/12
pH
MC
, %
Day in 2007 and 2008
H1 MC H2 MC
H1 pH H2 pH
18
DDGS and BMPs TestsFeed Fiber Contents
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
8/1 8/29 9/26 10/24 11/21 12/19 1/16 2/13 3/12
Cru
de fi
ber,
%
Day in 2007 and 2008
H1 Crude Fiber
H2 Crude Fiber
19
DDGS and BMPs: Emissions of H1 (untreated) and H2 (treated)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
7/31 8/21 9/11 10/2 10/23 11/13 12/4 12/25 1/15 2/5 2/26 3/18
Red
uctio
n, %
Emis
sion
, mg/
s
*
Day in 2007 and 2008
House 1 House 2 Reduction
20
DDGS and BMPs Tests• In test 1, reduction = 37%, caused by
Lower bird density. • For BMPs + DDGS, reduction = 72% (n=90
days).• For BMPs only, reduction = 64%, but had
residual manure from previous tests.• After re-bedding, for BMPs only, reduction
= 55%. • Pit fans + leakage management
successfully lowered the manure MC.
21
That’s all. Thanks!
22
DDGS and BMPs: Bird Population and Live Mass
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
100000
150000
200000
7/31 8/21 9/11 10/210/2311/1312/412/251/15 2/5 2/26 3/18
Live
Mas
s, A
U
*
Bird
Num
ber
*
Day in 2007 and 2008
B1 Bird NumberB2 Bird NumberB1 Live MassB2 Live Mass
23
DDGS and BMPs: Emission per Live Mass Values
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
7/31 8/28 9/25 10/23 11/20 12/18 1/15 2/12 3/11 4/8
Emis
sion
, g/d
-AU
*
Day in 2007 and 2008
B1
B2
24
DDGS and BMPs: Emissions of H1 (untreated) and H2 (treated)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
7/31 8/21 9/11 10/2 10/23 11/13 12/4 12/25 1/15 2/5 2/26 3/18
Red
uctio
n, %
Emis
sion
, mg/
s
*
Day in 2007 and 2008
House 1 House 2 Reduction