Field Tests of a Particulate Impaction Curtain on Emissions from a High-Rise Layer Barn

Particulate matter (PM) emission rates from two high-rise layer barns (barns 1 and 2) were measured from 1 August 2004 to 31 January 2005. A commercial particulate impaction curtain (PIC) was installed parallel to the first floor sidewalls and upstream of the exhaust fans of barn 2 for PM reduction by impaction. Tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) monitors were used to measure PM10 (PM <10 µm) concentrations of barn 1 exhaust air and before and after the PIC in barn 2. Concentrations of total suspended particulate (TSP) were monitored at each location two to three times per week with a gravimetric sampler. Prior to the six-month full-scale test, a preliminary test of the PIC was conducted at a single continuous sidewall fan of barn 2 for 10 d. Results of the preliminary test indicated that the PIC reduced PM10 emission by 33% to 49% and TSP emission by 62% to 72%. In the full-scale test, average untreated daily mean PM10 emissions were 30 ±13 and 35 ±33 mg d-1 hen-1 (mean ±standard deviation) from barns 1 and 2, respectively. The mean treated PM10 emission rate was 22 ±23 mg d-1 hen-1 and was decreased by 41% based on measurements before and after the PIC. However, some dilution occurred due to backflow through non-operating fans. The TSP emission rate of barn 2 was 27 ±23 g d-1 AU-1, 39% lower than barn 1, which was 44 ±29 g d-1 AU-1. However, some important practical issues currently hinder the use of PIC in high-rise layer barns.