Analysis of the air exchange in livestock building through the computational fluid dynamics

Abstract

Increasing consumption of meat and meat products worldwide is closely linked to improving the living environment for livestock. According to zoo experts, the appropriate microclimate in buildings leads to improved metabolic processes in their cultivation and contributes to their rapid weight gain. The issue of raising new-borns and young animals is especially relevant. Achieving optimal parameters of the microclimate in the premises, together with the necessary veterinary care for new-borns reduces stress and mortality in them. The above requires the implementation of new and modern engineering solutions in the design and construction of livestock buildings. The use of numerical simulations, through CFD programs for modelling and solving engineering problems, as well as the creation of adequate mathematical models, is a prerequisite for reducing the time and resources to solve a problem. Based on the accumulated experience of the authors on the microclimate in livestock farms in this publication, a numerical simulation of air exchange in a livestock building for breeding sows with young piglets is presented. The physical model, research and analysis are realized in the middle of Ansys Fluent. Two models of air exchange organization in the livestock building are proposed. The obtained data on the temperature and speed fields in the building will lead to an improvement of the microclimate in the considered site. In addition, they could serve as a basis for conducting the next series of computer simulations. The built models can be adapted for other building constructions for breeding other types of animals. The analysis of the data and a more in-depth examination of the factors related to animal husbandry could help to increase pork yields on livestock farms