Quality Assured Measurements of Animal
Building Emissions: Part 1. Gas
Concentrations
Albert Heber; Ji-Qin Ni; Teng Lim; Pei-Chun Tao
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Amy M. Millmier
University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
Larry Jacobson, Richard Nicolai
University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
Jacek Koziel
Texas A&M University, Amarillo, TX
Steven Hoff
Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Yuanhui Zhang
University of Illinois, Urbana, IL
David Beasley
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
Dr. Ji-Qin Ni
Dr. Teng Lim
Feed
Waste
H2S, NH3
Eggs
“Livestock take a relatively
benign N (and S) in the
feed and convert it to a
susceptible, volatile, and
mobile form of N (and S)”
H. Tyrell 4/29/02
Emission Sources
Storage/Treatment
Housing
Land
Application
Source: Arogo et al. 2001
Emission Point = Exhaust Fan
Inside Exhaust Fans
1996-97 Air Quality Study
South 
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
3,500 data subsets were collected between March and September
Meteorological tower
Heated gas sampling line
Buried conduit
Building 6
(Treatment)
Instrument
trailer
Building 7
(Control)
Building 8
(Treatment)
Instrument
trailer
Building 9
(Control)
Instrument Shelter
Sampling
Manifolds
Gas
analyzers
Full-time
field engineer
PC
Carbon Dioxide Concentrations
CO2 Concentration, ppm
6000
5000
Concentration,
ppm
Pegged!
Treated chimney
Control chimney
4000
3000
2000
1000
Winter
Summer
0
9/13 10/11 11/8 12/6 1/3 1/31 2/28 3/28 4/25 5/23 6/20 7/18 8/15
Day of 1996 and 1997
Photoacoustic infrared
Zero and span
calibration gases
1.0 Lpm internal pump
0 - 5,000 ppm
Model 3600, MSA, Inc.
$2,000
H2S Concentrations
(pulsed fluorescence technique)
1600
Site 3
H2S Concentration, ppb
1400
Treated pit
1200
Control pit
H2S odor threshold
concentration = 1 ppb
1000
800
600
1 to 1,527 ppb
400
200
0
3/1
3/22
4/12
5/3
5/24 6/14 7/5
Day of 1997
7/26
8/16
9/6
9/27
NH3 Concentration, ppm
NH3 Concentrations
(chemiluminescence method)
Treated chimney
30
Control chimney
20
NH3 odor threshold
concentration ~ 5 ppm
10
0
9/13 10/11 11/8 12/6 1/3 1/31 2/28 3/28 4/25 5/23 6/20 7/18 8/15
Day of 1996 and 1997
Sampling Location Group (SLG)
Sampling
manifold
Analyzers
Instrument
trailer
Pit fan
Mixing
manifold
Teflon manifolds
Wall
fans
Problems
 Condensation in gas lines.
 Keep gas temperature 3 C above that of sampled air.
 Air conditioning in trailer caused condensation.
 Sensor failure and drift.
 Lack of sensor maintenance, e.g. psychrometer ran dry.
 Lightning strikes (need UPS systems)
 PC hard drive failed.
 Dust and moisture buildups in gas sampling lines.
 Pigs damaged several sensors and lines.
 Harsh environment for sensors.
Recommendations from 1997 Study
 Develop Quality Assurance Project Plan (needed or not)
 Test, evaluate and fine-tune DAQ before taking to field
 Test field installation and data analysis before collecting
data
 Assure good field site management
 Establish good communication with collaborator
 Keep gas temperature 3 C above that of sampled air.
 Protect integrity of data collection/storage
 Use proper statistical techniques
 Proper sampling frequency/locations
 Sufficient accuracy
 Estimate and propagate all errors
 Use proper averaging methods
Manure Additive Study, 1999
 First QAQCbased
contract
 Web-based
Labview data
monitoring
 Biweekly
calibrations
 39 reactors
Hood failure:
1000’s emails!
PC DAQ
Gas Sampling
System (GSS)
Backup
Analyzers
Calibration
notebooks








Documentation of procedures
Accurate records
Reference gases for CEM.
Reactor ventilation monitoring
Email of alarms to reseachers.
Monitoring of all exhaust hoods in lab
Blank checks.
Pilot Study
Real Time Gas Monitoring
Reactor Number
Hydrogen sulfide
Ammonia
Carbon dioxide
Reactor airflow
Emission Measurement
Methods Study – 2001-2002
 “Air Sampling & Measurement Methodology for
Confined Animal Housing Systems”
 “Improving Measurement of Emissions from
Poultry Houses”
 “Odor Emissions Factors for Caged-Layers”
 “Real-time Dust Concentration Monitor”
 CL Method: Spatial
 9 exhaust locations
 1 inlet location
 2 cage location
 10 min sampling period
 CL Method: Temporal
 1 exhaust location
 Continuous monitoring
 Photoacoustric IR
 Electrochemical sensors
Six months of gas sampling












Analyzer comparisons
Bypass pumping tests
Sampling period 5-10 min
Labview DAQ &
Computer Boards
First test of TEOM
Ammonia 15 to 150 ppm
QAQC-based contract
Wireless ISP
Web publishing of data
Lightning arrestor for IS
Microwave oven
Small vane anemometers
Monitoring Plan at Laying House
Ammonia emission = k x 186 m3/s x (25.3 – 1.6) = 11,267 g/d
APECAB Study
Aerial: Air quality new EPA initiative for ag.
Pollutant: Volatile forms of N, S, odor.
Emissions: Outward mass flows from barns.
from
Confined: Efficient method of raising animals.
Animals: Swine is the focus in this study
Buildings: Mechanically-ventilated rooms only.
Measurement Sites: APECAB study
All sites
described
in paper
Swine
Poultry
To instrument
shelter
Thermocouple
Air sampling
Anemometer (SVA)
RH/Temp probe
Static pressure port
Met
tower
Barn A
(not shown)
1
Mixing manifold
Pit
Cross-sectional view
Instrument
shelter
E47
Cages
Barn B
E67
Exhaust air locations
2
6
Air inlet group
Animal exposure group
5
Floor plan (186 m x 30 m)
Exhaust air locations
4
3
Fan number
W1
N
W20
Instrument shelter
Side view
Hall
Attic
Cages
Pit
Hall
Barns Barn 13
1-12
Hall
Barn 14
Barn 15
Feed
bins
N
Lab
Service road
Barn 16
Control of Aerial Pollutant Emissions from
Swine Housing (CAPESH)
Test soybean oil sprinkling
Test the “Biocurtain”
Lagoon
Tunnel-ventilated
finishing houses
with flushing
Mobile Instrument Shelters
CAPESH
study
APECAB
study
Met tower
Relative humidity/temperature probe
TEOM sampler for PM10
Air sampling
Anemometer (SVA)
Static pressure port
*
Temperature sensor
Odor sampling location
Barn 7
Barn 8
*
*
End view
Trailer
End view
Summer air inlets
Fan #
5
Barn 7
3
*
Floor plan (61 m x 13.2 m)
1
2
4
S
Background air sampling
Instrument trailer
*
Attic
Pens
Diffusers
Side View
Shallow pit with recycle flush
**
1-5
Exhaust air
sampling
Bypass pumping circuit
P: pump
S: solenoid
M: manifold
F: filter
9.5 mm OD,
6.4 mm ID Teflon
M1
Exhaust
7.9 mm OD, 4.8 mm ID vinyl
P1
Sampling
probes,
10-115 m
long
6.4 mm OD
3.2 mm ID vinyl
22.2 mm OD
15.9 mm ID
vinyl
F
S1
Pressure
sensor
Analyzers
Bag fill
port
M3
F
M2
F
CO2
f
9.5 mm OD,
6.4 mm ID Teflon
M4
D
C S14 S12
Flow
restrictors
P2
B
S13
Note: S1-S6: NO, S7-S12: NC
A
3.2 mm OD, 1.6 mm ID Teflon
Air valve
Leak test circuit
CH4/VOC
1
Exhaust
6-solenoid
manifold
Bubbler
6-port
diluter
Rotameter (5 L/min)
1
P4
Jar
P3
H2S
Mass
flow meter
p
NH3
Pressure gage
Calibration gas
circuit
Cal gases
C6H14/CH4
SO2
H2S
NH3
NO
CO2
Zero air
3-way solenoid
Bypass
manifold M1
Bag fill port
Sampling
manifold M2
M4
Bypass pump
P1
Analyzer sampling
manifold M3
Sampling pump
P2
¼” i.d.
3/8” o.d.
Teflon
Sampled air
from sampling
location group (SLG)
3-way solenoid
Flow restrictor
Mass flow meter
0-10 L/min
Sample airflow & manifold pressure
Figure 1. Sample airflow and manifold pressure before and after maintenance.
10
6
Pressure, 1000 x Pa
5
6
4
2
0
Sampling
probe
Maintenance
and calibration
activity
Evidence
of leak
4
2
3
Leak fixed
-2
3
-4
-6
2
1
1
-8
2
3
1
Pressure
Probe unplugged
Plugged probe
-10
0
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Time of Day, h (Oct. 28, 2002)
1: Ambient, 2: Barn A, 3: Barn B
22
0
Sample Airflow, L/min
Flow
8
On-Line Data Inspection
Flushing peak
Barn B
Ambient
Barn A
The Measurement System
Sample system
Sample acquisition
Sample transport
Sample conditioning
Protection of analyzers from sampled
gas
Gas analyzer: senses and
generates output
Data recorder
NH3 analyzer
Pump
Filter
Catalytic
converter
Solenoid
RC PMT
A
Capillary
Scrubber
Internal gas sampling system
Detector
0.6 L/min
Calibration at A accounts for
converter inefficiency and
losses in scrubber, solenoid,
capillary, filter and tubing
along with detector
sensitivity.
Calibration at D accounts for additional error introduced by
the long sampling probes and is the most desirable location
to introduce calibration gas but is sometimes too impractical.
External gas sampling system
NH3 analyzer
Pump
Manifold
10-123 m
Teflon tube
D
Manifold
Filter
C
Solenoid
Pump
p
B
Solenoid
RC PMT
Restrictor
f
Filter
Catalytic
converter
Mass
flow
meter
Pressure
sensor
4.0 L/min
Calibration at B or C
accounts for additional error
introduced by the external
gas sampling system.
A
Capillary
Scrubber
Internal gas sampling system
Detector
0.6 L/min
Calibration at A accounts for
converter inefficiency and
losses in scrubber, solenoid,
capillary, filter and tubing
along with detector
sensitivity.
Gas Analyzer Calibration
Remote Calibration of Gas Analyzers at Point D in Barn A
5000
40 ppm
NH 3, Concentration, ppm
40
35
4000 ppm
4000
NH3
30
CO2
20
Zero air
2500
H2S
2000
15
1500
10
1000
5
0
21:00
3500
3000
2500 ppb
25
4500
500
21:10
21:20
21:30
Tim e of Day
21:40
0
21:50
H 2S, ppb; CO 2, ppm
45
Raw CO2 Concentrations
CAPESH Site, 11/8/02
CO2 concentration
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Time of day, h
16
18
20
22
0
CO2 Concentrations by Location
CAPESH Site, 11/8/02
4000
November 8, 2002
CAPESH Site
CO2 Concentration, ppm
3500
Barn A
3000
Barn B
2500
2000
1500
60
1000
500
Amb
20
0
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Time of Day, h (Nov. 8, 2002)
18
20
22
0
H2S Concentrations by Location
CAPESH Site, 11/8/02
H2S Concentration, ppb
1800
1600
1400
Flushing
events
Barn A
1200
Barn B
1000
800
600
400
200
0
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
Time of Day, h (Nov. 8, 2002)
20
22
0
NH3 Concentrations by Location
CAPESH Site, 11/8/02
NH3 Concentration, ppm
25
Barn B
20
November 8, 2002
CAPESH Site
15
10
Sampling
cycle
Barn A
5
Ambient
0
0
2
4
6
8 10 12 14 16 18
Time of Day, h (Nov. 8, 2002)
20 22
0
Ambient NH3 Concentrations
CAPESH Site, 11/8/02
4
NH3 Concentration, ppm
Sampling location: 1: ambient, 2: barn A, 3: barn B
3
2
1
Ambient NH3
0
0
2
4
6
8
10 12 14 16 18
Time of Day, h (Nov. 8, 2002)
20
22
0
Methane Concentrations
CH4 Concentration, ppm
75
Flushing
events
Barn A
50
25
Ambient
Barn B
0
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
Time of Day, h (Nov. 8, 2002)
20
22
0
VOC Concentrations by Location
CAPESH Site, 11/8/02
VOC Concentration, ppb
125
100
75
Automatic
calibration
(2.03 ppm)
50
Unexplained peak
Barn B
Barn A
25
0
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
Time of Day, h (Nov. 8, 2002)
20
22
0
Recent Advances to Emission
Measurements at Livestock Buildings
New gas sampling system with
mass flow sensor and manifold
pressure sensor
Complete QAPP documents
Remote multipoint calibrations
Introduction of cal gas into probe
Non-methane VOC measurements
Common protocol among
universities
Albert J. Heber
Professor
AgAirQuality.com
Building Environment
Research & Education
Agricultural and Biological
Engineering
Purdue University
Thank you!
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