Measuring Ventilation Rates in Dairy Buildings

Abstract

AbstractKnowledge of ventilation rates in dairy buildings is essential for determining indoorair quality and for estimating green house gases and particle emissions. Two new methods for estimating ventilation rates are introduced for situations where air velocities atventilation inlets and outlets are tedious or impossible to measure. The first method is applicable to buildings whose ventilation can be stopped or closed totally. The second method is useful in naturally ventilated buildings with large openings and high ventilation rates where spatial gas concentrations are heterogeneously distributed. In addition, traditional heat balance, moisture balance, carbon dioxide balance and direct airflow measurements for ventilation estimation are used. Confirmation experiments were performed to evaluate the different methods. Good agreement was found between heat, moisture and carbon dioxide balances. Direct velocity measurement for ventilation rate estimation was found to be impractical for naturally ventilated buildings. The two introduced methods were found to be simple and adaptable for estimating ventilation rates in dairy buildings.Key words:: ventilation ratenatural ventilationdairy buildingsheat balancemoisture balancecarbon dioxide balanceairflow measurements