Objective
The demonstration of an innovative absorber Coppersun, combined with the BARRA thermosyphon air panel system for the ventilation of pig sties. This project will demonstrate viability of this innovative solar energy technology in an agricultural environment. Expected energy savings are 13 TOE/yr and payback 12 years which can be reduced to 5 or 6 years upon future project replication.
Initial results are encouraging. Final results will be available in 1987. Apart from minor design changes, the panels have withstood the corrosive environment found in pigsties. Final report in preparation.
The BARRA system combines an insulated wall with a transparent cover; between wall and cover an absorber is suspended. As this is warmed up by solar radiation, the air on both sides increases in temperature and rises thereby creating a draft; the air speed on either side of the absorber is controlled by the size of the gaps on either side of the absorber and the characteristics of the absorber itself.
The hot air form the collectors is distributed to the rooms through ducts in the ceiling slabs in order to store part of the energy in the ceiling mass itself which in the winter nights acts as a warm radiator all over the animals in the sties.
The BARRA system and the component COPPERSUN are being demonstrated in other projects but this is the first time where they are brought together and used on agricultural buildings.
On a building of 9,000 m3, the south facing wall accommodates the BARRA panel (solar chimneys).
In the winter the hot air from the collectors is ducted directly into the pigsty and exhausted at the rear i.e. north-side. In the summer, air in the pigsty will be drawn into the solar chimney before being vented to the atmosphere. By a careful arrangement of summer and winter inlet and outlet ports, the convection draft, 0.5 m/s in the chimney will lead to increased air exchange rate up to 9 acrh-1 thereby allowing the number of pigs kept in the sty, to be increased.
Panels of a slightly different design have also been installed on the east and west facing roofs of a second pigsty.
In both cases the investment for larger pigsties is unnecessary and savings are obtained. Following computer simulations an optimum temperature of 16 deg. C. should be maintained.
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
DEM - Demonstration contractsCoordinator
00139 Roma
Italy