Utilizing the power of CFD science to monitor and manage air flow within farms so as to optimize output

• Grant number: 17/15422-9
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Duration: August 01, 2018 - September 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agricultural Engineering - Rural Buildings and Ambience
• Principal Investigator: Marcílio José Caetano
• Grantee: Marcílio José Caetano
• Host Company: TauFlow Engenharia
• CNAE: Criação de suínos ; Criação de aves ; Serviços de engenharia
• City: Campinas
• Pesquisadores principais: Diener Volpin Ribeiro Fontoura
• Associated researchers: Muriel Fabricio dos Santos
• Associated research grant: 16/08252-7 - Feasibility study of the integration technology thermal control with fluid dynamics term analysis to increase productivity in breeding animals, AP.PIPE
• Associated grant(s): 18/22347-6 - Utilizing the power of CFD science to monitor and manage air flow within farms so as to optimize output, AP.PIPE
• Associated scholarship(s): 18/15927-6 - Utilizing the power of CFD science to monitor and manage air flow within farms so as to optimize output, BP.TT; 18/11376-5 - Utilizing the power of CFD science to monitor and manage air flow within farms so as to optimize output, BP.PIPE

Abstract

Referring to large-scale production animals, poultry and pigs are the ones that most commonly use the technology to control the environment, to improve the thermal comfort of these animals, where air flow is the primary cause of the heat loss of animals, gas dispersion and dust, and consequent optimization of the zootechnical performance of them. One of the main challenges concerning an animal facility is to maintain the entire environment with homogeneous temperature distribution and its variables, providing a uniform condition to all animals housed. Tau Flow started the project in Phase 1 with the objective of using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) to improve the efficiency of thermal control of the environment. Applying Computational Numerical Simulation becomes possible analyzed the best layout for the air conditioning systems and thus improve the efficiency of air circulation in the environment, which would create a more efficient thermal control. Additionally, with the objective of using the CFD to improve the performance of these environments, along Pipe 1 was analyzed the development of an application capable to manage the data generated by the monitoring system created to collect the data of the breeder. From the results achieved in Phase 1, Tau Flow proposes in Phase 2 to execute the development of a project divided on 3 parts, which are: CFD simulation of breeding sites, Data management application and Monitoring system composed by sensors and date Logger. As a result of this product, was design a complete and efficient solution for the final customer, once we will go through the CFD simulation to generate efficiency to the breeder, allowing a better use of resources by the producer, where there will be a monitoring service through sensors capable of transmitting data to an application that the farmer can use to effectively manage his business. For the development of this solution, this proposal will go along Pipe 2, simulate pre-defined breeding sites, develop the application with the necessary information and develop the sensors, which would initially be acquired in the market, but due to the cost and technical layout found, the best alternative demonstrated was to develop the sensors with a pre-defined partner. The expected impact of the solution developed is to provide the customer a robust solution capable to assist the breeder to have a better performance, with a simple tool, very efficient and low cost. (AU)