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

• Grant number: 18/22347-6
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Duration: June 01, 2019 - February 28, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agricultural Engineering - Rural Buildings and Ambience
• Convênio/Acordo: FINEP - PIPE/PAPPE Grant
• 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: 17/15422-9 - Utilizing the power of CFD science to monitor and manage air flow within farms so as to optimize output, AP.PIPE

Abstract

Among the production animals, poultry and pigs are the ones that use the most technology to control the environment, in order to improve their thermal comfort, having the air flow as the main responsible for the loss of heat, gas and dust removal, and consequent optimization of the zootechnical performance of these animals. One of the main challenges within an animal facility is to maintain the entire environment with homogeneous temperature distribution and any variables, providing the same condition to all animals housed there.Tau Flow started the project on Pipe 1 with the purpose of using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) to improve the efficiency of the thermal control of the environment. Through Computational Numerical Simulation it would be analyzed the best layout for the installation of air conditioning systems and thus improve the efficiency of the air circulation inside the installation, which would generate a more precise thermal control. Together with the objective of using CFD to improve the performance of these environments, it was analyzed along the Pipe 1 the development of an application capable of managing the data that would be generated by the monitoring system created to collect the data of the breeder.With the results achieved in Phase 1, Tau Flow proposed in Pipe 2 to execute the development of the project that is segmented into 3 parts, which are: CFD simulation of breeding sites, Data management application and Monitoring system comprised of sensors and date logger.With this product, we have an efficient solution for the final customer, because we will use the CFD simulation to generate efficiency to the breeder, thus allowing better allocation of resources by the producer, where there will be a monitoring service through sensors capable of sending the data to a application that the producer can use to effectively manage their installations.For the development of this solution, during Pipe 2, pre-defined breeding simulations, application development with the necessary information and sensors, in which they would initially be acquired in the market, are being carried out, but due to the cost and technical arrangement found , the best alternative demonstrated was to develop the sensors with the defined partner.The expected impact of the solution developed is to provide the customer with a robust solution capable of assisting in the performance of the animal facility in an easy, practical, efficient and affordable way.For phase 3, what we are proposing is to develop an improvement of the solution with regard to the activation of the air conditioning system through the application, thus increasing the quality of the product with respect to resources to the user. It is also being proposed to improve product design to facilitate the use and reduce production costs and develop the production plan. In addition, certification will be carried out at Inmetro and homologated with Anatel, which will allow the commercialization of the solution, according to specific standards for the product. There will also be a strategic marketing development regarding the presentation of the product to the market. (AU)