Evaluation of shaker dust collector for use in a swine farrowing barn

Recommended Citation Sawvel, Russell. "Evaluation of shaker dust collector for use in a swine farrowing barn. ii To my beloved late Mother. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my father Earl Sawvel and Sue Nordstrom for their support, guidance, and encouragement throughout this endeavor. I would also like to thank Tom Peters for being a world class advisor and Renée Anthony for being a worldly co-advisor. Their teamed leadership and demand for excellence kept my interest level strong. I am very thankful to the Occupational and Environmental Health department faculty and staff, my lab group, and fellow students. Outstanding individuals include: Jae Hong Park for his infinite wisdom; Ralph Altmaier for providing top notch laboratory support; Elanie Girlando and Deirdre Green for being wonderful classmates; Matt Nonnenmann for being a committee member; and Marty Jones for being a mentor. Thank you for making The University of Iowa a special place to be. iv ABSTRACT A shaker dust collector was evaluated to 1. determine filter capacity in terms of mass loading, pressure drop, airflow, and runtime; 2. determine particle collection efficiency by size prior to and following repeated loadings. A shaker dust collector was setup in the laboratory to take in contaminated air, collect dust, and exhaust treated air. For each loading test, Arizona road dust (~1 to 200 µm) was introduced into the airstream entering the dust collector at an emission rate and duration to simulate 3-months in a swine barn in winter. Filter pressure drop and exhaust velocity pressure were measured throughout loading. Filter collection efficiency was tested using polydisperse solid glass microspheres (~1 to 10 µm) and measured with an aerodynamic particle sizer at the startup and end of loadings. Cleaning cycles were run between loading tests. Overall efficiency was 44% for new filter, and ranged from 27% for 1-µm particles, increasing to 96% for 10-µm particles. Collection efficiency for loaded filter was 99% overall, and 99% over the range of 1 to 10-µm particles. Following cleaning, overall efficiency was 91%, and 91% for 1-µm particles, increasing to 99% for 10-µm particles. Exhaust airflow decreased linearly with pressure drop (R 2 =0.99) for all three loading tests. At startup, system airflows were approximately 1,700 m 3 hr-1 and at shutdown, system airflows were approximately 1,200 m 3 hr-1. Significant recovery of filter pressure drop was observed following primary cleanings (p<0.001). The shaker dust collector has adequate capacity …