SOLAR ENERGY UTILIZATION SYSTEM FOR WARMING POULTRY HOUSES

Abstract

This study aims to use solar energy to warm poultry houses instead of traditional energies which have shortage and high cost of using. The prototype was designed and Fabricated at workshop of agriculture engineering research institute (AEnRI) - ARC and the experiments were conducted at Solar Energy Laboratory - Agricultural Engineering Department - Faculty of Agriculture - Ain Shams University. The experiment was carried out during winter 2018 and 2019. The prototype consisted of main frame, Trombe wall (Glass wall, non-ventilation air gap, Mass wall (brick and concrete), Ventilation air gap and Insulation wall), The ventilation control system (Digital Temperature Controller, Solenoid, Moving arm, Fan suction) and Control unit. Experiments were conducted on different two mass wall, thickness of ventilation air gap (4, 5, 6 and 7 cm) and layers of insulation. The results of first mass wall obtained were not sufficient for warming process. Therefore, this trombe wall was modified to the second trombe. The results were max temperature has 44.2 ˚C inside prototype poultry house. The difference temperature between inside and outside prototype has 11.6 ˚C only as the during sun's peak. And this different has 4.3 ˚C at late night and early morning. The main results, it provided heat requirements for poultry at the age of one day for 13hours and 55 minutes of the day by the concrete Trombe. This system was saving 58% of the energy that consumes from the traditional energy. Also, the ten hours in which the temperature drops below 30 °C inside the poultry house, it is compensating by lamp 100-watt that has been programmed to light when the temperature is below 30°C. The maximum temperature drop was 3.7 °C and the optimum temperature for poultry raising (30 ° C). The mean weight of broiler chickens under experimental was higher compared to the standard weight of the breed. There is no mortality of poultry. The percentage of carbon dioxide and ammonia in poultry house air was not exceeding the standard ratio. And the relative humidity was (58:94) %.