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Industry Partners
Prairie Swine Centre is an affiliate of the University of Saskatchewan
Prairie Swine Centre is grateful for the assistance of the George Morris Centre in developing the economics portion of Pork Insight.
Financial support for the Enterprise Model Project and Pork Insight has been provided by:
Effects of filtration, vacuum cleaning and washing in pighouses on aerosol levels and pig performance
Posted in: Air Filtration, Pork Insight Articles by admin on March 9, 1992 | No Comments
In order to reduce human and pig exposure to aerosols in pig housing units three techniques have been developed and tested. The techniques are: Filtration and recirculation of air in weaner rooms, weekly vacuum cleaning in a finishing house and weekly washing with water of weaned piglets. All the experiments were carried out on 70-92 pigs. The air filtration study was replicated seven times, the vacuum study was replicated two times and the washing study was replicated six times. In the air filtration study gravimetrical dried aerosol concentrations was reduced 40%. Although this did not result in significant changes to feed intake or daily gain for the pigs during the weaning stage. The vacuum study was able to improve reduction of aerosol particles by 10% after four days. Although no impact was made on feed intake or daily gain. But, pigs in a room that was not vacuumed had more veterinary treatments for respiratory health disorders. For the washing study aerosol particles were reduced 10%, and on the day of washing it was reduced 25%. Again there were no significant improvements to pig performance. The researchers conclude by saying that the costs of implementing these aerosol concentration reduction techniques do not compensate for the pig performance improvements that they yield.
Fast, Automated Testing of Different Air Filter Media
Posted in: Air Filtration, Pork Insight Articles by admin on January 29, 1992 | No Comments
Air filters are used for many different purposes in many different fields. Two different air filter categories are high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters which are used in clean room technology, and the other category, gas cleaning filters are used in emissions control and also in vacuum cleaners. HEPA filters usually are able to contain 99.97% of all particles over 0.1 µm in diameter. Gas filters accuracy varies between 0-100% efficiency with particles sizes between 0.3 µm and 100 µm. The fractional penetration measurement and the measurement of the pressure drop is key for describing the characterization and quality control for both filters. To test this a procedure was developed and two test rigs were built. By simultaneously measuring the fractional penetration and the pressure drop, loading studies can be done in a few mlnutes. Face velocity, upstream concentration, test dust material, filter material and electrostatic charge of the particles and fitter fibres can show influence under varying conditions. The study goes on to discuss the time and size dependent penetration and pressure drop of electret fibre, glass fibre, and paper media.
Testing Air-Filtering Systems I. Procedure for Testing High-Efficiency Air Filters on Exhaust Systems
Posted in: Air Filtration, Pork Insight Articles by admin on March 22, 1963 | No Comments
Researchers at the National Animal Disease Laboratory have developed a procedure for evaluating high-efficiency filters mounted in exhaust ducts. To test the filters, the aerosol organisms Escherichia coli B T3 bacteriophage, was generated in a chamber attached to to a ceiling exhaust register in concentration of at least 1000 organisms per three feet of air. Samples were collected from the pre- and post-filter areas, and the number of organisms per three feet was determined. The efficiency of the filter was calculated from the 269 filters tested. Of the 269, 249 had efficiencies of 98% or better. The remaining 20 were repaired and retested. No filter was accepted with an efficiency below 98%.