Dynamic model for predicting dust-borne odour concentrations in ventilatedanimal housing

The behavior of the interaction among odour, airborne dust, and dust-borne odour in a ventilated enclosure was studied from a dynamic point of view. V arious parameters are of interest including the odour emission from stored manure, the role of ventilation as a removal mechanism, and the behavior of the ambient airborne dust present in the animal housing. Gas-phase (odour) , airborne dust-phase, and adsorbed-phase (dust-borne odour) were included in the model to reflect the dynamic and time-dependent scheme such as odour degradation, adsorption of odour to the existing airborne dust, ventilatio n, and surface deposition. The derived dynamic equations are sufficiently g eneral to take into account the simultaneous removal effects of turbulent d iffusive deposition, gravitational sedimentation, and airflow within a vent ilated enclosure. A sensitivity analysis for evaluating the parameters such as ventilation rate, dust particle size, and ambient aerosol profile is al so presented. The model can be used in the future to evaluate the dust-born e odour exposure as a function of environmental and other parameters such a s aerosol profile, ventilation rate, and enclosure dimension. (C) 2000 Else vier Science Inc. All rights reserved.