Poultry house heating

Hot water heating systems are used when gas supply is unavailable and it is economically not viable to use gas due to existing cheap solid fuel or alternative heaters. In this case, the source of heat is a solid fuel boiler house (burning wood, straw, pellets, etc.), or heat generated by a biogas unit. Heat carrier in such systems is hot water, which energy must be transferred and distributed in the poultry house as efficiently as possible.

The use of horizontal or vertical fan heaters is the most effective: the ability to quickly warm up the room, ensure even temperature distribution, eliminate excess moisture and combine heating and ventilation systems.

A fan heater works to warm up the air that passes through a heat exchanger with the energy carrier coming from a boiler house or heat point.

A fan generates air flow which hits the area with the birds. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure low air motion in the area around the birds and protection from cold air coming through fresh air valves or hoods. Equally important is to protect the equipment itself from ammonia vapours, dust and fluff and high humidity. Fan heaters must work flawlessly for 40-60 days of the technological cycle, and then within a short period of time it is necessary to conduct cleaning, disinfection and preparation of the equipment for the next cycle.

Considering these requirements, our specialists have developed two types of fan heaters – vertical and horizontal. The choice of the model depends on the mounting method – on the wall or ceiling.

RMX ACO horizontal fan heaters for poultry houses

These models are installed under fresh air valves, along the outer walls of the building. They are characterised with high range of warm air flow. The air flows around the poultry house along the walls, thereby preventing cold air from reaching the birds.

Fresh air, when entering the poultry house, mixes with the already warm heat flow and enters the area with the birds.

Due to increased air consumption by fan heaters, there are no temperature stratification and stagnant zones.

This ensures uniform temperature throughout the poultry house, maintains the necessary humidity and overall air quality, which creates an optimal environment for bird growth.

An axial fan by the leading European manufacturer ZIEHL-ABEGG (Germany) is specially designed for poultry houses.

Special features:

• Long service life in aggressive environment and at high temperatures;
• Low power consumption;
• Low noise  level;
• Exceptional reliability of the fan

RMX ACV vertical fan heaters for poultry houses

Vertical fan heaters are installed along the central axis of the building at even intervals from each other. The entire heat flow is distributed horizontally. This creates a uniform thermal field inside the poultry house.

The heat flow range is regulated by air valves. This creates dense air flows over birds, thus protecting them from cold air coming from fresh air valves. At the same time, the air flow velocity in the area with the birds does not exceed 0.2 m/s. A winch is used to adjust the mounting height, depending on the size of the bird.

Vertical fan heaters can effectively save energy as they are located at the top of the poultry house. In this area, the air is the warmest, and less energy is needed to heat it to the required temperature.

The air is heated in a heat exchanger and distributed through a multi-cone diffuser. The outgoing warm air creates a “warm pillow” over the birds and prevents drafts. In this way, it creates the effect of a “brooder hen".

Design features of a vertical fan heater

It almost completely repeats the design of its horizontal counterparts: heat exchanger, fan and enclosure. They are the same for the horizontal models.

A distinctive feature is a 6-sided diffuser.

This part is specially designed to distribute air evenly throughout the poultry house. Heat jet range in each direction is 15 meters. Thus, one fan heater can heat a part of the facility with an area of up to 700m2.

The diffuser is equipped with adjustable air valves. They help to adjust the heat jet range. Each valve is regulated separately, which enables to generate and distribute air flows depending on the room design and specifics of technological processes.

Due to distribution of warm air over chicken heads and the litter, the heating system is very efficient for broiler and turkey breeding.

Unlike conventional fan heaters with horizontal air distribution, a fan heater with a diffuser solves the problem of wet litter and, as a result, poultry leg diseases. The diffuser distributes warm air directly above the floor, which causes immediate drying of the litter.

Mounting system for air heaters

As the birds grow, technological processes, cleaning and washing of equipment, mounting height of fan heaters shall constantly be adjusted. To enable adjustment of the height, a special mount has been designed. It is a system of steel cables and blocks. The height can be adjusted using a winch. The winch can be either manual or electric.

Cleaning and maintenance

Upon completion of a technological cycle, the equipment (like the poultry house itself) requires cleaning and disinfection. The fan heater is designed to make the process of cleaning and washing as easy as possible. Metal latches allow to easily detach the enclosure from the heat exchanger. The result is convenient washing of the heat exchanger and its enclosure using a high pressure cleaner.

There are two types of fuel combustion in these units which results in different methods of use and conditions created:

1. Heat generators with an open combustion chamber;
2. Heat generators with a closed combustion chamber.

In heaters, the energy carrier burns inside the heat generator and is forced into the room together with the heated air.

The use of gas cannons for poultry houses

Air heaters are installed at the longitudinal walls of the poultry house, below the fresh air valves level. The heated air exits the air heater and forms a circular flow of warm air. This flow shields the birds from the cold air entering through fresh air valves. By mixing and heating the outside air, the air heater creates an optimal microclimate for bird growth in the poultry house.

Advantages of gas air heaters Solveno RGAX

1. Due to balanced configuration, the combustion process takes place as efficiently as possible with a high degree of fuel combustion. Thus, a barrier plate is not required and all the heat gets into the room, and is not used to heat the metal surfaces.
2. The enclosure is made of stainless steel AISI 304, which is the most durable and resistant to aggressive environment in the poultry house.
3. The gas burner is made of heat-resistant stainless steel AISI 310, to protect against burnout and thermal destruction.
4. Automation panel with IP65 degree of protection provides complete protection against moisture and dust.
5. The gas valve is protected by a sealed enclosure made of IP65 stainless steel;
6. Axial fan by ZIEHL-ABEGG (Germany) ensures high reliability and low noise level;
7. The service hatch ensures easy access to all elements of the combustion group;
8. The air heater is equipped with an additional fan rundown after the gas burner is turned off. This allows the residual heat to be removed from the heat exchanger and provides an accelerating jet for destratifying heat in the room;
9. In case of sudden gas shutdowns, the automation switches the air heater into standby mode; when gas supply is resumed, it automatically switches the air heater on without intervention of the service personnel;
10. The air heater can be washed using a high pressure cleaner with either water or chemical cleaning agents. It is possible to pair the air heater with a central computer.
11. The possibility to connect an external thermostat
12. Electronic pressure switch monitors fan operation
13. Visual diagnostics of all operating modes using the control unit
14. Displaying error codes on the control unit in case of malfunction
15. All automation parts are easily replaceable in case of maintenance
16. Various types of protection are ensured:

• protection against  phase and neutral  voltage drop
• protection against  interference with the power system
• protection against overheating of the combustion chamber
• shutdown of the air heater in case of gas pressure drop in the gas pipeline
• Siemens control unit monitors the ignition and combustion process
• automatic triple restart in case of ignition failures.

SPECIFICATIONS

In these devices, the flue gases are separated from the heated air. The burner is located in a sealed combustion chamber. When combusting, flue gases move through the heat exchanger, heat it up, and then are forced outside through a flue-gas fan.

The heated air passes through a plate or tubular heat exchanger, heats up to the required temperature and is forced into the area with the birds.

In this case, the combustion products do not get into the area with the birds.

With infrared heaters, a radiating body (radiant tube) heats objects (floor, animals, walls, indoor equipment). The heated surfaces, in turn, transmit the received heat into the air, functioning as low-power radiators with large surfaces.

If we compare IF and air heating systems, their main advantage would be difference in operating costs.

With air heating, hot air, which is lighter than cold air, rises and collects under the ceiling of the poultry house. As a result, the upper zone is overheated, hence greater heat loss through the roof and higher gas consumption.

With infrared heaters, the air temperature around the birds is higher than in the upper part of the poultry house, which reduces the heat loss of the building.

Difference in ceiling temperature when heating a poultry house with infrared heaters and gas cannons

Heating with infrared radiation allows creating comfortable environment for poultry at lower air temperatures. This is due to the fact that in order to create similar comfortable environment with radiant heating, the air temperature must be 2°C lower than in case of air heating. Reducing the air temperature inside the room ensures lower heat and gas consumption.

Comparison of infrared and air heating

Infrared heating systems for poultry houses ensure:

• Optimal comfortable temperature for each type, species of bird or animal in accordance with technological specifications and a given schedule.
• Improved hygiene conditions. Do not create drafts, unlike any other heating systems.
• The bird and the floor are heated directly, and not the room as a whole, as with conventional convection heating systems whereby a significant volume of warm (hot) air is concentrated under the roof.
• Birds mortality rate is reduced by up to 50%.
• Coverage of the entire floor surface during heating.
• The heating time is much shorter than with heat generators and other systems, which also significantly reduces mortality rate of young birds.
• Keeping poultry and animal floors dry. The moisture emanating from the excrement evaporates, the floor remains properly bedded and heated to the required temperature, which contributes to proper rest of birds and animals.
• With infrared heating systems, direct rays reach the birds directly, which ensures the best conditions for their optimal development and digestion.

1. Ceramic heaters. (Light radiant heaters)

Heating is ensured due to direct infrared radiation from a ceramic surface on which the gas is burning.

How it works:

This type of equipment is placed directly in the area with the birds.

It consists of a metal enclosure inside of which there is a ceramic panel with numerous very small holes. Gas and the ambient air, in the amount required for combustion, enter inside the heater. The gas-air mixture slowly goes through the small holes of the ceramic panel, where it is ignited by an electronic ignition device.

The flame is evenly distributed over the entire surface of the ceramic panel. This flame radiates infrared rays which are directed downward by a reflector. The combustion products remain indoors. The air required for combustion is dawn from the premises.

2. Infrared radiant heaters with burners. (Dark radiant heaters)

This type of equipment is a radiant tube with a gas burner at one end and a flue-gas fan at the other. The gas enters the burner block, where it mixes with the supplied air. The resulting gas-air mixture ignites and, due to the vacuum created by the flue-gas fan, is drawn through the radiating tube. As a result, the tube heats up to 490°C and emits heat in the infrared spectrum. The radiant tube can be “U"-shaped or straight.

How it works:

Radiant tube can be “U"-shaped or straight:

3. Infra BAF Des radiant tubes without exhaust of combustion products and with a destratifier

Radiators of this type combine the advantages of both infrared and air heating. The Infra BAF Des radiant tube is a heating device, which in its essence is something between a gas cannon and a radiant tube. This design combines the advantages of two types of heating – infrared and air

Heater configuration:

A gas burner is installed at the beginning of the radiant tube. An axial fan, which is also a destratifier, supplies the air for combustion. Flue gases passing through the radiant tube are not emitted outside, but remain in the room. This ensures high efficiency whereas the concentration of flue gases does not exceed the permissible levels.

The axial fan, in addition to supplying air for combustion, simultaneously blows over the radiant tube removing additional convection heat from it.

The direction of warm air from the axial fan can be changed to blow either at the walls of the poultry house or the litter.

Infra BAF Des for poultry houses:

Advantages of Infra BAF Des infrared heaters for poultry farms:

• 30% zmniejszenie zużycia gazu
• Zmniejszenie wilgotności względnej powietrza w pomieszczeniu
• Zmniejszenie wahań temperatury w każdym sektorze fermy drobiu
• Zmniejszenie śmiertelności zwierząt hodowlanych
• Zmniejszenie zużycia środków medycznych
• Redukcja chorób układu oddechowego u zwierząt
• Możliwość ogrzewania tylko wybranych stref, w zależności od cyklu produkcyjnego, bez modyfikacji całego sprzętu