{"id":9478,"date":"2024-10-30T08:00:40","date_gmt":"2024-10-30T13:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/informatech.energir.com\/?p=9478"},"modified":"2024-10-30T08:49:58","modified_gmt":"2024-10-30T13:49:58","slug":"echangeurs-de-chaleur-de-lefficacite-dans-lair-pour-les-eleveurs-quebecois","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/informatech.energir.com\/?p=9478&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Heat exchangers: Efficiency in the air for Quebec livestock producers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Ever heard of heat exchangers or heat recovery ventilators (HRVs) for livestock buildings? Still seldom used in Quebec, this innovative technology offers many economic and ecological benefits, in addition to promoting animal welfare and therefore productivity. In this article, we look at how and why this solution could be a game changer for Quebec’s poultry and pork producers.<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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The traditional approach<\/h3>\n

In cold weather, livestock buildings are heated to 25°C to 28°C to ensure animal comfort. But to maintain a healthy environment, indoor air must be regularly renewed by removing moisture, CO2<\/sub> and ammonia. To do this, the traditional approach is to open a louvre and ventilate cold air from the outside directly into the building, then expel the stale warm air outside. This process is extremely expensive, since it requires a great deal of energy to heat the outdoor air to the right temperature. Energy loss associated with extracting indoor air can account for up to 85% of a building’s heat loss, while envelope losses are 15% (see Figure 1).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Figure 1: Building heating: Traditional method<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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A simple, ingenious and innovative solution<\/h3>\n

The heat exchanger (or HRV) significantly reduces these heat losses by preheating incoming air with stale air extracted from the building through a cross-flow exchanger. This solution is not new in itself. What’s innovative is the management of clogging and frost through a filtration or automatic contaminant cleaning system that maintains the performance of the exchange surface, commonly referred to as the “central module.” Typically, the exhaust air from a livestock building contains contaminants (fine dust, down, feathers, ammonia, etc.). The exchange surface therefore physically separates the exhaust air from the fresh air to prevent contamination while enabling the most efficient heat exchange possible. In addition, the central module includes an exhaust filtration system to keep the exchangers from clogging (see Figure 2).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Figure 2: Air-to-air heat exchanger operating principle<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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In the central module, energy is exchanged by conduction, achieving efficiencies of 40% to 70% depending on the type of exchanger. In addition, these exchanger systems often have variable-speed drives for modulating fan speed that can be integrated into a building automation control system. These two components improve the system’s energy efficiency and optimize its operation. This technology reduces heating costs by up to 70% and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 50% (see Figure 3).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Figure 3: Variable-speed drive operating principle<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>
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Next-generation heat exchangers have several other beneficial features:<\/p>\n