A look at how innovative ventilation solutions are designed to tackle common barn management obstacles and ensure optimal livestock health and productivity.

by Chris Elvidge, Engineering and Tech Service Manager, PigTek

Pig production is an ever-changing business with new challenges arising regularly.

From disease prevention to meeting compliance with animal confinement regulations, the latest set of challenges certainly continues the tradition of having serious repercussions on the industry.

Although many questions remain on how to properly manage these issues, one thing is certain - ventilation technology is a key component in adapting to current demands.

It’s not enough just to have fans; for the best efficiency, the type of fan and its placement location are key.

PMSM Fans

The newest ventilation fans available to pig producers use Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) technology.

These motors offer variable-speed capability, unlike traditional on/off fans that only run at full speed or not at all. PMSM is also an improvement over TRIAC-controlled fans, which can run at variable speeds but use energy-wasting technology to do so.

TRIACs (Triode for Alternating Current) work by simply taking away voltage from the motor to run at slower speeds.

Unfortunately, this can be damaging to the motor over time - especially for those higher voltage motors - and it also reduces the amount of torque produced by the motor.

The energy that is taken away from the motor is burned off through a heat sink, so the producer doesn’t experience energy savings.

A cross-section of a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) fan motor.

On the other hand, PMSM fans use magnets to turn the rotor, which spins at the same speed as the internal rotating magnetic field. These fans can produce up to 30 percent more cubic feet per minute (CFM) than traditional barn fans. They can also reduce energy costs by up to 90 percent when the fans are running at 30 percent of speed. As the speed is reduced, less energy is consumed.

Another benefit of PMSM fans is that they maintain constant torque, even at lower speeds, allowing them to react quickly and ramp up speed more easily when needed. If a headwind hits the fan or pressure in the room changes, the blades of a PMSM fan won’t slow down, thanks to the improved torque.

Controller Technology

The latest barn management controllers allow producers to take full advantage of PMSM technology. This includes the ability to achieve smoother linear curves in airflow.

For example, traditional fans with a 30,000 CFM (849 m³/min) output will instantaneously increase room ventilation by 30,000 CFM as each fan is turned on, which can produce a chilling effect on pigs.

On the other hand, variable-rate fans can be automated to gradually increase cubic feet per minute in the room as needed so that pigs aren’t shocked by drastic climate changes.

Depending on the operation, producers may not need to invest in all variable-speed fans to meet their ventilation needs.

In many cases, a blend of traditional fans and PMSM fans is recommended. For instance, cheaper on/off fans can be used for minimum ventilation, while the more expensive PMSM fans can be installed for additional ventilation needs. Today’s controllers can effectively manage this type of setup to achieve the benefits of variable-speed fans but with a lower upfront cost.

Another common configuration is to have every other pit fan be variable speed. These can be programmed to run at slower speeds during minimum ventilation to provide uniform airflow throughout the barn and help eliminate dead zones.

The latest controllers are easier to program than older systems, allowing producers to fine-tune fan settings for maximum pig performance. While most ventilation systems are programmed to maintain specific temperature ranges, many producers have found benefits from monitoring other factors and adjusting fan settings to optimize them.

Outdoor fans at pig farms play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy and comfortable environment for the pigs, providing ventilation, temperature control, humidity management, and energy efficiency.

Humidity plays a key role in the comfort level of pigs. Although the temperature within a barn may stay constant, having high humidity levels can negatively chill pigs at night when the sun goes down and the fans are running.

Carbon dioxide level is another key factor in herd health and performance that often goes unmanaged. Sensors can be used to detect these and other variables. Then, controllers can be easily programmed to run fans as needed to optimize them. Some of the most successful producers improve barn climate by adjusting settings for these other factors and then closely monitoring pig behavior to measure success.

Another benefit of pairing newer controllers with PMSM fans is the data collection capabilities. The controller can record motor temperature, vibration, energy consumption, and other information. By generating reports and analyzing the data, producers can take barn management to the next level.

Adapting Ventilation for Open Pens

The latest PMSM fan and controller technologies have many useful applications to capable of addressing today’s challenges.

One of the benefits is an increased transition from traditional crate facilities to electronic sow feeding or other open pen configurations.

Traditional ventilation systems work well in tunnel barns when pigs are concentrated consistently throughout the barn in crates.

As the heat rises above the bottom three or four feet of the barn, the shape of the building will allow the fans to easily remove the heat.

When pigs are allowed to roam freely, because of the randomness of their movement, they don’t distribute themselves evenly, which creates cool and hot zones within the barn.

Although managing the cool and hot zones within a tunnel barn is simple, it can be improved with variable-speed fans. Gradual increases in airflow greatly reduce pig chilling effects, helping to reduce abortions, mortality rates, and other issues caused by sows piling up to stay warm in open environments.

Reducing Labor Through Ventilation Tech

These technologies also help reduce labor requirements. The Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor fans use direct drives, which eliminate the undesirable job of maintaining belts, pulleys, and tensioners. Additionally, today’s advanced controllers can automate practically all barn functions to remove many other manual processes.

The future holds even more promise for reducing maintenance and labor needs through these technologies when the fan and motor data gathered by the controller is used for predictive maintenance.

If, for instance, the temperature of a component is rising suspiciously or it is experiencing excessive vibration, then producers can shut down the component and perform preventative maintenance before failure occurs. This capability has been largely untapped but has the potential to be one of the next big steps forward in addressing labor and service challenges on the farm.

Ventilation Use to Enhance Biosecurity Measures

Next, the threat of diseases such as PED (Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea) and PRRS (Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome) has many producers updating ventilation systems in an attempt to stop the spread.

Some are adopting positive or negative pressure ventilation. Others are installing filtration systems. In either case, PMSM fans are ideal for maintaining conditions in these barns.

Thanks to the constant torque provided by PMSM fans, they can adjust to pressure changes almost instantaneously to maintain a consistent environment. TRIAC drives lack the torque to adequately deal with these pressure changes, and simple on/off fans have difficulty maintaining constant pressures in a barn.

Cutting Energy Costs with New Technology

Although energy savings are often lower on the priority list for producers when designing a ventilation system, PMSM fans can significantly improve the bottom line due to drastically lower electricity usage.

As mentioned, PMSM fans can reduce energy costs by up to 90 percent, and the rate of return will likely increase in the future. Energy costs have gradually risen over time, and this trend isn’t likely to change. The push to transition to renewable energy sources may cause steeper increases going forward.

PMSM fans and advanced whole-house controllers are not only wise investments now, but they can also help position pig producers for the future.

This is especially true since the latest controllers offer easy software updates, preventing the risk of them becoming obsolete anytime soon.

So, whenever the next challenges arise, adapting to them may be a breeze when using the latest ventilation technologies.

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Chris Elvidge
Chris Elvidge is the Engineering and Tech Service Manager for PigTek, a division of CTB, Inc., headquartered in Milford, Indiana. He has been with CTB since 2005 and is responsible for the development of new PigTek products and the modification of existing products to meet hog industry needs.

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