Tag: air emissions

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NAEMS: How It Was Done and Lessons Learned

Building Environment and Air Quality – Presented by Al Heber

Development of Draft Emission Estimating Methodologies for AFOs: Process Overview – Presented by Ian Rumsy

National Air Emissions Monitoring Study Status Update – Presented by Bebhinn Do

Purpose

The National Air Emissions Monitoring Study, or NAEMS, was conducted from 2007 – 2010 to gather data to develop scientifically credible methodologies for estimating emissions from animal feeding operations (AFOs). It followed from a 2002 report by the National Academy of Sciences that recommended the development of the emission models. NAEMS was funded by the AFO industry as part of a 2005 voluntary air compliance agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The goals of the air compliance agreement were to reduce air pollution, monitor AFO emissions, promote a national consensus on emissions estimating methodologies, and ensure compliance with requirements of the Clean Air Act and notification provisions of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). Thus, the design of the study was based both on principles set forth by the National Academy of Sciences and on the needs of EPA and the AFO industry to satisfy the compliance agreement.

What Did We Do

NAEMS monitored barns and lagoons at 25 AFOs in 10 states for approximately 2 years each to measure emissions of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds. University researchers conducted this monitoring with EPA oversight. The types of AFOs monitored included swine, broiler chickens, egg-laying operations, and dairies. Participating AFOs made their operations available for monitoring for two years and cooperated with the researchers, industry experts, and EPA during the study.

In 2012, EPA used information gathered in NAEMS, along with information provided as part of a 2011 Call for Information, to develop draft emission models for some of the AFO sectors that were monitored. The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) conducted a peer review of these original draft emission models and made suggestions for improving the models. Since 2017, EPA began applying the SAB suggestions and developing new draft emission models for each AFO sector. The models estimate farm-scale emissions using information that producers already record or is easy to get (like weather data). The models are not “process-based.” However, the approach aims to estimate emissions from sources based on statistical relationships between air emissions and the meteorological and housing parameters collected that are known to affect processes that generate emissions. The development of process-based models remains a long-term goal of the agency, as we acknowledge process-based models improve the accuracy of emission estimates for the livestock and poultry sectors.

What Have We Learned

During the workshop, panelists will discuss in more detail the lessons learned at various stages of the NAEMS project and how those lessons could inform future work.

Future Plans

The EPA team continues to develop draft emission models using the NAEMS data. It is anticipated that the AFO emission models will be finalized after incorporating input from a stakeholder review period.

Authors

Presenting Authors

    • Albert J. Heber, Professor Emeritus, Agricultural and Biological Engineering
    • Ian C. Rumsey, Physical Scientist, Office of Research & Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
    • Bebhinn Do, Physical Scientist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Corresponding Author

Bebhinn Do, Physical Scientist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
do.bebhinn@epa.gov

Additional Information

For updates on NAEMS, please see: https://www.epa.gov/afos-air/national-air-emissions-monitoring-study

Acknowledgements

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Office of Research & Development Emission Estimating Methodology development team: Maliha Nash, John Walker, Yijia Dietrich, Carry Croghan

 

The authors are solely responsible for the content of these proceedings. The technical information does not necessarily reflect the official position of the sponsoring agencies or institutions represented by planning committee members, and inclusion and distribution herein does not constitute an endorsement of views expressed by the same. Printed materials included herein are not refereed publications. Citations should appear as follows. EXAMPLE: Authors. 2022. Title of presentation. Waste to Worth. Oregon, OH. April 18-22, 2022. URL of this page. Accessed on: today’s date.

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Abating Particulate Matter Emissions From On-Farm Poultry Litter-Fueled Energy Systems

Purpose

Approximately, 11% of the poultry operations in the United States are in the five-state region of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (Bay), representing 7,000 family farms and generating about $1.1B in revenues. The Bay states have identified a variety of manure management practices and programs to help meet the nutrient reduction targets set in the Bay-Total Maximum Daily Load plan. Poultry-litter fueled on-farm thermal conversion processes (PL-TCP) can be used to generate renewable thermal energy for heating poultry houses. Additionally, PL-TCP can potentially enhance nutrient management alternatives by concentrating the phosphorus- and potassium-rich ash co-products to enable reaching more distant markets more efficiently. However, due to PL fuel properties, scale- and setting-appropriate emission abatement has been a challenge for on-farm PL-TCP.

What Did We Do

This project assessed total particulate matter (TPM) emissions for two PL-TCP systems on two poultry farms, S1 and S2, and at a technology provider facility (S3). S1 is located in Pennsylvania on a 60-acre farm with two 24,000 sq. ft poultry houses. The farm raises certified-organic broilers on approximately six-week flock cycles resulting in an average of five flock cycles per year per house. The biomass boiler and heat distribution systems were installed by Total Energy Solutions (TES) to provide heating for two poultry houses and an adjacent mechanical shop in 2012. The system specified by TES uses a biomass boiler (model CGS-225 and rated at 1.5 MMBtu/hr) marketed through Triple Green Products (TGP), Morris, Manitoba. S2 is also located on a poultry farm in Pennsylvania with three 24,000 square foot poultry houses for antibiotic free broilers, with an average of six-and-a-half flock cycles per year per house. In 2015, the farmer installed two Bio-Burner BB-500 heating units from LEI Products, a firm now doing business as OrganiLock, to heat two of the poultry houses. The heating units are each rated 0.5 MMBtu/hr and were installed in a mechanical room located between two poultry houses. S3 is located at the OrganiLock corporate headquarters in Kentucky where a bioenergy unit, similar to that at S2, is used for testing purposes.

The TPM emissions were assessed using EPA source testing methods. Seventy-eight emission tests were completed for 15 different system configurations. First, we established the baseline TPM emissions and shared this information with collaborating technology providers to inform their modifications to the TPM-emission abatement control systems to meet the stated project TPM reduction goal of at least 70%. Base case emission factors were estimated as 3.851 and 2.885 TPM-lb/MMBtu for S1 and S2, respectively. Abatement system upgrades consisted of cyclones with a bag filter system at S1, a wet scrubber at S2, and filtration media at S3. Three levels of a fuel additive were used during seven source emission tests in the bioenergy unit at S3. The fuel additive consisted of an aluminosilicate mineral product and dosed with the poultry litter fuel at 2%, 5%, and 10%, by weight (w.b.). Additionally, farmers were interviewed to share their experiences operating the on-farm bioenergy units for use in broader outreach dissemination.

What Have We Learned

The abated emission factor for the S1 system was 0.187 TPM-lb/MMBtu, a 95% reduction relative to the base case. While the abated emission factor for the S2 system was 1.887 TPM-lb/MMBtu, a 35% reduction relative to the base case. The use of the mineral additive at S3 at a 10% fuel mix reduced the emission factor for that system from 2.885 to 1.098 TPM-lb/MMBtu, a 61% reduction. Three educational videos were developed from recorded farmer interviews to document and share actual experiences operating these on-farm bioenergy systems. The intent of these videos is to help inform potential future adopters of these technologies on the first-hand operational experiences shared by the technology host farmers managing these on-farm poultry little-to-energy technologies.

Future Plans

Future areas of work include: develop a techno-economic assessment to understand the economic viability of fully-abated systems, including farmer/service provider time requirements and to compare to other nutrient and energy management strategies; optimize abatement systems to evaluate options for lower capex/opex abatement strategies; evaluate fuel additives to replicate emission reductions and assess impacts to broader system performance; benchmark fuel properties to characterize the range of highly variable PL more suitable for thermal conversion processes; and assess the key factors for broader adoption.

Authors

John Ignosh, Extension Specialist, Dep. Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Harrisonburg, VA, USA
Jignosh@vt.edu

Additional Authors
Jactone Ogejo, Associate Professor & Extension Specialist, Dep. Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA

Additional Information

https://sites.google.com/vt.edu/bioenergy-emissions-abatement/home

Acknowledgements

This summary is based on work supported by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under #69-2037-18-006

Videos, Slideshows and other Media

1. https://youtu.be/tQAirjhxAs4

2. https://cdnapisec.kaltura.com/html5/html5lib/v2.75.3/mwEmbedFrame.php/p/2375811/uiconf_id/41950442/entry_id/1_3nrpmniy?wid=_2375811&iframeembed=true&playerId=kaltura_player&entry_id=1_3nrpmniy&flashvars[streamerType]=auto&flashvars[localizationCode]=en&flashvars[leadWithHTML5]=true&flashvars[sideBarContainer.plugin]=true&flashvars[sideBarContainer.position]=left&flashvars[sideBarContainer.clickToClose]=true&flashvars[chapters.plugin]=true&flashvars[chapters.layout]=vertical&flashvars[chapters.thumbnailRotator]=false&flashvars[streamSelector.plugin]=true&flashvars[EmbedPlayer.SpinnerTarget]=videoHolder&flashvars[dualScreen.plugin]=true&flashvars[hotspots.plugin]=1&flashvars[Kaltura.addCrossoriginToIframe]=true&&wid=1_1q37mw14#

3. https://cdnapisec.kaltura.com/html5/html5lib/v2.75.3/mwEmbedFrame.php/p/2375811/uiconf_id/41950442/entry_id/1_cdnhswma?wid=_2375811&iframeembed=true&playerId=kaltura_player&entry_id=1_cdnhswma&flashvars[streamerType]=auto&flashvars[localizationCode]=en&flashvars[leadWithHTML5]=true&flashvars[sideBarContainer.plugin]=true&flashvars[sideBarContainer.position]=left&flashvars[sideBarContainer.clickToClose]=true&flashvars[chapters.plugin]=true&flashvars[chapters.layout]=vertical&flashvars[chapters.thumbnailRotator]=false&flashvars[streamSelector.plugin]=true&flashvars[EmbedPlayer.SpinnerTarget]=videoHolder&flashvars[dualScreen.plugin]=true&flashvars[hotspots.plugin]=1&flashvars[Kaltura.addCrossoriginToIframe]=true&&wid=1_mets5wc5#

 

The authors are solely responsible for the content of these proceedings. The technical information does not necessarily reflect the official position of the sponsoring agencies or institutions represented by planning committee members, and inclusion and distribution herein does not constitute an endorsement of views expressed by the same. Printed materials included herein are not refereed publications. Citations should appear as follows. EXAMPLE: Authors. 2022. Title of presentation. Waste to Worth. Oregon, OH. April 18-22, 2022. URL of this page. Accessed on: today’s date.

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The National Air Quality Site-Assessment Tool (NAQSAT)

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Abstract

The National Air Quality Site Assessment Tool (NAQSAT) has been developed for the voluntary use of livestock producers and their advisors or consultants. It is intended to provide assistance to livestock and poultry producers in determining the areas in their operations where there are opportunities to make changes that result in reduced air emissions. Air emissions research from livestock production systems is increasing every year. NAQSAT is based on the most accurate, credible data currently available regarding mitigation strategies for air emissions of ammonia, methane, volatile organic compounds, hydrogen sulfide, particulates, and odor.
From the NAQSAT home page users may watch a video explaining the tool, read an overview, study the user manual or select a species to start using the program.

Purpose

The National Air Quality Site Assessment Tool (NAQSAT) was developed for livestock producers who are interested in investigating opportunities to reduce air emissions from their livestock operation. The online tool is designed to provide farmers and their advisors air emissions information explicitly for their farm in a confidential setting. The tool may be run from any computer with internet access. All information entered into NAQSAT and the corresponding results remain confidential.

What Did We Do?

NAQSAT considers the air emissions from eight management categories; animal housing, feed and water, manure collection and transfer, manure storage, land application, mortality management, public perception and on-farm roads.
On the NAQSAT Effectiveness Results page the green area indicates the effectiveness of current management practices, the white area indicates the opportunity for improvement. At the end of each session users are encouraged to select “Print My Report” to receive a paper copy of all inputs that had been entered and a copy of the Effectiveness Results page for their records. 

Users of the tool are asked a series of questions under each of the eight management categories. Based on the responses to previously answered questions the program determines what additional questions need to be answered such that only questions pertaining to the operation currently being evaluated are asked. Pop-up pictures assist the user in determining the relative rating to select when questions require a visual evaluation of the existing practices.

NAQSAT addresses seven emissions of concern; odor, particulate matter (dust), ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methane (CH4), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrous oxide (N2O) under each of the eight management categories. Within the results page the green area in each rectangle indicates the effectiveness of current management practices, the white area indicates the opportunity for improvement.

NAQSAT allows users to save and run different scenarios providing the opportunity to compare the results of implementing new management practices.

It is easy to save NAQSAT sessions and return at a later date to make adjustments or consider additional alternatives. Each “saved” user session of NAQSAT is stored under its own URL available only to the person or persons with access to that URL. Individual URLs remain available for a minimum of 30 days before they are removed from the host computer.

The tool’s results page does not provide emissions data and/or regulatory guidance. It does identify opportunities for reducing air emissions and the ability to evaluate which practices might have the most impact. NAQSAT was developed for voluntary and educational use. The tool is designed to be used by livestock and poultry producers, however, the results may be more valuable when NAQSAT is used in cooperation with agency personnel or private consultants that can provide follow-up with suggestions for mitigation practices.

What Have We Learned?

NAQSAT has been used by members of the tool’s development committee to address odor conflicts in Colorado and in Michigan. In each case the tool confirmed the farm management teams were using acceptable management practices to limit odors from the livestock operation. In both states the local and state agencies involved in the conflict resolution were appreciative of the information provided by the tool.

Authors

Gerald May, Educator, Michigan State University Extension, mayg@msu.edu

Additional Information

The NAQSAT on-line tool is currently available at: http://naqsat.tamu.edu/.  It is available at no cost from its host website (it does not download onto your computer). To assist first time users an overview of the tool, an informative video and a user’s manual are available on the NAQSAT home page.

Archived webinars:

Acknowledgements

Are there any organizations or individuals (besides the authors) that should be acknowledged?

Development of NAQSAT was partially funded by the USDA – NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant program. Over twenty partner organizations and universities contributed to the development of NAQSAT.

Partner universities:  Partner organizations:
Colorado State University C.E. Meadows Endowment
Iowa State University Colorado Livestock Association
Michigan State University Iowa Turkey Federation
Oregon State University Iowa Pork Producers
Penn State University Iowa Pork Industry Center
Purdue University Iowa State Univ. Experiment Station
Texas A&M University Michigan Milk Producers Association
University of California, Davis Michigan Pork Producers Association
University of Georgia Michigan State Univ. Extension
University of Maryland National Pork Board
University of Minnesota Nebraska Environmental Trust
University of Nebraska Western United Dairymen

The authors are solely responsible for the content of these proceedings. The technical information does not necessarily reflect the official position of the sponsoring agencies or institutions represented by planning committee members, and inclusion and distribution herein does not constitute an endorsement of views expressed by the same. Printed materials included herein are not refereed publications. Citations should appear as follows. EXAMPLE: Authors. 2013. Title of presentation. Waste to Worth: Spreading Science and Solutions. Denver, CO. April 1-5, 2013. URL of this page. Accessed on: today’s date.

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Livestock GRACEnet

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Abstract

Livestock GRACEnet is a United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service working group focused on atmospheric emissions from livestock production in the USA. The working group presently has 24 scientists from 13 locations covering the major animal production systems in the USA (dairy, beef, swine, and poultry). The mission of Livestock GRACEnet is to lead the development of management practices that reduce greenhouse gas, ammonia, and other emissions and provide a sound scientific basis for accurate measurement and modeling of emissions from livestock agriculture. The working group fosters collaboration among fellow scientists and stakeholders to identify and develop appropriate management practices; supports the needs of policy makers and regulators for consistent, accurate data and information; fosters scientific transparency and rigor and transfers new knowledge efficiently to stakeholders and the scientific community.  Success in the group’s mission will help ensure the economic viability of the livestock industry, improve vitality and quality of life in rural areas, and provide beneficial environmental services. Some of the research highlights of the group are provided as examples of current work within Livestock GRACEnet. These include efforts aimed at improving emissions inventories, developing mitigation strategies, improving process-based models for estimating emissions, and producing fact sheets to inform producers about successful management practices that can be put to use now.

Why Was GRACEnet Created?

The mission of Livestock GRACEnet is to lead the development of livestock management practices to reduce greenhouse gas, ammonia, and other emissions and to provide a sound scientific basis for accurate measurement and modeling of emissions.

What Did We Do?

The Livestock GRACEnet group is comprised of 24 scientists from 13 USDA-ARS locations researching the effects of livestock production on emissions and air quality.

Our goals are to:

  • Collaborate with fellow scientists and stakeholders to identify and develop appropriate management practices
  • Support the needs of policy makers and regulators for consistent, accurate data and information
  • Foster scientific transparency and rigor
  • Transfer new knowledge efficiently to stakeholders and the scientific community

Success in our mission will help to ensure the economic viability of the livestock industry, vitality and quality of life in rural areas, and provide environmental services benefits.

Authors

April Leytem, Research Soil Scientist, USDA-ARS april.leytem@ars.usda.gov

Additional Information

https://www.ars.usda.gov/anrds/gracenet/livestock-gracenet/

 

The authors are solely responsible for the content of these proceedings. The technical information does not necessarily reflect the official position of the sponsoring agencies or institutions represented by planning committee members, and inclusion and distribution herein does not constitute an endorsement of views expressed by the same. Printed materials included herein are not refereed publications. Citations should appear as follows. EXAMPLE: Authors. 2013. Title of presentation. Waste to Worth: Spreading Science and Solutions. Denver, CO. April 1-5, 2013. URL of this page. Accessed on: today’s date.

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Airborne Emissions in Animal Agriculture

Air emissions from animal agriculture operations and manure storage include gases and particulate matter (dust). Some of these are potentially hazardous (hydrogen sulfide and ammonia). Others are scrutinized because they are greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide) and others because they are odorous. All in all, hundreds of gases can be emitted from manure and animal housing.

The materials on this page were developed to assist educators and professors who include an introduction to airborne emissions and their management as a topic in their classrooms or educational programs.

Fact Sheet

Neslihan Akdeniz and Kevin Janni, University of Minnesota; Wendy Powers, Michigan State University

Acknowledgements

These materials were developed by the Air Quality Education in Animal Agriculture (AQEAA) project with financial support from the National Research Initiative Competitive Grant 2007-55112-17856 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

For questions about the materials on this page contact Dr. Kevin Janni, University of Minnesota (kjanni@umn.edu). For questions about the AQEAA project, contact Dr. Rick Stowell, Unviersity of Nebraska (rstowell2@unl.edu).

If you have presentations, photos, video, publications, or other instructional materials that could be added to the curricula on this page, please contact Dr. Janni or Jill Heemstra (jheemstra@unl.edu).

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Wet Scrubbers for Cleaning Air Emissions from Animal Housing Curriculum Materials

Air emissions from animal housing systems are being examined more closely for ways to mitigate potentially harmful gases. Wet scrubbers are one way to remove pollutants from air being exhausted from mechanically ventilated buildings.  The materials on this page were developed to assist educators and professors who include wet scrubbers as a topic in their classrooms or educational programs.

Fact Sheets

Roderick B. Manuzun and Lingying Zhao, The Ohio State University; Allison Jonjak, Nebraska

LPES Curriculum Lessons

Technology Summaries

Figure 1. A prototype wet scrubber developed by the Ohio State University for a deep-pit swine facility. Photo courtesy of Lingying Zhao, Ohio State.

This is from a 2008 conference hosted by Iowa State University

Acknowledgements

These materials were developed by the Air Quality Education in Animal Agriculture (AQEAA) project with with financial support from the National Research Initiative Competitive Grant 2007-55112-17856 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

For questions about the materials on this page contact Dr. Linying Zhao, Ohio State University (zhao.119@osu.edu). For questions about the AQEAA project, contact Dr. Rick Stowell, Unviersity of Nebraska (rstowell2@unl.edu).

If you have presentations, photos, video, publications, or other instructional materials that could be added to the curricula on this page, please contact Dr. Zhao or Jill Heemstra (jheemstra@unl.edu).

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