Control of the environmental conditions in a nursery barn through a smart heating system and renewable energy sources

In swine farming, the control of environmental conditions in nursery barns is essential for the health and the proper growth of weaners. In particular, the achievement of optimal ranges of temperature and humidity is challenging both in hot and cold seasons. HVAC systems effective for this purpose are characterized by high energy demands, causing significant GHG emissions when relying on fossil fuels. This research is focused on the development of a sustainable heating system, with reference to the pilot case of the nursery barn of a farrow-to-nursery swine farm in northern Italy, rearing 500 sows and 2500 weaners. We designed and tested a Renewable Energy Source (RES) system incorporating a borehole thermal energy storage (BTES) and photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collectors, integrated with a Dual-Source Heat Pump (DSHP). A smart control system was developed and installed to monitor RES production, energy uses and the environmental conditions outdoor and in the various sectors of the barn. The data collected were processed to define the optimal settings of the integrated plant for energy production and efficiency. The performances in terms of control of the environmental conditions of the nursery barn were assessed on the basis of the environmental parameters analyzed, with particular reference to the animal occupied zones. The results showed that a mix of RES can be properly defined and integrated in an automated heating system, to meet the specific requirements of a swine farm, thanks to a project specifically designed to exploit the renewable resources typically available in farming environments.