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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Bowling Green, Kentucky » Food Animal Environmental Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #249276
Title: Heat flux measurements and modeling of malodorous compounds above an anaerobic swine lagoon

Author
item Loughrin, John
item QUINTANAR, ARTURO - Western Kentucky University
item MAHMOOD, REZAUL - Western Kentucky University
item Lovanh, Nanh

Submitted to: Water, Air, and Soil Pollution
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/10/2010
Publication Date: 9/1/2010
Citation: Loughrin, J.H., Quintanar, A., Mahmood, R., Lovanh, N.C. 2010. Heat flux measurements and modeling of malodorous compounds above an anaerobic swine lagoon. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution. 217(1-4):463-471.

Interpretive Summary: The concentrations of two chemical compounds typical of swine manure odor were measured at two heights above a waste treatment lagoon during the late winter through early spring and late spring through early summer. At the same time, air temperature, humidity, sunlight intensity, and wind speed, as well as water column temperatures were recorded so that energy released by the lagoon in the form of evaporation or heat could be calculated. It was found that variation in malodorant emissions correlated best with the evaporation of water vapor and the release of long wave radiation from the lagoon surface. Malodor release was found to be much higher during the cool season than the warm season. This was despite much higher evaporation rates during the warm season. This could be explained by much lower wastewater concentrations of the malodorants in the warm season than in the cool season. Results of this work are being used to estimate malodorant emissions from wastewater lagoons and devise techniques for the abatement of nuisance emissions.

Technical Abstract: The concentration of p-cresol and p-ethylphenol, two malodorants typical of swine waste, were measured at 0.5 m and 1.5 m above a waste treatment lagoon during two separate campaigns encompassing late winter through early spring and late spring through early summer. Concomitant collection of air temperatures, humidities, insolation, and wind speeds, as well as water column temperatures were done so that heat fluxes could be computed using an energy budget method and Bowen ratio estimates. The empirical model that was found to correlate best with variations in malodorant concentrations and gradients above the lagoon had the terms describing evaporation from the lagoon surface and net available energy at the lagoon surface. Emissions were found to be much higher during the cool season than the warm season. This was despite much higher evaporation rates during the warm season. This could be explained by much lower lagoon concentrations of the malodorants in the warm season than in the cool season. Results of this work are being used to determine appropriate models to estimate malodorant emissions from lagoons and devise techniques for the abatement of nuisance emissions.