The air heat exchanger is an energy system that retrieves heat from the ventilation air and sends it to a heat pump. The heat pump uses this energy to heat other areas in the barn and/or the farmhouse.
An air heat exchanger consists of layers of fins or panels (heat exchangers). Fans send the outgoing barn air through the air heat exchanger. Because the outgoing air is warmer than the fluid flowing through the panels, heat is transferred to the fluid.
This heat is then transported to a heat pump, which uses the energy to heat water up to 50°C. This hot water can be used for:
Water from the warm air will condense during the heat exchange. The particular matter and ammonia from the barn air will be absorbed the condensation and drained via an outlet on the underside of the air heat exchanger. If you compare the outgoing air to the incoming air of the heat exchanger, you will notice the difference immediately. The air on the outside is much cooler, containing less dust and ammonia.
Some pig farmers have placed an air scrubber behind the air heat exchanger. By “pre-filtering” the air entering the air scrubber, the air scrubber can achieve a higher return. This combination ensures a maximum reduction of dust and ammonia.