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Measurement of Dynamic Electric Consumption Trend in a Broiler House in Arkansas

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 40(1): 143-150. (doi: 10.13031/aea.15869) @2024
Authors:   Yi Liang, Thomas Costello
Keywords:   Electricity demand, Energy efficiency, Poultry housing.

Highlights

  • We quantified the diurnal and seasonal electric load pattern during four consecutive growouts of heavy broilers over an 11-month period on a commercial farm. Consumption was measured separately for ventilation fans, lights, feed motors, well pump motors and radiant tube heater blowers.
  • Ventilation fans were the largest consumer of energy and the largest contributor to peak demand on the farm.
  • Average monthly electric demand ranged from 31% to 77% of the corresponding monthly peak demand, calculated from the largest 15-min period.
  • The electricity cost of raising heavier-weight broiler chickens is higher in the summer ($22 per 1,000 kg live weight) than in the winter ($5 per 1,000 kg live weight).

Abstract. Characterizing electric energy use in a commercial broiler house—partitioned by bird age, season, and electric load type—can provide engineers with insight for designing energy conservation practices, as well as help to analyze and design on-site renewable energy production sub-systems. This study monitored electric energy consumption in a commercial broiler house in Arkansas, raising heavy broilers (with a capacity of 17,000 birds) during an 11-month period that included four, 8-week flocks. Average electricity use (RMS voltage and current) was measured at a sampling interval of 5 min for all of the major load types, including ventilation, lighting, feed motors, and well-water pump motor. Results indicated that electric consumption for ventilation fans was the greatest load, accounting for over 88% of the total. The endwall fans (for tunnel ventilation) contributed to the peak electric demand (VA) in nine of the 11 months. Over the 11-month monitoring period, broiler chicken production had an average electric energy consumption (per unit live-weight mass produced) of 43 kWh per metric ton of live weight (in a winter flock) to 184 kWh per metric ton (in a summer flock). The corresponding electric costs were $5 per metric ton and $22 per metric ton in winter and summer flocks, respectively (based upon an electricity unit cost of $0.12/kWh).

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