Performance of an Electrostatic Dust Reduction System in a Commercial Hatchery

摘要

A low power electrostatic space charge system was shown to significantly reduce airborne dust and pathogens in a commercial hatching cabinet. Dust concentration reduction in the treated cabinet during hatch averaged about 83% after piping began and ranged from 70 to 90%. Salmonella positive air samples on day 20 at the cabinet exhaust ports were reduced up to 83%. Images of XLD agar plates used to sample cabinet exhaust air suggested very high pathogen reduction by treatment as would be expected based on earlier laboratory experiments with essentially the same system. Hatchability improved by an average of 2.7%. The space charge system has also been shown to be effective for dust and reduction of pathogens such as Salmonella enteritidis in caged layer rooms with efficiencies of 90 to 95%, and it could probably be applied to dust and/or pathogen reduction problems in any enclosed space. A patent has been applied for and the system is available for license.