Development and field evaluation of a hybrid FOPBIACA system for ammonia and hydrogen sulfide removal from swine farm emissions

Abstract

Odor emissions from swine farms, particularly ammonia (NH₃) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), present significant envi - ronmental challenges. This study developed and field-evaluated a hybrid deodorization system (FOPBIACA) integrat - ing physical, chemical, and biological processes. The system was operated at a commercial swine farm in Thailand, treating approximately 220,000 m³ h⁻¹ of exhaust air over a 5-month production cycle. The system includes particulate filtration, biological filtration, chemical scrubbing, iron-based filtration, and charcoal adsorption. Ammonia concentra - tions were reduced from 22–84 ppm to 0–10 ppm, with removal efficiencies reaching up to 100%. Hydrogen sulfide concentrations were effectively maintained well below the 10 ppm safety threshold. Intermediate measurements sug - gested that the combined pre-treatment and biological filtration stages accounted for most of the pollutant removal, while the chemical and adsorption stages significantly improved performance under elevated loading conditions. Op - erational results indicated that the system can be flexibly controlled based on real-time pollutant loads, allowing for reduced energy consumption during low-load periods. Throughout the study, no significant clogging was observed, and odor nuisance was substantially mitigated. The FOPBIACA system demonstrates strong potential as a practical, scalable, and operationally resilient solution for comprehensive odor control in intensive livestock production.