Tag: Electrostatic particle ionization

EPI Air technology stands up to the hype

Posted on by EPI Air

The EPI Air Filter Wall technology successfully reduced odor at two Iowa Select Farms!

In an article in National Hog Farmer, Kevin Schulz writes about a successful study performed by Iowa State University on two Iowa Select Farms.

The study was performed on two 19,000 sqft barns in Iowa state over the course of four months.  As noted in the study, total suspended particulates (TSP) were reduced by 50%.

To see how the EPI Air Filter Wall technology can be part of your total odor reduction plan, contact us!

EPI Air Filter Wall installation outside a hog barn

The Value of Clean Air – $3.16 per Pig

Posted on by Kris

The world’s largest hog producer, Murphy-Brown LLC, recently installed EPI Air in its Circle Four commercial nurseries in Milford, Utah. After only 5 months, 600,000 nursery pigs treated with EPI Air generated an additional $1,896,000 in profit. Based on 194,000 nursery spaces, the enhanced clean air environment created by EPI Air added $3.16 per pig placed.

Continue reading “The Value of Clean Air – $3.16 per Pig” →

Ten Reasons to use EPI Air in your Barn

Posted on by EPI Air

If you are a swine or poultry producer who wants to improve your production rates, it is time to learn about Electrostatic Particle Ionization (EPI) by Baumgartner Environics. EPI is a patented air-cleaning system, specially designed for reducing dust particles from agricultural settings and other confined spaces. Read more about how it works here.

Why use EPI to Improve your In-Barn Air Quality?

  1. Proven Dust Removal – USDA Studies and other test data show that EPI Air can help remove 50-80% of dust particles and aerosols from the air.
  2. Improve Animal Production – EPI Air has been shown to dramatically improve animal production and livability (See Murphy-Brown’s production gains).
  3. Employee Work Environment & Morale – Cleaner air makes it easier for employees to breathe inside the animal production area, creating a better work environment.
  4. Quick Return on Investment – Murphy-Brown calculated less than 34 weeks to get a ROI based on their own 99.9% statistically significant tests.
  5. Reduce Odors for Neighbors– EPI Air catches dust particles inside the barn, so gases and pathogens can’t “hitch a ride” on dust particles being emitted outside. Visitors and neighbors will appreciate reduced barn odors.
  6. Encourage Growth – Cleaner air can also relieve stress on animals, creating an environment that improves the rate of swine and poultry growth.
  7. Reduce Mortalities – EPI Air has been shown to reduce mortality rates (Mortalities reduced by 26.1% for Murphy-Brown).
  8. Innovative Combinations – EPI Air can be combined with other clean-air methods such as filtration for promising results.
  9. Fight PRRS – EPI Air may help PRRS infected pigs to fight secondary complications. 
  10. Worldwide Recognition– EPI Air is installed in barns across the globe. In fact, EPI complies with European standards for dust reduction with Certification in the Netherlands, and also has been invested in by the Canadian government in support of the Manitoba Pork Council.

If you would like to learn more about how EPI Air can make a difference in your production facility, please contact us today.

Why Use EPI?

Posted on by EPI Air

Leaders in the livestock industry are continually looking for ways to improve the performance of their livestock. Just like food and water, clean air is essential to an animal’s health. Improving in-barn air quality is now achievable with EPI Air Technology by Baumgartner Environics.

Here are some reasons to use EPI to improve air quality:


Improve Production

Nurseries who have used EPI Air have noted significant production gains. For instance, Murphy-Brown cited an increase of ADG by 12.2%, and an increase in weights of 9.3%.

Reduce Mortalities

Cleaner in-barn air quality leads to a reduction in livestock mortalities. Murphy-Brown reported a reduced mortality rate an astonishing 26.1%.

Reduce Barn Emissions

In-barn emissions are reduced in barns that use EPI Air. When Murphy-Brown tested the air quality in barns with EPI installed, compared to the control barns, there was a significant reduction in particulate matter, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and odor.

34 Week Return on Investment

On top of the environmental reasons to use this dust reduction system, EPI also makes economical sense. Murphy-Brown reported a quick, 34 week ROI with the EPI Air System, making it a must-have technology in their hog barns system-wide.

With results such as improved production, reduced mortalities, and reduced barn emissions, it is easy to see why improving in-barn air quality with EPI Air improves the overall performance of your livestock in a cost-effective way.

To learn more about EPI Air and all of its benefits, please watch this video or contact us.

Understanding PM – Particulate Matter

Posted on by EPI Air

There is no doubt that poultry houses have high concentrations of agricultural dust inside.  According to a recent article in World Poultry.net, much of the dust in poultry barns comes from the litter and manure, down feathers, mineral crystals in urine, and feed.  The article, Chickens: Negative air ionisation strongly decreases fine dust, goes on to explain how the concentration of dust inside poultry houses is directly related to the activity of the birds during light periods, especially in litter housing systems like floor housing for broilers and layers, and aviary housing for layers.

Dust is PM – Particulate Matter

High concentrations of dust are often referred to as “Particulate Matter” or PM.  The concentration of PM is measured in terms of their size in diameter in micrometers.  According to the EPA, the size of dust particles is directly linked to their potential for causing health problems.

PM 10

Dust or particulate matter with a size smaller than or equal to 10 micrometer in diameter, but larger then 2.5 micrometers in diameter, are often referred to as “inhalable coarse particles.”  This particulate matter can be found near roadways and dusty industries, but also in some livestock barns.

PM 2.5

Very fine dust fraction or particulate matter below 2.5 micrometers are often referred to as  “fine particles,” such as those emitted from forest fires, automobiles, and some agricultural settings.  Particulate matter of 2.5 or smaller are able to pass the nose, mouth and larynx, penetrate into the thorax and some even into the lung tissues, causing adverse respiratory and cardiovascular health effects.

How to Remove Dust from Barns

Agricultural research teams have been working on developing technology for the reduction of dust exposure in poultry facilities.  One such technology is EPI Air, which uses electrostatic particle ionization to emit electrons that charge dust particles that are in the air. The negatively charged particles then collect on the grounded surfaces in the barn, which is cleaned like normal after the growing cycle is complete.  Studies by Murphy-Brown have shown significant reduction in particulate matter (57.7% reduction of 10-micron size, 47.4% reduction of 2.5 micron size, 43.1% reduction of .05 micron size) as well as a variety of production gains.

Contact Baumgartner Environics today to learn more about removing agricultural dust with EPI Air.

Canadian Government Invests in EPI Project to Improve Air Quality in Manitoba Swine Barns

Posted on by EPI Air

The government of Canada recently announced in a press release dated May 23, 2012, that an investment of over $200,000 has been made that will help Manitoba pork producers.  The investment, made by the government of Canada, will be able to improve the health of hog herds and boost the bottom lines for those in the hog industry.

The investment is in two projects and is in support of the Manitoba Pork Council. Member of Parliament Merv Tweed (Brandon–Souris), on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz stated in the press release,  “Our government is committed to the long-term viability of the hog industry in Manitoba and supports measures that will keep it profitable.” He goes on, “This investment will help improve animal health in the sector and grow long-term economic prosperity for our hog producers.”

The main project they are investing in with over $150,000 is to help improve the air quality of swine barns. They will be testing the effectiveness of an electrostatic space charge system (ESCS), which is also commonly known as electrostatic particle ionization (EPI).  ESCS/EPI can reduce and prevent the airborne transmission of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS).  PRRS is a highly infectious and deadly virus in swine that is reported to cost the Canadian industry an estimated $130 million per year.

The second investment will be used to perform a comparative study of cropping systems to promote the use of swine manure on Manitoba farms, with the hopes of identifying sustainable land management practices and lessen environmental impact.

Karl Kynoch, Chair of the Manitoba Pork Council stated, “As well, we are always looking for ways of improving air quality in barns and to find better disease prevention techniques. We also need to meet the provincial government’s regulatory process, and we believe these research projects can assist us in these goals.”

These projects are being funded by the Canadian Agricultural Adaption Program (CAAP).  The regional component of CAAP in Manitoba is the Canadian Agricultural Adaption Program(MRAC).

Read the full Press Release “Government of Canada Supports Manitoba Hog Industry”

Results of EPI Air Presented at AASV Conference

Posted on by EPI Air

Last week, John Baumgartner and Matt Baumgartner of BEI attended the AASV Conference (American Association of Swine Veterinarians) in Denver, Colorado.  Not only did BEI participate at AASV by having the EPI Air in their booth to demonstrate to customers, but they also donated an EPI Air System for the AASV Live Auction, which ended up being the highest bid auction item. There was tremendous support for the EPI Air at the AASV Conference, as Dr. Chris Radermacher, Production Improvement Director for the Western Operations of Murphy Brown LLC, (the world’s largest pork producer) spoke about EPI.  Dr. Radermacher presented about how EPI Air Technology has met and surpassed the criteria laid out by Murphy-Brown LLC.

Dr. Radermacher’s presentation was titled Electrostatic Particle Ionization (EPI) improves nursery pig performance and air quality and included Murphy Brown’s data findings on how EPI affected their swine performance.

After briefly explaining the background of Electrostatic Particle Ionization (EPI), and what EPI Air is, he discussed how the EPI Air works.  Dr. Radermacher went on to share that the USDA Research has shown that the EPI System removes 60-80% of suspended particulate matter from air space.

But how does cleaner air translate to results?

Murphy-Brown, LLC installed EPI Air units in two, 2000-head production nurseries and tested against two matching nurseries without EPI Air. The test ran for five turns, approximately 44,000 nursery pigs. With consistent and reproducible results, Murphy-Brown, LLC proved to itself that EPI technology installed in the hog nursery barn is a “must have” technology. Murphy-Brown, LLC is currently installing EPI system wide.

The production nursery with EPI Air equipped noted these production gains:

Would you like to learn more about how EPI Air can improve your livestock performance?  Contact us for a quote or call us at 800-823-4234 for more information. 

Global Pig Producers learn about EPI Air

Posted on by EPI Air

A demonstration of the EPI Air System in an empty tent at the last World Pork Expo raised the curiosity of hundreds of leaders in the Pork Industry, as well as Pig Progress Magazine.  Here is a summary of an article published on November 30, 2011 on PigProgress.net titled “Murphy-Brown going for Cleaner Air using Ionization” by Dick Hagen and Vincent ter Beek.

The Demonstration

What had to be shown is invisible to the eye, explained John Baumgartner, President of Baumgartner Environics (BEI). John invited guests to come inside, then activated a system which created a tingling effect on the face, hands and head. Inside the tent, BEI was demonstrating “An emission of negative ions,” explained Baumgartner – “a way of cleaning the air in pig and poultry barns.”   Matthew Baumgartner, the company’s general manager, goes on,  “The ions go to work capturing and holding particles onto interior surfaces. The net result is ventilation enhancement that results in faster gain and less mortality.”  This patented system of cleaning the air in poultry and swine barns is called EPI Air (See Video of EPI Air works  in a hog barn here).

Some History of Ionization

This not-so-new way of cleaning the air  has been around since 1842, and its most popular industrial application is used to reduce the ash loads released into the environment by coal-fired power plants. But BEI has developed and marketed EPI Air for use in swine and poultry barns today.  The patented EPI Air (Electrostatic Particle Ionization) is based out of Olivia, Minnesota, USA for agricultural buildings worldwide.

Research by Murphy-Brown

Murphy-Brown, Smithfield’s pig production division, has executed a contract to install Electrostatic Particle Ionization (EPI) systems in nursery facilities totaling 655,000 spaces and in wean-to-finish facilities totaling 864,000 spaces in their western US operations.

In initial trials, EPI units were installed in two, 2,000 head production nurseries and tested for five turns. A total of approximately 44,000 nursery pigs ‘tested’ the technology. The results were positive: average daily gain increased 12.2%, average weights increased by 9.3% and mortalities were reduced by 26.1%. Besides these production gains, Murphy-Brown also checked multiple dust size levels, ammonia, odor and hydrogen sulfide in these barns. Its PhD researchers measured a 57.7% reduction in particulate matter of 10-micron size; a 47% reduction in PM 2.5; a 43.1% reduction in PM 0.05. The EPI barns had a 55% reduction in ammonia versus the control barns; a 58.6% reduction in hydrogen sulfide, and an 18.9% reduction in odor.

 

Read the Complete Article

Read article on Pig Progress Website: Murphy-Brown going for Cleaner Air using Ionization
View the PDF of Pig Progress Article: Murphy-Brown going for Cleaner Air using Ionization