Environmental control system for poultry houses

Claim 1

A method of controlling environmental conditions in an animal enclosure having litter material on the floor thereof, to provide a maximum economic return from the growth of animals housed therein, said enclosure including a plurality of controllable ventilation fans and a plurality of controllable heaters, comprising: determining the static parameters of the animal enclosure including size and thermal characteristics; determining the number and type of animals to be housed in said enclosure; determining current values of variable parameters, including current weight, heat production, air infiltration, prices of fuel, feed, electricity, and market value of animals; assessing qualitatively the relative moisture content of the animal enclosure litter to determine whether the litter is too dry or too wet; establishing a target relative humidity value in response to said qualitative assessment; measuring the exterior air temperature near said enclosure to establish a dew point temperature; measuring the interior air temperature within said enclosure; determining, from said measured exterior temperature, dew point temperature, and target humidity, for each of a plurality of feasible interior temperatures, the ventilation rate VT required to maintain that feasible interior temperature, the ventilation rate VH required to maintain air relative humidity at a control interval value which will achieve a 24-hour average relative humidity at said target value; the expected animal growth feed consumption and operating costs at that temperature; and selecting and maintaining the one of said feasible interior temperatures which will produce the maximum economic return for the animals in said enclosure.

Claim 2

A method of controlling environmental conditions in an animal enclosure having litter material on the floor thereof, to provide a maximum economic return from the growth of animals housed therein, said enclosure including a plurality of controllable ventilation fans and a plurality of controllable heaters, comprising: determining the static parameters of the animal enclosure including size and thermal characteristics; determining the number and type of animals to be housed in said enclosure; determining current values of variable parameters, including current weight, heat production, air infiltration, prices of fuel, feed, electricity, and market value of animals; assessing qualitatively the relative moisture content of the animal enclosure litter to determine whether the litter is too dry or too wet; establishing a target relative humidity value in response to said qualitative assessment; measuring the exterior air temperature near said enclosure to establish a dew point temperature; measuring the interior air temperature within said enclosure; determining, from said measured exterior temperature, dew point temperature, and target humidity, for each of a plurality of feasible interior temperatures, the ventilation rate VT required to maintain that feasible interior temperature, the ventilation rate VH required to maintain air relative humidity at a control interval value which will achieve a 24-hour average relative humidity at said target value; the expected animal growth feed consumption and operating costs at that temperature; and selecting and maintaining the one of said feasible interior temperatures which will produce the maximum economic return for the animals in said enclosure.