Sustainable H/C Systems for Chicken Farms in Syria

Space heating/cooling systems account for approximately 30% of the global energy consumption. Such systems contribute to global warming by emitting 0.39.1011 MWh of heat and 2.9.1010 tons of CO2. There is a general understanding that the way to reduce global warming is a more efficient use of energy and increased use of renewable energy in all fields of the society. The poultry industry in the Mid East is an important business. There are e.g. 13000 chicken farms in Syria producing 172,000 ton of meat. This industry employs directly almost 150,000 people. The total investment in chicken farming is 130 BSP (2 B€). Even though, the annual mean temperature in Syria is ~15-18o C the winter temperatures are close to freezing for two months. Since the chickens need a temperature of 21-35o C, depending on age, approximately 168. 103 tons of coal (1170 GWh) is consumed for heating these plants. The chicken farms have no cooling systems since conventional cooling is too expensive. In the summer time, the ambient air temperature in Syria could reach above 45o C. The elevated temperature inside the farms reduces the chicken growth and lots of chicken die of over heating. Using the ground as a heat source means a sustainable and less expensive heating of the chicken farms. During the summer the resulting colder ground can be used as a source for free cooling, i.e. it can be used directly for cooling of the plants without any cooling machines. This study shows the design and simulated operation of a ground coupled heating/cooling system for a typical chicken farm in Syria. Based on this study the national potential of using such systems was estimated. It shows that the implementation of such ground coupled heating and cooling systems in the Syrian poultry sector would mean increased poultry production and considerable savings in money, energy, and the environment.