Innovative technology for ammonia abatement from livestock buildings using advanced oxidation processes

The feasibility of using advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for abatement of ammonia from livestock buildings was examined in a series of pilot plant experiments. In this study, all the experiments were conducted in a two-step unit containing a dry photolytic reactor (UV₁₈₅/UV₂₅₄/O₃) and a photochemical scrubber (UV₂₅₄/H₂O₂). The unit efficiency was tested for two initial ammonia concentrations (20 and 35 ppmv) and three different air flows (150, 300 and 450 m³·h^-1). While the first step removes mainly organic pollutants that are often present together with ammonia in the air and ammonia only partially, the second step removes around 90% of ammonia emissions even at the highest flow rate of 450 m³·h^-1. Absorbed ammonia in the aqueous phase can be effectively removed without adjusting the pH (i.e. without the addition of other additives) using UV and ozone. Complete removal of ammonia was achieved after 15 h of irradiation. In order to assess the price efficiency of the suggested technology and to be able to compare it with other methods the figures-of-merit were determined. The price needed for lowering ammonia emission by one order of magnitude is 0.002 € per cubic meter of treated air at the highest flow rate of 450 m³·h^-1 and for initial ammonia concentrations of 20 ppmv. These findings demonstrate that AOPs are a promising method for ammonia abatement from livestock buildings which are rarely using any waste air treatment method.