A high-efficiency, self-sustainable livestock barn air purification system

In the context of livestock farming, controlling dust within barns is vital for maintaining animal respiratory health, equipment longevity, and production efficiency. To address the challenges posed by high dust concentrations, ventilation systems with air filters and humidity controls have been introduced. However, their widespread adoption on family farms is hindered by their high costs, substantial energy consumption, and labor-intensive maintenance. To address this pressing issue, we propose a self-powered air purification system (SAPS) based on a wind-driven soft-contact triboelectric nanogenerator (SC-TENG), specifically tailored for deployment within livestock barns. Leveraging the low wear and strong charge-donating properties of rabbit hair as the triboelectric material, the SC-TENG efficiently harnesses low-speed wind energy near the ground, consistently generating a high voltage of ~3000 V. Consequently, the SAPS achieves a maximum dust removal efficiency 30.3% higher than natural settling, demonstrating exceptional performance in dust collection. Additionally, SAPS exhibits notable sensitivity to fine particulate matter, covering a particle size range from 0.01 to 1 μm. This innovative approach holds significant promise in addressing dust-related challenges in livestock farming, offering a cost-effective and energy-efficient solution that is adaptable particularly for small family farms.