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Odor measurement
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[OCT.
9, 2003]
URBANA --
A study by an Illinois State Water
Survey scientist indicates that elevating the level of discharge of
odors from swine production facilities, such as with a smokestack,
would not greatly depreciate the level of odor. However, the study
also points to a more effective way to measure odor levels.
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"The odor measurement tool developed,
known as a 'nanonose' because its operation depends on
nanometer-sized aerosol particles, shows promise for routine odor
measurement," said Allen Williams, a professional scientist with the
Illinois State Water Survey.
Williams' work was funded by the
Illinois Council on Food and Agricultural Research's five-year,
$6-million project on swine odor and waste management. Williams and
other researchers involved in the C-FAR project will present their
findings Dec. 11-12 at the University of Illinois Pork Industry
Conference in Champaign. Those interested in learning more about or
attending the event should contact Gilbert Hollis at (217) 333-0013
or by e-mail to
hollisg@mail.aces.uiuc.edu.
Using various models to study the
dispersion of odor transport and account for the effects of elevated
sources and other factors, Williams and Illinois Water Survey
collaborator Ho-Chun Huang found a key limitation on use of an
elevated stack for discharge.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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"The results of simulations for sources
elevated up to 10 meters show that beyond approximately a kilometer
from the source, the elevation has little effect on ground-level
odor concentrations," said Williams. "In a case where it is
desirable to reduce the odor levels at a mile or so from the source,
it is unlikely that releasing the odor from an elevated stack would
be effective. As a practical matter, the elevated source would be
more effective at distances out to several hundred meters from the
source."
Early trials indicate that the "nanonose"
device can be successful in accurately detecting odor levels.
However, there are technical problems that need to be resolved, and
today the device costs about $75,000 to produce and is much more
difficult to operate than existing devices.
"However, a
single analysis can be made in one minute after the instrument is
set up and running," said Williams. "Potentially hundreds of samples
could be done during a day compared to only a dozen or so with
olfactometry, the existing method."
[University
of Illinois news release]
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