On the controlling of temperature: A proposal for a real-time controller in broiler houses

Resumo

Environmental conditions in broiler houses, specifically temperature, are key factors that should be controlled to ensure appropriate environment for broiler rearing. In countries with tropical/subtropical climate, like Brazil, high temperatures produce heat stress to animals, affecting the production process. This research proposes a real-time model to control temperature inside broiler houses. The controller is a self-correcting model that makes real-time decisions on the ventilation system operation (exhaust fans) together with temperature prediction at the facility. The model involves partial differential equations (PDE) whose parameters are updated according to data registered in real-time. Some experiments were carried out at a pilot farm in the municipality of Jundiaí, São Paulo State, Brazil, for different periods during winter and summer. The results based on simulations in comparison with the current automatic ventilation system show that the model is consistent to keep temperature under control for an efficient production. The model achieved a bias of 0.6 °C on average in comparison with the ideal temperature, whereas the automatic controller measured a bias of 3.3 °C, respectively. Future lines suggest that this approach could be useful in many other situations that involve environmental control for livestock production.