Stop Airborne Spread of Pathogens on the Farm: Electrostatic Precipitator Offers Potential

An electrostatic precipitator (ESP) is effective in mitigating airborne spread of pathogens under farm conditions, a new study says. Montserrat Torremorell, department chair and professor of the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine at the University of Minnesota, led this study evaluating the utility of an ESP to remove airborne particles from aerosols, including porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV).

The study, funded by the Swine Health Information Center Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Research Program, in partnership with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research and Pork Checkoff, demonstrated high effectiveness, comparable to or slightly exceeding a MERV-16 filter, in removing airborne particles and over 99% removal of PRRSV.

According to SHIC, the study focused on assessing the detailed capabilities of the ESP system to remove airborne particles. When compared to the MERV-16, respected for high-efficiency filtration in controlled environments, the ESP prototype achieved similar or enhanced performance using its non-mechanical, electrostatic method.

“These results suggest potential opportunities for farms to shift to technologies that would be highly effective without the rapid pressure drop and replacement burden associated with using mechanical air filtration,” researchers report.

The Set-Up
A commercially available ESP was used and tested for its ability to collect airborne particles in the ASHRAE 52.2 wind tunnel in the UMN Department of Mechanical Engineering. Not only was the ESP assessed in a controlled laboratory setting to assess the particle collection efficiency but it also confirmed particle size distribution.

SHIC says the size distribution measurements were conducted using a Size Mobility Particle Scanner and Optical Particle Scanner, covering a particle range from 10 nm to 10 µm.