NUMERICAL EVALUATION OF AERODYNAMIC DEVICES IN MITIGATING HEAT STRESS IN PIGS DURING TRANSPORT

Improving natural ventilation during animal transportation is a promising approach for promoting animal well-being and reducing losses. The objective of this study was to evaluate in silico the efficiency of devices (airfoils and deflectors) used for cooling trailers during the transportation of pigs. Device performance was assessed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and 3D modeling of the enthalpy profile of a trailer, and adaptive mesh generation was employed to construct a computational mesh. Turbulence treatments were performed using RANS model and k-omega SST models. The results revealed that compared with the conditions observed in commercial transportation, the use of an airfoil increased the airflow and reduced the enthalpy within the assessed trailer (-5.4%). Likewise, the use of deflectors resulted in a reduction in enthalpy (3.04%), although their use led to a translocation of the thermal core to the front region of the upper floor of the trailer. Nevertheless, the use deflectors has been proven to be more efficient when combined with an airfoil. In conclusion, the results obtained from our CFD simulations provide evidence to indicate that it is possible to optimize ventilation within transport containers using aerodynamic devices.