Potential for heat stress relief using desiccant systems in swinw breeding facilities

Heat stress associated with extreme temperatures and relative humidity has been shown to reduce the productivity  from  swine  facilities,  especially breeding facilities. Traditional cooling methods used in these settings include evaporative pad cooling or misting with water. These methods are unable  to lower relative humidity. Direct-expansion air- conditioning (DX-AC) has been shown to be effective, but generally not economically feasible at current energy costs. This paper presents an analysis of a desiccant technology for dehumidification configured with different ventilation systems, to enhance different cooling methods including evaporative pads. Results from  this  study  suggest that cost-effective hybrid desiccant systems may be designed to effectively eliminate stress conditions in a high-value swine breeding operations.