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ARS Home » Northeast Area » University Park, Pennsylvania » Pasture Systems & Watershed Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #330234
Title: Modeling emissions of volatile organic compounds from silage storages and feed lanes

Author
item Bonifacio, Henry
item Rotz, Clarence - Al
item COHEN, MICHAEL - University Of California
item MITLOEHNER, FRANK - University Of California
item MONTES, FELIPE - University Of California

Submitted to: ASABE Annual International Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2016
Publication Date: 7/17/2016
Citation: Bonifacio, H.F., Rotz, C.A., Cohen, M., Mitloehner, F., Montes, F. 2016. Modeling emissions of volatile organic compounds from silage storages and feed lanes [abstract]. ASABE Annual International Meeting. P. 1.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: An initial volatile organic compound (VOC) emission model for silage sources, developed using experimental data from previous studies, was incorporated into the Integrated Farm System Model (IFSM), a whole-farm simulation model used to assess the performance, environmental impacts, and economics of crop, dairy, and beef production systems. Through a comparison with field measurements from a commercial California dairy farm, it was determined that there was a need to revise the model to improve prediction of ethanol and methanol emissions from silage storages (drive-over piles, silage bags) and feed lanes. Through numerical modeling of surface emission and transport processes, a revised process-based model was developed and refined using experimental data for both packed and loose silages. The performance of the revised model was then evaluated in predicting ethanol and methanol emissions as measured from silage sources at the California dairy. Compared to the previous version, the revised model performed better in simulating emissions from silage sources and corresponding effects of silage conditions (e.g., moisture content and bulk density). The revised model worked relatively well in predicting ethanol emissions from the different silage sources; however, due to the lack of experimental data for refining emission and transport parameters, the model under predicted methanol emissions from silage storages. The revised process-based VOC emission model, incorporated in IFSM, provides a tool for studying the whole farm impact and economics of VOC mitigation strategies. Simulation results indicate that most of the emissions occur from the feed lane or bunk, so mitigation practices should focus on this phase of silage handling. Despite the absence of refined emission and transport parameters for each VOC type simulated (e.g., acids, esters, aldehydes) in IFSM, the revised VOC emission model still proves valuable for assessing effects of different management practices on silage emissions.