Airflow characteristics at the surface of manure in a storage pit affected by ventilation rate, floor slat opening, and headspace height

A statistical model was developed to calculate the mean air velocity as a function of ventilation rate, opening ratio of the slatted floor and headspace height in the slurry pit (coefficient of determination R2 = 0.97). The mean air velocity was more sensitive to the ventilation rate than to the slatted floor opening ratio and the headspace height in the pit. Moreover, the mean air velocity was much more sensitive to variations in the ventilation rate at higher ventilation rates than at lower ventilation rates. However, the mean air velocity was much more sensitive at lower floor slat opening ratios and headspace heights than at higher ones.