How to clean and maintain wet curtains in chicken houses

In summer or in countries with high temperatures, it is necessary to consider setting up a chicken house with an environmental control system. In order to ensure the maximum cooling effect, keep the wet curtains clean.

Over time, algae, dirt, dust and minerals will continue to clog the wet curtain, making it difficult for the fan to draw enough air into the chicken house and unable to keep the chickens cool and comfortable.

Keeping the wet curtain pad clean is important for daily management and maintenance. In order to maximize the cooling effect and extend the life of the pad, there are three most important keys:

1. Ensure that there is enough water flowing over the surface of the pad

2. Empty and clean the water tank and sink frequently

3. Avoid excessive use of chemicals.

First-The importance of water flow

Water flows over the surface of the pad, which not only ensures the correct wetting of the pad, but also helps to clean the pad.

Wet curtain manufacturers generally recommend that at least 9.3 liters of water flow through the wet curtain per minute per meter of length.

This means that for a 30-meter-long wet curtain, at least about 280 liters of water should flow through it per minute.

The flow rate is about 10 times the maximum evaporation rate of water. Please understand that, in the best case, for every 10 liters of water flowing, about 1 liter evaporates.

Although very low water flow rates can still wet the wet curtain, the purpose of high flow rates is to ensure that dirt and dust are constantly washed away from the wet curtain surface and the pipes.

Another important benefit of sufficient water flow is that it can minimize the deposition of minerals on the surface of the pad paper.

Over time, the accumulation of minerals will cause the pores in the pad paper to become smaller, reducing the amount of air entering the chicken house. The more water flows over the surface of the pad paper, the more the minerals in the water stay in suspension and do not accumulate on the surface of the pad paper.

Once the mineral deposition is serious, the size of the pores in the pad paper has been reduced a lot. At this time, it is difficult for the wet curtain to return to its previous state using any product.

The water flowing on the pad paper does not significantly increase the static pressure of the tunnel fan.

The study found that at the recommended water flow rate (9.3 liters/meter/minute). The water flow only increased the static pressure of the wet curtain by 0.005, and the air entering the chicken house was reduced by less than 1%.

As dust accumulates on the surface and inside of the pad paper, it can greatly increase the static pressure of the fan when it is working, resulting in a decrease in the wind cooling effect, and the temperature difference between the pad paper and the fan in the chicken house is increasing. In addition, dust usually contains ammonia. Ammonia changes the pH value of the pad paper. Over time, ammonia softens the wet curtain and greatly reduces its service life.

Two-How do I know if the water flow is sufficient?

You can use an instrument to measure the height of the water column.

Another quick method recommended is that we put our hands on the pad paper, with our thumbs down and slightly lifted from the surface of the pad paper.

When the water pump and all the fans are running at the same time, if there is a pencil-thick stream of water flowing from the tip of the thumb, it indicates that the water flow is suitable. If only water drops flow slowly, it means that the water flow is not enough. In the case of insufficient water flow, dirt and minerals will quickly deposit on the surface of the pad paper. Using an interval timer will increase the deposition of dirt and minerals on the surface of the pad paper.

When the pump is turned off, the outside of the pad paper will dry out and minerals and dust will settle to the surface of the pad paper. If the circulation pump is turned on for a few minutes, it is not enough to remove minerals/dirt from the surface.
But it is enough to allow more minerals/dirt to flow over the surface of the pad. When the water evaporates, more dirt and minerals are left inside.

When this process is repeated over days, weeks, months and years, the dirt and minerals have accumulated to the point where the pad begins to clog and air flow is reduced. The best way to avoid this is to set the wet curtain opening temperature at about 29°C.

Three-Water tank cleaning, the top priority

One of the best ways to keep the pad clean is to empty and flush the wet curtain water tank frequently. In hot weather, tens of thousands of liters of water evaporate from the surface of the wet curtain every week. And when it evaporates, only pure water can evaporate from the wet curtain.

Any minerals and/or contaminants in the water will not be evaporated. Over time, as these contaminants continue to concentrate in the water, they become corrosive. Turning into mud and settling on the pad, even turning into rock when it dries.

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