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Title: Novel livestock water tank. Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6629343

Novel photovoltaic system provides freeze protection for livestock tanks. Ranchers and farmers living in northern climates traditionally use electric resistance heaters to prevent there stock tanks from freezing in the winter. This traditional method has two distinct drawbacks, it is expensive and it uses large quantities of electrical power each year. This project is to design to keep water tanks ice free without either of those two drawbacks. In this project a small photovoltaic under 100 watts powered an air bubbling system similar to ice prevention systems currently used to keep year round harbors open. This project is designed so that water from the bottom of the stock tank flows to the bottom of heat exchange barrier box 6 feet underground. Heat from the surrounding earth will flow into the heat exchanger and the incoming cool water from the stock tank above. An airbubbler similar to that found in many aquariums will push the warm water up and will discharge the warm water into livestock tanks.

Research Organization:
Wegman (Steven), Pierre, SD (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
FG48-81R806035
OSTI ID:
6629343
Report Number(s):
DOE/R8/06035-T1; ON: DE84016371
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Paper copy only, copy does not permit microfiche production
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English