ABSTRACT
• Aerodynamic environment in a fattening pig house simulated using CFD. • Three-dimensional image models were developed for inputting in a virtual space. • A VR simulator was developed to visualise the aerodynamic environment in a fattening pig house. In this study, a virtual reality (VR) simulator to visualise the aerodynamic environment of a fattening pig house was developed as educational materials for farmers and consultants. The aerodynamic environments inside a fattening pig house were firstly analysed according to various environmental conditions using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Using the validated CFD model (Kim et al., 2019), the aerodynamic environment inside the fattening pig house was analysed with 54 cases of environmental conditions in winter and 60 cases of environmental conditions in summer. And then, the VR simulator was developed by visualising the CFD-computed data of aerodynamic environments in virtual space. The three-dimensional fattening pig house models were designed following the CFD-computed cases, and the three-dimensional pig model was developed with real shape and texture. The virtual space was organized by arranging the three-dimensional image models of the fattening pig house and fattening pig. A C language-based code was also used to extract the CFD-computed results for developing visualisation of the aerodynamic environment inside the fattening pig house. Visualisation was realized using contour plot, two-dimensional vector flow, and smoke effect in the virtual space. In the case of the contour plot, a scalar of air temperature, relative humidity, and gas concentration were expressed using color on the active plane. A two-dimensional vector flow represented two-dimensional flows on the active plane. From streamline data, the smoke effect was developed to describe the airflow from the air inlet. In this study, a tablet-shaped user interface (UI) was created so that the user can directly select the desired cases. Through a performance test, the optimal number of frames was determined. Finally, the VR simulator was developed to effectively describe the aerodynamic environments inside the fattening pig house. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Computers & Electronics in Agriculture is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)