Bazooka™: A First-of-Its-Kind Non-Thermal Plasma–Electrocyclone–Catalytic System for Real-Time Removal of Airborne Pathogens, Dust, and Ammonia in Poultry Farms
RAJ SINGH, Hema Ravindran, Antonio Baratta, Gediminas Mainelis, KiposTech LLC
Abstract Number: 529
Working Group: Reducing Aerosol Exposure with Control Technologies and Interventions
Abstract
Over the past two decades, poultry farms have experienced a 100-fold increase in losses due to airborne disease outbreaks. In 2022 alone, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) caused over $3 billion in industry damages, tripled egg prices, and destabilized national food supply chains. A single infected bird can trigger a rapid farm-wide outbreak, forcing costly and environmentally damaging culling events. At the farm level, outbreaks result in $100,000 to $1 million in annual losses, with up to 65% of poultry infections being airborne in origin.
To address this escalating threat, we present Bazooka™, a first-of-its-kind active air treatment system designed for high-velocity, dust-laden poultry environments. Developed by KiposTech, Bazooka™ combines three advanced modules in a compact, washable form:
Lightning Discharge Plasma Reactor for non-thermal plasma-based microbial and viral inactivation.
Electrocyclone Module for efficient submicron dust separation under turbulent airflow.
Catalytic Adsorption Chamber for high-throughput ammonia and VOC removal.
Prototype validation at 400 CFM demonstrated >90% disinfection of airborne bacterial and fungal spores, >70% PM2.5 removal, and a pressure drop of <100 Pa. CFD simulations indicate scalability up to 1,000 CFM without efficiency loss or increased resistance. Unlike filters or UV systems, Bazooka™ operates continuously alongside axial fans and within corrosive, humid environments, without requiring infrastructure changes, frequent maintenance, or downtime.
Pilot deployments are underway across U.S. poultry farms, including a third-party evaluation with Agrotop, a global poultry infrastructure leader. Bazooka™ is integrated with KiposEye, an AI-powered air quality monitoring platform enabling real-time data visualization and ventilation optimization.
Bazooka™ transforms passive ventilation into active, intelligent bioaerosol control, offering farmers a scalable, low-maintenance, and scientifically validated solution to reduce disease risk, enhance flock performance, and strengthen agricultural resilience.