Natural Ventilation Effectiveness of Round Wall-Mounted Vent Caps in Residential Kitchens

Yi-Pin Lin, Chiemi Iba and Chi-Ming Lai
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Yi-Pin Lin: Department of Creative Design, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Douliu 640, Taiwan
Chiemi Iba: Department of Architecture and Architectural Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
Chi-Ming Lai: Department of Civil Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 5, 1-13

Abstract: This study explores the effect of different numbers of wall-mounted vent caps and their installation locations on the indoor air environment in residential kitchens, for which limited information is available. Wind tunnel tests were performed to study the induced ventilation rates of a vent cap, and the impact of vent caps on the natural ventilation efficiency in residential kitchens was examined using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical simulations. The results were then applied to determine the appropriate quantity of vent caps and their proper installation location. The wind tunnel test results indicated that outdoor winds with speeds of 0–6 m/s that flow parallel to the wall with a vent cap induce indoor air to exit through the cap with ventilation rates of 0–20 m 3 /h; when the wind blows perpendicular to the wall, outdoor air with 0–31.9 m 3 /h flows indoors. CFD numerical simulations showed that the installation of kitchen vent caps can reduce the average carbon monoxide concentration in the cook’s breathing zone. A sufficient quantity of vent caps and the proper installation location are required to ensure the natural ventilation effectiveness of wall-mounted vent caps.

Keywords: natural ventilation; air environment; kitchen; vent cap; CFD (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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