Numerical Study of Carbon Dioxide Gas Emission From an Urban Residential Kitchen in Developing Countries

Lack of proper ventilation of exhaust fumes from gas fired stoves in residential kitchens is a major health concern for some populations. It could even cause destruction of property, and reduce quality of life and lifespan. In this study, a typical kitchen having a standard dimension of 2.13 m × 2.43 m × 3.05 m was modeled with single open door exit. Two heat sources were used for modeling the kitchen that resembles the double burner gas stove of an urban residential kitchen in developing countries. Steady-state simulations were performed using a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (cfd) code with appropriate boundary conditions. The present numerical method was validated by comparing with the experimental data reported by Posner et al. (2003, “Measurement and Prediction of Indoor Air Flow in a Model Room,” J. Energy Build., 35(5), pp. 515–526). The comparison showed very reasonable agreement. A grid independence test was also performed to determine the optimum grid resolution reflecting the accuracy of the numerical solution. The results are presented for carbon dioxide (CO₂) gas emission from the stove exhaust and dispersion within the kitchen space. A comparative analysis between the ventilation (natural and forced) and no ventilation conditions is also reported in this study. The location of the breathing zone was at a height of 73 cm and at a distance of 33 cm from the center of the two burners. Very high concentration (above 5000 ppm) of CO₂ gas was observed at the plane passing the breathing zone. Exposure to this environment for longer time may cause serious health damage of the occupants (http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/eh/chemfs/fs/carbondioxide.htm). As per the Wisconsin Department of Health Services of USA, over 5000 ppm exposures to CO₂ lead to serious oxygen deficit resulting in permanent brain damage, coma, and even death.