FTIR spectroscopy measurements and CFD simulations of the pollutants arising from unflued combustion in a room

This paper reports on a study of indoor air quality in a simulated kitchen environment. Combustion products from unflued combustion from a gas cook-top in a ventilated room were measured using an extractive FTIR technique. Results were compared with those from conventional instruments and the FTIR technique was shown to give good agreement. Detection limits and the effect of H2O and CO2 in obscuring the spectrum were studied. In addition, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was used to explore the conditions in the room and to assist with experimental design. This revealed a complex flow situation that can arise when the plume from the cook top interacts with the extraction hood.