Ventilation rate in three types of opening ratio at the domestic kitchen

¹ Professor, Department of Interior Design, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan
² Master Student, Department of Interior Design, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan

^* Corresponding author: MCJL@nutc.edu.tw

Abstract

The concept of open design in western kitchen, where the kitchen is integrated with the dining and living area, is considered a modern style for residential buildings, flats, and condos in Taiwan. However, traditional Chinese cuisine, particularly fried practices, tends to release various chemical and physical pollutants into the air, affecting the health of residents across interconnected rooms. Despite the installation of cooker hoods, inadequate fresh air inflow into the kitchen hinders proper ventilation. This study explores the impact of different kitchen design openings (full open with an Opening Ratio (OR) > 50%), semi-open with 50% ≥ OR > 20%, and less open with OR ≤ 20%) on controlling cooking emissions. Indoor air quality in the kitchen and connected rooms (dining room and living room) was measured to analyse pollutant concentrations, including PM2.5, CO, and CO2. The findings emphasize the significance of the air inflow-to -outflow ratio, especially in less open kitchens. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation suggests an ideal ventilation ratio of 1.3:1 to 1.5:1 for achieving positive pressure in interconnected spaces. These results provide valuable insights for interior designers and architects in determining appropriate ventilation rates.