REMOVAL EFFICIENCY OF PARTICULATE MATTER BY A RANGE EXHAUST FAN

The efficiencies of a range exhaust fan in removing particulate combustion products from cooking were evaluated in a first-floor apartment by measuring the size distributions and the number concentrations of the submicrometer aerosols. On average, the particle removal efficiencies of the range hood were in the range of 75﹪-80 ﹪. Without the range hood operating, the number median diameters of making scrambled eggs, frying chicken, cooking soup, and the background conditions were 40 nm, 50 nm, 30 nm , and 70 nm, respectively. While the range hood was on, the number median diameters were found to be approximately 40 nm, regardless of the types of cooking. Regarding the surface area weighted size distributions, the surface median diameters of the four situations mentioned above were 180 nm, 200 nm, 150 nm, and 220 nm with the range hood off, respectively, and 200 nm for most of the conditions while the range hood was on. The volume median diameters in all conditions were almost similar, namely 300-350 nm both with and without the range hood. #B029301