Cooking Fumes Research Articles

Degradation of Non-methane Hydrocarbons in Cooking Fume by Wire Cylinder DC Corona Discharge

Degradation of Non-methane Hydrocarbons in Cooking Fume by Wire Cylinder DC Corona Discharge

Evaluation of Lipid Profile and Oxidative Stress of Workers in Fast Food Restaurants and The Risk of Atherosclerosis

Cooking fumes and biomass smoke pose significant threats to air degradation and human health, especially to people who work in this field on a daily basis, due to the large amounts of hazardous pollutants released from grilling activities. Chronic exposure to these fumes is associated with a risk of inflammation and oxidative stress, which can increase the risk of atherosclerosis. In this study, the lipid profile Glutathion (GSH) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) of workers in fast food restaurants and patients with atherosclerosis were evaluated. The study included 40 Atherosclerosis patients, 40 fast food workers, and 40 healthy individuals as a control group, the ages ranges of (20-40) years. The obtained results indicated a significant increase in cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and VLDL and a decrease in HDL (p < 0.01) in patients and fast-food workers compared to control group. The results also indicated a significant increase in the level of MDA, and a significant decrease in the level of GSH for patients and fast-food workers compared to the control. In conclusion, it appears that fast food workers experience oxidative stress and disruption in lipid metabolism that may increase the risk of atherosclerosis. Therefore, safety and quality control measures must be strengthened to reduce the occupational risks of fast-food restaurant workers.

Experimental study on the airflow dynamics and particulate matter emission characteristics of cooking fumes during frying, roasting, and deep-frying

Clarifying the characteristics of thermal plume airflow dynamics and particle characteristics during different cooking processes is helpful for efficiently controlling cooking fumes. In this study, the flow and emission characteristics of cooking fumes produced during frying, roasting, and deep frying were investigated using quantitative schlieren techniques and particulate matter sensors. The results show that frying, roasting, and deep-frying have smaller vortex areas, but different to that produced when simply heating edible oil, with the three cooking scenarios exhibiting plume dispersion angles that are, on average, approximately 20° larger than that observed for the heated-oil case. Furthermore, the emission velocity of the source ranged from 0 to 0.5 m/s for the four cases (within a distance one-times the diameter of the emission source). The velocity of the heated-oil case was generally Gaussian distributed, whereas those of the cooking cases were parabolically distributed. All cases exhibited linear variations in sectional diffusion diameter and flow rate along the vertical direction. The three cooking cases exhibited linearly fitted slopes that are approximately 1.0–2.0-times greater than that of the heated-oil case, which is reflective of more ambient air entrained during cooking. Particles 1–2.5 μm in size were observed for the three cooking cases, while the deep-frying case exhibited an average particulate mass concentration more than twice that observed for the heated-oil, which significantly increases the danger of exposure to oil-fume particles. In summary, detailed cooking-fume data serve as boundary conditions for simulations and provide crucial insight for effectively capturing cooking fumes.

A bioinspired vine-like hierarchically structured PET/CA composite nanofibrous membrane with superhydrophobic and superoleophilic surface for high-efficiency cooking fumes capture

Indoor air pollution, especially from cooking oil fumes (COFs), has become a serious issue that affects human health. Obtaining filters that can offer high efficiency, high air permeability and good reusability and stability for COFs removal remains a challenge. Herein, a bioinspired vine-like polyethylene terephthalate/cellulose acetate (PET/CA) composite nanofibrous membrane with high filtration performance, high air permeability and enhanced flame retardancy for COFs removal is achieved via a one-step co-electrospinning process. The nanofibrous membrane consists of hierarchically branched nanofibers to offer small pore size (0.48 μm), high porosity (94.75 %) and low packing density (0.22 g m−3), as well as surface superhydrophobicity (water contact angle of 154°) and superoleophilicity (vegetable oil wetting time of 0.21 s). The nanofibrous filter demonstrates high-efficiency COFs removal (>99.5 %), low air resistance (<70 Pa) and good reusability and stability for actual COFs purification. By virtue of the simple fabrication technique and the superiorities in COFs capture, the bioinspired vine-like hierarchical structured nanofibrous membranes have promising applications for oily fumes filtration and air purification in the catering industry.

Personal exposure assessment to deep-frying cooking-generated particulate matter using various cooking oils

Cooking-generated particulate matter (PM) is important to study due to the health hazards caused to exposed individuals. Cooking oils have been reported as a significant contributor to cooking emissions. Moreover, deep-frying cooking has been shown to cause a significant increase in PM concentration. Thereby, a pilot study was conducted in controlled environmental conditions to assess personal exposure to deep-frying cooking-generated PM for five different types of oils, i.e., soybean, peanut, saffola, mustard, and olive oil. Concentrations of cooking-generated PM and their average daily dose (ADD) were evaluated for males and females. In addition, morphological and chemical analysis of cooking-generated PM was also conducted. The findings of this study indicated that PM emissions were the highest for olive oil, followed by mustard, saffola, and peanut, and the lowest for soybean oil. Moreover, ADD was found more in females than males because of the lesser inhalation rate to body weight ratio of females. Results of the morphological analysis of cooking-generated PM revealed a variety of particle shapes, including spherical, rod, and irregular particles for the various oils. Moreover, chemical composition analysis showed a number of toxic elements present in oils, such as Zn, Cr, Ba, and Al. Importantly, the lowest percentage of toxic elements was observed in olive oil, indicating that olive oil is the most healthy option for cooking. Overall, this study's results provide valuable insights into the personal exposure associated with Indian cooking conditions in order to develop mitigation strategies for harmful cooking fumes.

Impact of emissions of volatile organic compounds from restaurants on ambient air quality and health: Case study in beijing

Cooking fumes are important sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Compared with home cooking, commercial cooking uses a higher number of stoves, consumes more oil, operates for longer hours, and performs more complex cooking processes and usage of seasoning, resulting in more serious pollution. In this study, we collected samples of cooking fumes from six common types of restaurants in Beijing, and investigated their emission characteristics. We analyzed the secondary transformations of VOCs in cooking fumes and their impacts on human health. Results show that oxygenated VOCs (O–VOCs) accounted for the highest proportion of VOCs emitted by all types of restaurants (47.67–73.46%), with ethanol being their most significant component (27.04–62.31%). The ozone formation potential (OFP) were the highest from canteen emissions, and secondary organic aerosol potential (SOAP) were the highest from barbecue emissions. Among VOCs, aromatic hydrocarbons contributed the most to atmospheric SOA in all types of restaurants, exceeding 80%. The carcinogenic risks of the Class 1 carcinogens benzene and 1,3-butadiene in VOCs of barbecue emissions were the highest, and did not exceed acceptable levels. The non-carcinogenic risks were high from both barbecue and canteen without exceeding threshold values. This study can serve as an important basis for assessing the contribution of VOCs from restaurants in Beijing to secondary pollutants and their impacts on human health, and lead to the accurate determinations of the focus of pollution control.

Heat recovery from kitchen by using range hood with gas-gas plate heat exchanger

The cooking oil fume causes serious health problems, even lung cancer. So, the cooking fume must be removed timely and effectively. Generally, residential range hood removing hot air from kitchen, which contains much heat. However, the heat recovery from kitchen was seldom considered. The gas-gas heat exchanger system is suitable for kitchen heat recovery and it is called heat recovery range hood system. A fresh air fan and a plate heat exchanger are added on common residential range hood to form a heat recovery range hood system, which is proposed in this paper. The system consists of a plate heat exchanger, exhaust air fan and fresh air fan. The exhaust air fan and fresh air fan are the same and fixed in size, so the system size is directly depended on the plate heat exchanger size. In this paper, the thermal design of the heat recovery range hood system is performed by a coupling ε-NTU method. It shows that the extra exhaust fan increases the heat recovery performance significantly. The decrement of plate spacings at constant overall dimensions of plate heat exchanger also strongly enhances the heat recovery performance.

The Chemical Composition Characteristics and Health Risk Assessment of Cooking Fume Condensates from Residential Kitchens in Different Regions of China

The aim of this study was to explore the similarities and differences of volatile organic pollutants (VOCs) in cooking fumes (COF) of residential buildings in different regions of China, as well as to evaluate their potential health risks. COF condensates were collected from 10 representative cities in China and analyzed by a GC-MS method. Their effects on α-glucosidase, acetylcholinesterase (AchE), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities were then detected to evaluate potential health risks. A total of 174 kinds of VOCs, including aldehydes, esters, hydrocarbons, alcohols, and carboxylic acid, were identified. There were 59 identical compounds in the northern and southern regions, and 56 common compounds in spicy and non-spicy regions. Health risk assessment results showed that COF condensate could inhibit the activity of α-glucosidase to varying degrees (61.73-129.25%), suggesting that it had a potential risk of causing hypoglycemia. Daily and 3 and 6 month intakes of COF in minors, adults, and the elderly had both activated and inhibited effects on AchE. The activated effect in the southern and spicy areas was higher than that in northern and non-spicy areas, revealing that different regions and dietary habits had different effects on the risk of neurological diseases caused by changes in AchE activity. For minors, adults, and the elderly, COF had different degrees of activation of LDH at different exposure times and regions. Activation in the northern and non-spicy areas was higher than that in southern and spicy areas, suggesting that the health risks caused by changes in LDH activity levels were significantly increased.

Impact of cooking style and oil on semi-volatile and intermediate volatility organic compound emissions from Chinese domestic cooking

Abstract. To elucidate the molecular chemical compositions, volatility–polarity distributions, and influencing factors of Chinese cooking emissions, a comprehensive cooking emission experiment was conducted. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), intermediate volatility, and semi-volatile organic compounds (I/SVOCs) from cooking fumes were analysed by a thermal desorption comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with quadrupole mass spectrometer (TD-GC × GC-qMS). Emissions from four typical Chinese dishes, i.e. fried chicken, Kung Pao chicken, pan-fried tofu, and stir-fried cabbage were investigated to illustrate the impact of cooking style and material. Fumes of chicken fried with corn, peanut, soybean, and sunflower oils were investigated to demonstrate the influence of cooking oil. A total of 201 chemicals were quantified. Kung Pao chicken emitted more pollutants than other dishes due to its rather intense cooking method. Aromatics and oxygenated compounds were extensively detected among meat-related cooking fumes, while a vegetable-related profile was observed in the emissions of stir-fried cabbage. Ozone formation potential (OFP) was dominated by chemicals in the VOC range. Of the secondary organic aerosol (SOA) estimation, 10.2 %–32.0 % could be explained by S/IVOCs. Pixel-based partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and multiway principal component analysis (MPCA) were utilized for sample classification and component identification. The results indicated that the oil factor explained more variance of chemical compositions than the cooking style factor. MPCA results emphasize the importance of the unsaturated fatty acid-alkadienal-volatile products mechanism (oil autoxidation) accelerated by the cooking and heating procedure.

Parameter Optimization of Catering Oil Droplet Electrostatic Coalescence under Coupling Field with COMSOL Software

At present, the common cooking fume purification devices are mostly based on electrostatic technology. There are few researches on the microscopic process of coalescence and electric field parameters’ optimization. In this paper, COMSOL MultiphysicsTM was used to simulate the electrostatic coalescence of oil droplets in the coupling field of an electric field and flow field. The degree of deformation of oil droplets (D) and the starting coalescence time (tsc) were used to evaluate the coalescence process. The feasibility of the model was verified through experimental results. The effects of voltage, flow speed and oil droplet radius on tsc were investigated, and the parameters were optimized by the response surface method and Matrix correlation analysis. It can be concluded that increasing the voltage, flow speed and oil droplet radius appropriately would be conducive to the coalescence of oil droplets. When the oil droplet radius was in the range of 0–1.5 mm, it promoted the coalescence of oil droplets. The influence of various factors on oil droplet coalescence was flow speed &gt; voltage &gt; oil droplet radius. The optimal result obtained by simulation was that when the radius of the oil droplet was 1.56 mm, the voltage 12 kV and the flow speed 180 mm/ms, the shortest coalescence time of oil droplets was 16.8253 ms.

Nonthermal plasma: An emerging innovative technology for the efficient removal of cooking fumes

Cooking fumes (CFs) pose a considerable threat to the atmospheric environment and health, thus requiring appropriate mitigation measures. In this study, a nonthermal plasma (NTP) method based on a glass-bead-packed-bed dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor was used to remove CFs. The results revealed that the introduction of glass beads into the DBD reactor considerably enhanced the electrical field, resulting in the marked improvement of the removal of CFs. At a discharge power of 7.4 W, the removal efficiencies of CFs, nonmethane hydrocarbons, and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤ 10 µm (PM10) reached 89.5%, 98%, and 79%, respectively. Moreover, a high COx yield of 25.3% and an energy yield of COx of 41.19 g·kWh−1 were achieved due to the oxidation of carbon-containing compounds. The use of air as the carrier gas resulted in the more efficient removal of CFs compared with the use of nitrogen because of the oxidation effect of active oxygen-containing species derived from the dissociation of oxygen molecules. The performance of the glass-bead-packed-bed DBD reactor was positively correlated with discharge power. Furthermore, on the basis of the identification of byproducts, a reaction pathway underlying the NTP removal of CFs was proposed. The main carbon-containing compounds identified in CFs were esters, hydrocarbons, aldehydes, ketones, and S/Cl-containing compounds, which underwent destruction through a series of dissociation and oxidation reactions, forming CO2 and H2O in the plasma region. This study provides evidence for the use of NTP as an innovative technology for the highly efficient removal of CFs.

Assessing Impacts of Additives on Particulate Matter and Volatile Organic Compounds Produced from the Grilling of Meat

Cooking fumes are an important source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (PM), and carbonyl compounds. The additive is wildly applied in grilling meat for flavor improvement. However, the effects of additives on cooking fumes emissions, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (PM), and carbonyl compounds, in meat grilling have not been studied. The impact of four additives, including white pepper, salt, garlic powder, and compound marinade, on the emission characteristics of cooking fumes from the grilling meat was investigated. The concentrations of VOCs and carbonyl compounds in the cooking fumes were analyzed by TD-GC/MS and HPLC, respectively. The PM emission characteristics (mass concentration and size distribution) were measured by DustTrak DRX aerosol monitor in real-time. Results showed that the application of white pepper, salt, garlic powder, and mixed spices could significantly reduce the total particles mass concentration (TPM) emissions during meat-grilling by 65.07%, 47.86%, 32.87%, and 56.01%, respectively. The mass concentration of PM during meat-grilling reached maximum values ranging from 350 to 390 s and gradually fell at the final stages of grilling. The total concentration of 22 representative VOCs emitted from the grilling was significantly increased in grilling meat marinated with compound additives. Aromatic hydrocarbons were the predominant VOCs species, followed by ketone compounds. During the grilling process, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, and acetone were major carbonyl compounds. The low molecular weight carbonyl compounds (C1–C3) in cooking fumes were dominant carbonyl compounds.

Hazard Levels of Cooking Fumes in Republic of Korea Schools

Background and PurposeIn 2021, lung cancer in school food workers was first recognized as an occupational cancer. The classification of the carcinogenicity of cooking fumes by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) was based on Chinese epidemiological data. This study aimed to determine the hazard levels of school cooking fumes in Korea. Materials and MethodsBased on public school cafeterias in one area, 25 locations were selected for the survey according to the number per school type, ventilation states, and environmental pre-assessments of cafeterias. Two inside cooking areas using a heat source and one outside cooking area were selected as control measurement points. Measurements of CO, CO2, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), including benzene, formaldehyde, and particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5, PM1, respectively), were taken. The concentrations and patterns of each substance in the kitchens were compared with the outdoor air quality. ResultKnown carcinogens, such as the concentrations of PAHs, formaldehyde, TVOC (benzene), and particulate matter in school cooking fumes, were all detected at similar or slightly higher levels than those found outside. Additionally, substances were detected at relatively low concentrations compared to the Chinese cooking fumes reported in the literature. However, the short-term exposure to high concentrations of CO (or composite exposure with CO2) and PM2.5 in this study were shown. ConclusionThe school cooking fumes in South Korea was a relatively less harmful than Chinese cooking fumes, however short-term, high exposure of toxic substances can cause a critical health effect.

Modified Camellia oleifera Shell Carbon with Enhanced Performance for the Adsorption of Cooking Fumes.

Using Camellia oleifera shell (COS) as a raw material and phosphoric acid as the activator, activated Camellia oleifera shell carbon (COSC-0) was prepared and then modified by Fenton’s reagent (named as COSC-1). SEM, GC-MS, FTIR, and specific surface area and pore analyzers were used to study the adsorption performance of COS, COSC-0, and COSC-1 on cooking fumes. Results showed that COSC-1 was the best adsorbent compared with COS and COSC-0. The adsorption quantity and penetrating time of COSC-1 were 44.04 mg/g and 4.1 h, respectively. Most aldehydes could be adsorbed by COSC-1, which was due to the large number of carbonyl and carboxyl groups generated on the surface of COSC-1 from the action of Fenton’s reagent. The adsorption effect of COSC-1 on different types of pollutants in cooking fumes was analyzed based on the similar compatibility principle. COSC-1 showed a much higher adsorption effect on the strong polarity functional groups than on weak polar groups. The results provide a theoretical basis for the application of Camellia oleifera shell carbon adsorption technology in the treatment of cooking fumes.

Exposure characteristics and risk assessment of VOCs from Chinese residential cooking

In comparison with various restaurant cuisines, common cooking methods are more represented in residential cooking. Rather than the exhaust pipe or the ambient environment in the cooking room, the respiration zone better reflects the health risks for operators. In this study, the concentrations of total volatile organic compound (TVOC) released from six typical cooking methods were monitored online in the respiratory zone, and the VOCs were analysed by GC-MS. The results demonstrated that the intensities of exposure to TVOC for the different cooking methods decreased as follows: stir-frying (3.809 mg/m3) > quick-frying (2.724 mg/m3) > deep-frying (2.465 mg/m3) > boiling (1.161 mg/m3)≈stewing (1.149 mg/m3) > limit in China (0.600 mg/m3) > steaming (0.440 mg/m3). The intense ventilation mode of the ventilator reduced exposure to TVOC by 45–63% relative to the medium mode. Eleven types of VOCs (approximately 200 compounds) were found in Chinese residential cooking fumes, and the predominant contaminants were aldehydes, followed by alkanes, unsaturated aldehydes, alcohols and alkenes. The mass percentage of aromatic hydrocarbons in all VOCs emitted from Chinese residential cooking was only 1%, while the value was 17–48% for commercial restaurants. The results of a health risk assessment revealed that the total potential carcinogenic risk level for VOCs released by six residential cooking methods decreased as follows: deep-frying (5.75) > stir-frying (3.95) > quick-frying (2.94) > stewing (1.99) > boiling (1.73) > steaming (1.48). Chinese residential cooking, and especially deep frying, has potential health impacts for the operator.

Modeling and simulation of DEHS aerosol filtration by a three-dimensional knitted spacer air filter

A three-dimensional knitted spacer air filter (3D filter) proposed is knitted fabric that provides great advantages of improving air permeability and its application of filtration offers a competitive pre-filter capable of removing cooking fume particles in cooking ventilation systems. At present, the effects of structural parameters of the 3D filter on the filtration performance has not been fully understood yet. This study numerically investigated the relationship between the figure of merit (FoM) and the structural parameters. The model of the geometrical structure of 3D filter was established and applied for predicting the filtration performance for Di-Ethyl-Hexyl-Sebacate (DEHS) particles. An experiment was conducted to validate the simulation results. The results showed that, for the front and back surface of the 3D filter, both increasing the number of fibers and reducing the diameter of fiber in a multifilament were to the benefit of filtration, whereas increasing the wale or the course density of fabric reduced the FoM. For the inner layer, increasing the thickness of inner layer could significantly improve the filtration, whereas increasing the inclination angle of monofilament, the knitting density and the monofilament diameter could reduce the FoM.

Pollution Characteristics of Cooking Fumes, Particulates, and Non-methane Hydrocarbons in the Exhaust of Typical Beijing Restaurants

To understand the atmospheric pollution emission concentration and overall emission level of the Beijing catering industry, and thus provide a basis for the targeted formulation of pollution control measures for the catering industry, this study selected typical catering enterprises in Beijing to research. Combined with the use of stoves during the on-site measurement and testing period, the emission concentrations of cooking fumes, particulates, and non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC), and the relationship between them in different types of catering enterprises, were analyzed, and the emission of atmospheric pollutants in the Beijing catering industry was estimated. The results showed that the average concentrations of cooking fumes, particulates, and NMHC of typical catering enterprises were (2.91±5.52), (9.25±10.02), and (12.72±11.38) mg·m-3, respectively. These all exceed the Beijing local emission standards. Of the typical catering enterprises, roast duck and barbecue had higher particulate matter and NMHC emissions, which easily exceeded the emission standard. Roast duck and barbecue are therefore the governance focus of the catering industry. The ratio of particulates to cooking fumes in roast duck, barbecue, and cooking catering enterprises ranged from 6.21 to 43.08, 5.03 to 19.07, and 0.75 to 7.55, respectively. The emission concentrations of particles are much larger than those of cooking fumes from charcoal grill and fruit-roasted duck. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis showed that the concentrations of particulates and cooking fumes in catering enterprises were strongly correlated, and the concentrations of particulates and NMHC were weakly correlated. The study estimates roughly that the emissions of cooking fumes, particulates, and NMHC were 2492, 6127, and 9436 tons, respectively, from the catering industry in Beijing in 2014.

Preliminary estimation of chemical compositions and emissions of particulate matters from domestic cooking in Beijing

Family cooking oil fume are becoming an important source of urban atmospheric fine particulate (PM2.5). In order to understand the characteristics and level of PM2.5 emission from family cooking fume. Mass concentration, chemical compositions and emission factors of PM2.5 emitted from family cooking fumes were studied based on in situ measurement, and the total amounts of PM2.5 emission from family cooking fumes in Beijing was preliminary estimated. Results showed that mass concentration of PM2.5 emitted from family cooking fumes ranged from 329.88±91.24 to 500.89±130.44 μg·m−3, the average mass concentration was 398.82±102.55 μg·m−3. Among all the measured chemical components of organic carbon (OC), water-soluble ions and element carbon (EC) account for about 51.34%-65.45%, 6.93%-14.78% and 0.73%-1.82%, respectively, other untested components account for about 19.44%-38.05%. According to the field investigation and actual measurement, the average PM2.5 emission factor was 210.57±54.15 mg·f·d−1 based on household number. Combined with the 2018 statistics annual report of Beijing, the total amounts of PM2.5 emission from family cooking oil fumes in Beijing was estimated to be 553.38±142.31 t·a−1 in 2018. The emission amounts has certain uncertainty, the following work should be carried out to measure the PM2.5 emission from family cooking oil fumes in different administrative regions.

Exploration of a novel three-dimensional knitted spacer air filter with low pressure drop on cooking fume particles removal

Cooking fumes, which are harmful to the environment and to human health, have become a main source of air pollution in cities. At present, fibrous materials, such as glass fiber filters, are widely used to filtrate cooking fumes, but such materials remain challenged by the face-loading of cooking fumes and rapid increases in pressure drop that result in substantial energy consumption from gas transport in ventilation systems. In this study, the potential use of a novel three-dimensional knitted spacer air filter (3D filter) for fume particle removal, which can overcome these challenges, was experimentally investigated. Dynamic filtration measurements were performed in experimental conditions that were as representative as possible of oil aerosol, with Di-Ethyl-Hexyl-Sebacate (DEHS) particles ranging in size from 1.0 to 4.0 μm. The results showed that the 3D filter exhibited a high filtration efficiency (90% for 3.0-μm particles) and a low pressure drop that was less than 52 Pa at an air velocity of 2.5 m/s. The air cleaning capability of the 3D filter for cooking fume aerosols generated by edible oils was also studied. The arrestance of the 3D filter for cooking fumes was 84.0% at an air velocity of 2.5 m/s, and the relative oil treatment capacity was four times that of a nonwoven filter with the same thickness. Comprehensively considering filtration efficiency, pressure drop, and oil treatment capacity, the 3D filter was demonstrated to be a competitive pre-filter for cooking fume removal in cooking ventilation systems.

Air quality and thermal comfort analysis of kitchen environment with CFD simulation and experimental calibration

During cooking fume particulate and high temperature are unavoidable in indoor environment and could pose serious threat to human health. This paper presents the theoretical formulas with experimental calibration and establishes an improved computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model based on Fluent V19.04. The present CFD model can accurately reflect the variation of fume concentration and assess air pollution in kitchen so as to improve thermal environment. In the present model, a hybrid grid by combing structured and unstructured grids is used to discretize the computational domain. The standard k-e turbulence model combined with a wall function is utilized to analyze the violent turbulent movement of particulate matter. The model is calibrated by the test data obtained from fume concentration experiments during cooking in kitchen. A relationship between the measured cooking fume concentration and the simulated steam vapor concentration is established approximately. Based on the improved CFD model, the movement of particulate matter under the effect of range hood with air curtain is simulated. The effects of exhaust volume on the particulate matter movement, air age, PMV and PPD indices are also investigated. The present CFD model provides a practical tool to evaluate the air quality and thermal comfort of the kitchen environment.