Describes research into thermal comfort and ventilation effectiveness in commercial kitchens. Various methods of distributing the supply air and exhausting the kitchen air were investigated under laboratory conditions. Ventilation effectiveness was examined by the use of tracer gas and observing the concentration at different locations in the kitchen. Thermal conditions were monitored with an indoor climate analyser. Finds that ventilation effectiveness and contamination removal effectiveness were highest by the cooking appliances when the supply units were located on the floor. The best thermal conditions were found when the supply air unit was placed in the ceiling next to the exhaust hood.

KEYWORDS: Research, thermal comfort, kitchens, performance, laboratory testing, ventilation, thermal comfort, tracers, measuring, air flow, commercial contaminants