Experimental Studies of the Entry and Accumulation of Carbon Monoxide into Indoor Air in Case of Violation of the Removal of Combustion Products from Gas-Using Equipment

Statement of the problem. Combustion of gas fuel is accompanied by the formation of smoke gases containing carbon monoxide. Smoke gases must be completely removed through the flue ducts. Failure of the smoke ducts leads to the entry and accumulation of carbon monoxide in the premises, which negatively affects human well-being and health and can cause irreparable harm to health. To determine the conditions for the entry and accumulation of carbon monoxide in the air of the premises, it is necessary to conduct experimental studies of draft disruptions in the smoke duct during the operation of gas-using equipment. Results. Experimental studies of the entry and accumulation of carbon monoxide in the premises during the operation of a water heater with an open combustion chamber under conditions of draft disruption and the formation of reverse draft in the smoke duct during the removal of combustion products from the gas-using equipment were conducted. The conditions for the operation of the existing automatic safety system were determined. Conclusions. As a result of the conducted experimental studies it was established that when the draft in the smoke duct is disrupted (50 and 100 percent overlap of the smoke duct) the content of carbon monoxide in the room increases, the safety automation switches off the gas supply to the burner, limiting the accumulation of gas above the maximum permissible concentration in the air of the room. When modeling the reverse draft in the smoke duct, a range of reverse flow speeds was noted, amounting to from 3.5 to 4 m per sec, causing the entry and accumulation of carbon monoxide in the air of the premises, in an amount exceeding the norms of the maximum permissible concentration.