Simulation of Dispersed Pollutant From Incense Burning Within an Enclosed Space

Authors

Corressponding author's email:

nlphuong@hcmunre.edu.vn

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54644/jte.2026.2039

Keywords:

Mechanical ventilation, Indoor air pollution, Computational fluid dynamics (CFD), Formaldehyde, Incense burning

Abstract

Indoor air pollution is a serious environmental and public health issue, as  modern people spend approximately 80-90% of their time in enclosed spaces. In addition to common emission sources, incense burning – a traditional cultural practice, is a significant source of indoor air pollutants, particularly formaldehyde, but has not received adequate attention. This study focuses on evaluating formaldehyde emissions and dispersion from smoke generated by several commonly used incense types in Viet Nam under different mechanical ventilation conditions. Experiments were conducted in a closed chamber with a volume 1 m3, combined with numerical simulations using the finite volume method implemented in Ansys Fluent to validate and analyze pollutant dispersion. Experimental results showed that, under non-ventilated conditions, the average formaldehyde concentration reached 4.163 mg/m3, approximately four times higher than the short-term exposure limit specified in QCVN 03:2019/BYT. Simulation results obtained using the low-Reynolds-number k-ɛ turbulence model showed good agreement with experimental data, with a deviation of about 5%. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of mechanical ventilation and highlights the applicability of CFD modeling in assessing indoor air pollution.

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Author Biographies

Giap Thach Nguyen, Ho Chi Minh City University of Natural Resources and Environment (HCMUNRE), Vietnam

Giap Thach Nguyen. He obtained his B.E. in 2018 and M.E. in 2023 from Ho Chi Minh City University of Natural Resources and Environment.

Email: nguyengiapthach1031995@gmail.com. ORCID:  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7014-0469

Lu Phuong Nguyen, Ho Chi Minh City University of Natural Resources and Environment (HCMUNRE), Vietnam

Lu Phuong Nguyen. He is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Environment, Hochiminh city University of Natural Resources and Environment (HCMUNRE), Vietnam. He received Ph.D. in Energy and Environmental Engineering from Kyushu University, Japan in 2012. He is specializes in energy and environmental research, focusing on computational fluid dynamics (CFD), environmental quality and sustainability. He has led and contributed to multiple research projects in Vietnam. His research is focusing on air pollution issues through development low-cost sensor devices for air monitoring, emission inventory and air quality simulation by CFD. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, he contributes to innovative solutions for better environments.

Email: nlphuong@hcmunre.edu.vn. ORCID:  https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0918-7505

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Published

28-02-2026

How to Cite

[1]
Nguyễn Giáp Thạch and Nguyễn Lữ Phương, “Simulation of Dispersed Pollutant From Incense Burning Within an Enclosed Space”, JTE, vol. 21, no. 01(V), pp. 59–68, Feb. 2026.

Issue

Vol. 21 No. 01(V) (2026)

Section

Research Article

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