Does pan diameter influence carbon monoxide levels during heating of water to boiling point with a camping stove?
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether pan diameter influences carbon monoxide (CO) concentration during heating of water to boiling point with a camping stove. The hypothesis was that increasing pan diameter increases CO concentration because of greater flame dispersal and a larger flame.


METHODS
This was a randomized, prospective study. A Coleman Dual Fuel 533 stove was used to heat pans of water to boiling point, with CO concentration monitored every 30 seconds for 5 minutes. The stove was inside a partially ventilated 200-L cardboard box model that was inside an environmental chamber at -6 degrees C. Water temperature, water volume, and flame characteristics were all standardized. Ten trials were performed for each of 2 pan diameters (base diameters of 165 mm [small] and 220 mm [large]).


RESULTS
There was a significant difference (P = .002) between the pans for CO levels at each measurement interval from 60 seconds onward. These differences were markedly larger after 90 seconds, with a mean difference of 185 ppm (95% CI 115, 276 ppm) for all the results from 120 seconds onwards.


CONCLUSIONS
This study has shown that there is significantly higher CO production with a large-diameter pan compared with a small-diameter pan. These findings were evident by using a camping stove to heat water to boiling point when a maximum blue flame was present throughout. Thus, in enclosed environments it is recommended that small-diameter pans be used in an attempt to prevent high CO levels.
Defence Medical Services, UK. simonlsuk@aol.com
Simon
S
Leigh-Smith
Richard
R
Stevenson
Martin
M
Watt
Ian
I
Watt
Angus
A
McFadyen
Stan
S
Grant
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis*; D002249:Carbon Monoxide Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control; D020378:Confined Spaces; D003296:Cooking / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D009051:Mountaineering; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014867:Water
D000393:Air Pollutants; D014867:Water; D002248:Carbon Monoxide