Research Backlog

SUMMARY Prioritized research topics for the Outdoor Ventilation Standard Research Program with completion status.

Version: 1.0 Status: Active — All Topics Complete Governing Document: Outdoor Ventilation Standard Charter v2.6

This document defines the prioritized research topics for the Outdoor Ventilation Standard Research Program. Each topic is derived from the charter’s Research Objectives and assigned a priority tier based on its foundational importance to the overall knowledge system.

Priority Framework

Tier	Criteria	Timeline
P0 — Foundation	Required before any other research can reference it. Establishes core physical models.	Immediate
P1 — Core	Directly addresses primary research objectives. Builds on P0 foundations.	Near-term
P2 — Applied	Translates physics into design implications. Depends on P0 and P1 outputs.	Mid-term
P3 — Frontier	Addresses gaps, edge cases, and emerging questions. May require original analysis.	Ongoing

P0 — Foundation Topics

RB-001: Buoyant Plume Behavior from Barbecue and High-Heat Cooking Sources — COMPLETE

Status: Complete (2026-02-08) Output: RB-001: Buoyant Plume Behavior Charter Objective: Plume behavior from barbecue and high-heat cooking Scope: Characterize the buoyant cooking plume generated by typical outdoor barbecue configurations (gas grill, charcoal grill, wood-fired, pellet smoker). Define heat release rates, plume temperatures, rise velocities, and entrainment behavior for each source type. Establish the transition from near-field to self-similar far-field plume behavior. Dependencies: Glossary v1.1 (complete)

RB-002: Entrainment and Lateral Plume Spread in Open-Air Environments — COMPLETE

Status: Complete (2026-02-08) Output: RB-002: Entrainment and Lateral Plume Spread Charter Objective: Entrainment and lateral plume spread in open-air environments Scope: Quantify the entrainment rate and resulting lateral plume spread as a function of height for outdoor cooking plumes. Apply Morton-Taylor-Turner theory and Heskestad correlations to determine plume diameter at representative hood mounting heights (18", 24", 30", 36", 48" above cooking surface). Dependencies: RB-001 (complete)

RB-003: Velocity Decay and Near-Field vs. Far-Field Capture — COMPLETE

Status: Complete (2026-02-08) Output: RB-003: Velocity Decay and Capture Charter Objective: Velocity decay and near-field vs far-field capture Scope: Model centerline velocity decay from the cooking surface to typical hood mounting heights. Determine the velocity available for capture at the plume interception plane and identify the critical height at which velocity decay makes capture unreliable without compensating exhaust rates. Dependencies: RB-001 (complete), RB-002 (complete)

P1 — Core Topics

RB-004: Why Indoor Ventilation Assumptions Fail Outdoors — COMPLETE

Status: Complete (2026-02-08) Output: RB-004: Indoor vs. Outdoor Assumptions Charter Objective: Why indoor ventilation assumptions fail outdoors Scope: Systematically identify and explain each assumption embedded in indoor kitchen ventilation standards (ASHRAE 154, IMC, UL 710) that does not transfer to outdoor open-boundary environments. Dependencies: RB-001 (complete), RB-002 (complete), RB-003 (complete)

RB-005: Impact of Hood Geometry on Capture Performance — COMPLETE

Status: Complete (2026-02-08) Output: RB-005: Hood Geometry and Capture Charter Objective: Impact of hood geometry (depth, height, canopy shape) on capture Scope: Analyze how hood dimensions — canopy width, depth, overhang beyond cooking surface, lip height, internal baffle configuration — affect the capture envelope and effective capture area. Dependencies: RB-001 (complete), RB-002 (complete), RB-003 (complete)

RB-006: Wind Interaction and Cross-Flow Effects — COMPLETE

Status: Complete (2026-02-08) Output: RB-006: Wind Interaction and Crossflow Charter Objective: Wind interaction and cross-flow effects Scope: Model the effect of ambient wind on buoyant cooking plume trajectory and hood capture performance. Quantify plume deflection as a function of wind speed (0-15 mph) and source heat release rate. Dependencies: RB-001 (complete), RB-003 (complete)

P2 — Applied Topics

RB-007: Failure Modes of Outdoor BBQ Hoods — COMPLETE

Status: Complete (2026-02-08) Output: RB-007: Failure Modes Charter Objective: Failure modes of outdoor BBQ hoods Scope: Catalog and classify the primary failure modes observed in outdoor BBQ hood installations. For each mode, identify the root physical mechanism, the conditions that trigger it, and the visible symptoms. Dependencies: RB-003 (complete), RB-004 (complete), RB-005 (complete), RB-006 (complete)

RB-008: CFM Requirements for Outdoor Cooking Ventilation — COMPLETE

Status: Complete (2026-02-08) Output: RB-008: CFM Requirements Charter Objective: Derived from multiple charter objectives Scope: Develop a physics-based methodology for determining minimum exhaust airflow rates (CFM) for outdoor cooking hood applications. Dependencies: RB-001 (complete), RB-003 (complete), RB-005 (complete), RB-006 (complete)

RB-009: Side Panel and Wind Baffle Effectiveness — COMPLETE

Status: Complete (2026-02-08) Output: RB-009: Side Panel Effectiveness Charter Objective: Derived from hood geometry and wind interaction objectives Scope: Analyze the physics of how side panels, rear panels, and wind baffles improve hood capture performance in outdoor environments. Dependencies: RB-005 (complete), RB-006 (complete)

P3 — Frontier Topics

RB-010: Gaps in Existing Standards, Codes, and Consumer Guidance — COMPLETE

Status: Complete (2026-02-08) Output: RB-010: Standards Gaps Charter Objective: Gaps in existing standards, codes, and consumer guidance Scope: Conduct a systematic review of existing ventilation standards (ASHRAE 154, IMC, UL 710, local building codes) and consumer-facing guidance to identify where outdoor BBQ ventilation is unaddressed, under-addressed, or addressed with indoor-derived assumptions. Dependencies: RB-004 (complete), RB-007 (complete)

RB-011: Grease Aerosol Transport and Deposition in Open Environments — COMPLETE

Status: Complete (2026-02-08) Output: RB-011: Grease Aerosol Transport Charter Objective: Derived from plume behavior and failure mode research Scope: Investigate the transport behavior of grease aerosol within the buoyant cooking plume and in the missed plume region. Characterize particle size distribution, settling behavior, and deposition patterns in outdoor environments. Dependencies: RB-001 (complete), RB-006 (complete), RB-007 (complete)

RB-012: Thermal Radiation and Plume Interaction at Hood Surfaces — COMPLETE

Status: Complete (2026-02-08) Output: RB-012: Thermal Radiation at Hood Surfaces Charter Objective: Derived from near-field plume behavior research Scope: Analyze the thermal radiation environment at the hood surface from the cooking source and near-field plume. Determine how radiant heat affects hood material selection, hood-induced convection patterns, and the thermal boundary layer at the hood face. Dependencies: RB-001 (complete), RB-003 (complete)

Backlog Management

New topics are proposed by appending to this document with a unique RB-number
Priority tier assignment requires charter alignment review
Topics may be split, merged, or re-prioritized as research progresses
Completed topics are marked with completion date and linked to their output document