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Monitoring of Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) Accumulation in Vehicle Cabin

Conference Paper · August 2016

DOI: 10.1109/ICED.2016.7804682

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 2016 3rd International Conference on Electronic Design (ICED), August 11-12, 2016, Phuket, Thailand

Monitoring of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Accumulation

in Vehicle Cabin

C.C.Goh1,2,*, L.M.Kamarudin1,2,#, S.Shukri1,2,N.S.Abdullah2,3 ,A.Zakaria2

1
School of Computer and Communication Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Perlis, Malaysia.
2
Centre of Excellence for Advanced Sensor and Technology (CEASTech), UniMAP, Perlis, Malaysia.
3
School of Environmental Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Perlis, Malaysia.
*
chewcheik488@gmail.com
#
latifahmunirah@unimap.edu.my

Abstract— The number of registered vehicles worldwide is
increasing dynamically in recent years, over 72 million
automobiles were sold in 2015. The AAA Foundation for traffic
safety found that driver or passengers spending an average of 46
minutes per day inside a vehicle. Unfortunately, human
awareness of indoor air quality in the vehicle cabin is
surprisingly low. The quality of air within the vehicle cabin can
influence the occupants’ comfort level. One of the main
indicators of enclosed environment’s air quality is the carbon
dioxide (CO2) content which is released through human
breathing. High level of CO2 can cause the occupants feel fatigue,
drowsiness and slow reaction of actions. Many published works
show that air conditioning (AC) with recirculation mode inside a
vehicle could minimize the particulate pollutant flow into the
cabin. However, it does not reduce the amount of accumulated
CO2. The purpose of this paper is to study the concentration of
the accumulated CO2 under different vehicle speed and number
of occupants under AC recirculation mode by applying
qualitative data collection method. Then, the cooling period of
cabin temperature after vehicle parked under blazing sun.
Experimental results show that accumulated CO2 concentration
exceeded the recommended threshold value of 1200 ppm after 10
minutes when two passengers occupied the vehicle's cabin. The
CO2 concentration exceeded the threshold 3.33 times faster for
two occupants compare to one occupant in the cabin with the
same speed. Vehicles moving at higher speed of 90km/h shows a
lower accumulated concentration of CO2 when compared with
lower vehicle speed. Vehicle speed of 50 km/h had recorded the
shortest time taken with 9 minutes to pass 1200 ppm. Then, a car
which parked under a 36.5 ⁰C on a sunny day for 3 hours will
reach the cabin temperature of 49.5 ⁰C.
Keywords—Carbon Dioxide (CO2); Vehicle Speed; Cabin
Cooling Period
I. INTRODUCTION
Before starting a journey by car, most of drivers will ensure
that his/her and other passengers’ seatbelt are fasten, the air
conditioning is turned on to a suitable fan speed and
comfortable temperature, and the car’s doors are locked. These
regular precaution actions were taken to ensure a safe and
pleasant journey on the road for both drivers and passengers.
However, the driver is not able to ensure that the air quality and
the thermal comfort condition inside the car cabin are safe
enough for his/her and passengers’ health since the air particles
in the environment are not detectable by human eyes. Human
exhalation produces carbon dioxide (CO2) which is colorless,
odorless and non-flammable gas [1]. In enclosed environment
with the poor ventilation system, for example inside a car
cabin, the concentration level of CO2 will increase significantly
according to the number of the passengers [2].
High level of CO2 concentration than oxygen (O2) will not
only cause negative effects to human health but also cause
fatigue, drowsiness and slow reaction of actions to passengers
and drivers [3]. Therefore, the heating, ventilation and air
conditioning (HVAC) system was introduced to the vehicle for
better air circulation system inside the vehicle cabin and to
ensure that the cabin temperature is maintained at an
appropriate level. The HVAC has provided ventilation system
in the cabin with two ventilation modes: recirculation (RC) and
outside air (OSA). Using OSA mode could induce the hazard
particulate pollutant from outdoor, for example, carbon
monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxide (NO2), hydrocarbons (HC) and
CO2. These gases emitted by vehicle exhaust to the
surrounding and threaten human health. Thus, the RC mode
could minimize the particulate pollutant enter the cabin.
Nonetheless, occupant exhalation gives rise to level of CO2 as a
result of prolonged using of RC ventilation setting and lack of
the fresh air inside the cabin. Department of occupational
safety and health (DOSH) Malaysia set the CO2 as ventilation
performance indicator and at any time the CO2 concentration
should control below 1000 ppm [4].
Tropical country like Malaysia has the warm and humid
weather characteristic with the daily average maximum and
minimum temperature of 34 ⁰C and 26.4 ⁰C respectively [5].
Temperature is a parameter to build a human thermal comfort
environment inside the vehicle. Most of vehicles are parked at
open area under direct sunlight. The sun radiation transmitted
heat through the windscreen will directly affect the thermal
comfort when human stay inside the shining enclosed spaces
such as a vehicle [6]. The methods that heat transfer to
occupant are not only by solar radiation but also by conduction
(heat transfer from car seat or steering) or convection (heat
transfer from surrounding air contacted over the skin) [7].
The outline of this paper includes the following. Section II
is a review of any relevant literature relating to the study of the

978-1-5090-2160-4/16/$31.00 ©2016 IEEE 427

 2016 3rd International Conference on Electronic Design (ICED), August 11-12, 2016, Phuket, Thailand
concentration of CO2 inside a vehicle cabin and the cooling
period. Section III is the details of the methodology for
conducting the qualitative data collection. Section IV details of
the analyzed data, then presented the collected data in line
II. LITERATURE REVIEW
From the research of National Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences [8] stated that the high CO2 level could affect
human cognition. Researcher conducted an experiment to
monitor and evaluate the subject’s cognition in an enclosed
office environment where the carbon dioxide gas was supplied
to the area. When the CO2 level reached above 1,400 ppm
(high concentration) the subject faced the serious problem of
judgment. Another work on indoor air pollution done by Fisk
et al. found that higher concentration of CO2 in an enclosed
environment lead to wrong human cognition [9]. On both
research, high concentration of CO2 will affected human
cognition: human crisis response, information usage and
strategy. In [10], Danca et al. claimed that the research on the
environmental quality in vehicles has become a popular
research topic recently. This is due to control or reduce the
rate of accidents by creating a pleasant ambience quality for
passengers. The thermal comfort is one of the related
elements in the air quality management.
The concentration of CO2 inside the cabin exceed the
threshold value suggested by the ASHRAE was found by the
researchers in [2], [11], [12]. Kilic and Akyol [11] from Bursa,
Turkey, has discovered the human thermal comfort parameter
inside the car through questionnaire survey and temperature
sensor. In their experiment, a car was parked under the blazing
sun from 09:00 to 13:00, and the measurement of the cabin
surface temperatures and the CO2 concentration were recorded
for every 5 min. The experiment was conducted under two
different air circulation modes which are recirculation air and
fresh air. [11] also reported that after one hour the experiment
began, the recorded value of CO2 concentration had reached
3,200 ppm, and that value was too high from the accepted CO2
concentration value inside the occupied space recommended
by ASHRAE 62.1 which is 1200 ppm [13]. Human subjects
were reported to feel uncomfortable and unwell with the
interior air quality of the car cabin after 25 min the experiment
has begun. The authors found that the recirculation air mode is
more suitable compared to fresh air mode when the ambient
temperature higher than the cabin environment.
In [12], Gladyszewska investigated on the concentration
of CO2 inside an estate car. With the car size with 2.5m3 cabin
capacity and serve maximum two people counted in the driver.
This work was conducted under two cases, first when the air
ventilation system inside the cabin was turned on, and second
when the air ventilation system was turned off. In each case,
two experiments with different numbers of subject and
experiment execution time (one and two persons with 45 min
and 30 min time duration, respectively) were conducted on a
sunny day for a total time of 90 min. The results had shown
that for the case where the air ventilation system inside the
428
graphs. In the same section also including a discussion of the
results and any possible limitations and uncertainties affecting
the experiments. Finally, section V to conclude the results of
paper study and recommendations for future work.
cabin was turned on, the CO2 concentration value recorded
inside the cabin was 4,500 ppm. For the second case, where
air ventilation system was turned off and the air conditioning
was switched on, the CO2 concentration level decrease
significantly almost half of the value (1,935 ppm). When
reached 90 min the level of CO2 will drop back to accepted
level (1,011 ppm) [13].
The driving speed of the car could affect the CO2
concentration level in the cabin as stated by in [14]. The
Grady et al. found that for vehicles which have the same
ventilation system setting but were driven with different speed
produced different CO2 concentration level. The authors
proved that vehicle with higher driving speed resulting in the
lower CO2 concentration compared to the vehicle with slower
driving speed.
Thermal comfort could be defined as the condition of
mind which expresses satisfaction with the thermal
environment and is assessed by subjective evaluation [15]. To
achieve human thermal comfort, the temperature for thermal
environmental conditions on human occupancy should be
ranging from 19 to 28 ⁰C [16]. Simion et al. [17] found that
the solar radiation is the most important parameter that
influences the thermal comfort inside vehicle. The vehicle
receives heat from solar radiation which mainly will conveys
through the windscreen.
III. METHODOLOGY
In this paper, the experiment conducted using qualitative
data collection method. The fixed variables were which
selected for the experiments were stated in Table 1.
Table 1: Fixed variables lists.
Variables Description
Ventilation mode AC Recirculation mode
Fan speed Level 2
Parameters CO2, temperature
Number of
One and two
occupants
Device AeroQUAL, Series-500
Vehicle speed 50 km/h, 70km/h and 90km/h
Vehicle Dimension 4420 mm × 1690 mm × 1590 mm
The CO2 and temperature data were collected using the
portable gas sensor with data logger (AeroQual, Series-500) at
the sampling rate of 60 sec as shown in Fig. 1. The device was
 2016 3rd International Conference on Electronic Design (ICED), August 11-12, 2016, Phuket, Thailand

placed inside the car at the passenger seat for the purpose of
collecting the CO2 concentration level and cabin temperature.

Figure 1: The portable gas sensor data logger on the left and
detachable CO2 sensor head on the right.

Before proceeding with the experiment, the air quality

sensor was switched on. Begin with 10 min data collection
inside the cabin without occupant. The side windows were left
opened to set the equilibrium air quality between the
surrounding and car cabin for continuous 10 min. When the
CO2 concentration of the cabin and the environmental reached
the equilibrium condition, one person was assigned as a driver
for the car where the dimension of the length, width and height
are 4420 mm, 1690 mm and 1590 mm, respectively. Then, the
side windows were rolled up. Ventilation setting used inside
the cabin was recirculation mode and the fan speed will be
tuned to level 2. The difference vehicle speed such as 50 km/h,
70 km/h and 90 km/h were under conducted with one and two
occupants inside the cabin. The experiment route was set on
Changlun-Kuala Perlis highway. The total time taken for this
experiment to execute was 110 min for two sections morning
and afternoon. Figure 2: The process flow for CO2 and vehicle speed
experimental setup.
The data CO2 concentration level was collected for 90 min
continuously. Experiment for two occupants also gone through
the same procedure. The process flow for CO2 and vehicle
speed experimental setup is presented in a flowchart method IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
and shown in Fig. 2. The third experiment is the cooling period The relationship between the vehicle speed and the CO2
of the cabin after vehicle parked under a blazing sun and the level when one person and two people occupied the cabin with
cooling period experiment located at CEASTech, UniMAP all side windows have been closed were shown in Fig. 3 and
parking lot for 3 hours from 11:00 to 14:00. There were two Fig.4 respectively. Initially, 20 min was to calibrate the starting
vehicles parked side by side when conducting this experiment. point for CO2 before data collection. The experiments were
When the time was reached 14:00, one occupant enter the conducted for 90 min at morning (09:00 – 10:30) and afternoon
cabin to begin the experiment. The time taken for this (14:00 – 15:30) respectively. The reference line at 1200 ppm as
experiment to execute was 90 min. When the experiment was per recommended by ASHRAE was plotted on the both graph
carried through all windows and doors are closed. The for comparison purposes.
temperature data collected inside the cabin was compared to The results show that the higher the vehicle speed, the
the outdoor weather station located at CEASTech, Jejawi [18]. lower the concentration level of CO2 inside the vehicle cabin.
The outdoor temperature were collected using the MEMSIC Number of occupant inside the cabin also an important
eKo Pro Series (ES 2000) weather station and the recorded data variable affect the concentration level of CO2. From
was sent to cloud server wirelessly. observation one occupant driving with 50 km/h the CO2
concentration entered the threshold (1200 ppm) within 30 min

429
 2016 3rd International Conference on Electronic Design (ICED), August 11-12, 2016, Phuket, Thailand

then the gases will keep rising until reached high
concentration level (1400 ppm or higher). Thus, the driver is
not recommended to travel 50 km/h continuously for 30 min.
Prolonged exposes the high concentration of CO2 potentially
lead the driver experience the fatigue feeling. A vehicle
travelling at 70 km/h recorded CO2 concentration is below the
high concentration level. The gas concentration would vary
between the ranges 1200 ppm to 1400 ppm. The accumulated
concentration of CO2 are lesser than 50 km/h but the
particulate pollutant with 70 km/h accumulate and passed the
recommended level within 40 min.
Throughout the experiment higher the speed of vehicle, the
lower the CO2 concentration particulate pollutant trapped
inside the cabin. The result shown that driving 90km/h speed
is reduced the equilibrium concentrations of the CO2 inside the
cabin. Its control the CO2 concentration average on 1100 ppm
that which is below the threshold values (1200 ppm). The
trends where higher speeds (90 km/h) caused lower CO2 level
was due to the vehicle body is under the large pressure at high
driving speed. In other words, most of the connection of the
vehicle body is leakage to the air then the ventilation on
recirculation mode of the cabin to have fewer encounters on
the CO2 particles.

Figure 3: The carbon dioxide concentration and increase the vehicle speed against time with one occupant.

The concentration of CO2 will affect the number of
occupants inside the cabin and the result was shown in Fig. 4.
The time is taken for two occupants to reach then excess the
recommended level of 1200 ppm was shortened than one
occupant. The vehicle speed of 50 km/h had recorded the
shortest time taken with 9 min to excess 1200 ppm. Start at 36
min and above the concentration of CO2 inside the cabin was
reached the maximum range of CO2 sensor. Table 2 shown the
time taken to excess recommended level 1200 ppm with
different vehicle speed. In this experiment found that the cabin
temperature has no significant relation to carbon dioxide
concentration, although the experiment runs on morning
section and afternoon section. The CO2 concentration level will
gain through the vehicle travel.

Figure 4: The carbon dioxide concentration and increase the vehicle speed against time with two occupants.

430
 2016 3rd International Conference on Electronic Design (ICED), August 11-12, 2016, Phuket, Thailand
Table 2: Time taken to excess recommended level (1200
ppm) with different vehicle speed.
Vehicle speed Number of occupants
(km/h) One Two
50 30 min 9 min
70 49 min 11 min
90 - 11 min
Another parameter considered in this experiment was the
interior temperature of the cabin. The vehicle was parked under
the direct sunlight without any protection or roof for 3 hours.
The cabin and the outdoor temperature against with time is
shown in Fig. 5. At 14:00 the cabin temperature reached 49.5
⁰C, with the difference of 13.0 ⁰C compared to the outside /
outdoor temperature (36.5 ⁰C). The vehicle started to depart at
14:00, the air ventilation system was set in the similar
condition as the CO2 experiment. After travelling for 10 min,
the internal cabin temperature dropped to 44.4 ⁰C. With the
Figure 5: The cabin temperature and outdoor temperature against time.
V. CONCLUSION
The level of CO2 inside the cabin will vary with the
vehicle speed and number of occupants. When the vehicle
speed was slowing down, the CO2 concentration increased and
eventually passed the recommended threshold (1200 ppm).
Increase of the number of occupants also would increase the
concentration level of CO2 significantly. Travelling at 50km/h
could lead the occupant exposed to high CO2 concentration
condition with above 1400 ppm. Many people are not aware
that staying or breathing in high concentration of CO2 for a
prolonged period would lead to the slow response of the
human and affect human cognition. These effects could
potentially endanger to the occupants and another road user.
The trending shows that 90km/h could be an ideal vehicle
431
ventilation system continuous supply of cool air inside the
cabin, the temperature inside the cabin cooling down slowly.
It took 30 min for the cabin temperature to reach the
equilibrium condition with the outside environment at 38 ⁰C.
From 14:50 and later the average cabin temperature maintain at
31.8 ⁰C until the experiment ended at 15:30. The temperature
inside the enclosed environment should keep for 19 to 28 ⁰C
[16]. Due to vehicle received plenty of solar radiation while
travelling, therefore, the time was taken to cool the cabin
temperature after parked under the blazing sun is 50 min.
Although the cabin temperature was lower than outside
temperature, but the recorded temperature still not reach the
recommended temperature inside an enclosed area. When the
occupant contacted the material or the air inside the cabin
could occur a heat transfer between human skins and the
material to reach thermal equilibrium state. The occupant
would feel uncomfortable mainly because of the heat
transferred by solar radiation, conduction and convection to the
occupant’s body.
speed for one occupant because result shown the average CO2
concentration is 1100 ppm within accepted level. When the
vehicle was parked under the blazing sun, 50 minutes were
taken to cooling down the cabin temperature from 49.5⁰C to
31.8⁰C. Future work will focus on designing sensor platform
to collect CO2 concentration and cabin temperature, and
constructing an alert system to prompt the passenger whenever
the CO2 and cabin temperature reached 1200 ppm and 28⁰C
respectively.
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