Air extractor assembly

Abstract

An extractor assembly includes a spray unit and a suction unit. The injection unit includes a jet outlet configured to emit a jet of air toward the suction unit. The injection unit is arranged such that when the air jet travels from the injection unit to the suction unit, the air jet entrains ambient air from around at least a portion of a perimeter of the air jet to produce a combined airflow. The suction unit includes a suction inlet through which the combined air flow is sucked into the suction unit and a suction outlet through which the combined air flow is discharged from the suction unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an extractor assembly, optionally including an air handling unit. Background Art

[0002] It may be desirable to process the air in an environment. For example, to change the temperature or humidity of the air. It may also be desirable to extract suspended pollutants from the air, such as removing unwanted particles, chemicals, odors or bacteria (such as organic matter).

[0003] Conventional air handling devices or extractors typically rely on a high outlet flow rate to better mix the treated air and the untreated air within the environment. Thus, the untreated air first diffuses into the surrounding environment before being treated or extracted. For example, this can be disadvantageous when minimizing the spread of pollutants is important. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an extractor assembly including a jet unit and a suction unit. The jet unit includes a jet outlet configured to emit an air jet towards the suction unit. The jet unit is arranged such that when the air jet travels from the jet unit to the suction unit, the air jet entrains ambient air around at least a portion of the perimeter of the air jet to produce a combined air flow. The suction unit includes a suction inlet and a suction outlet, and the combined air flow is drawn into the suction unit through the suction inlet and discharged from the suction unit through the suction outlet.

[0005] The term "extractor" is defined herein as a device that extracts air from an environment (such as a space or room, optionally an interior / inner or enclosed space or room), and can exhaust the extracted air from the environment (such as to a different environment, such as a different or external / outer or open space or room). The combined air flow discharged from the suction unit may be referred to herein as the "extracted air flow".

[0006] The extractor assembly may further include an air handling unit for processing at least a portion of the combined air flow drawn into the suction inlet.

[0007] The jet unit may be spaced apart from the suction unit. The jet unit may be at least partially adjacent to or at least partially contiguous with the suction unit. The jet unit and the suction unit may be provided in separate housing units. Alternatively, the jet unit and the suction unit may be located in the same housing unit. In such an embodiment, the housing unit may include the suction inlet and the jet outlet. Thus, the jet outlet and the suction inlet may be provided at substantially the same height from a common reference. For example, the jet outlet and the suction inlet may be fixed at a common height above a reference point. The reference point may be a surface (such as a workbench) or at ground level (such as a kitchen floor).

[0008] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an air handling apparatus including a jetting unit and a suction unit spaced apart from the jetting unit. The jetting unit includes a jet outlet through which an air jet is discharged towards the suction unit, and is arranged such that as the air jet travels from the jetting unit to the suction unit, the air jet entrains ambient air around substantially the entire periphery of the air jet to produce a combined air flow. The suction unit includes a suction inlet, an air handling unit, and a suction outlet. The combined air flow is drawn into the suction unit through the suction inlet, and the air handling unit is configured to process at least a portion of the combined air flow, and the processed air flow is discharged through the suction outlet.

[0009] An extractor assembly and / or an air handling apparatus according to the first and / or second aspect of the present invention may be advantageous because the inventors of the present application have determined that providing an air jet directed towards the suction unit can increase the amount of ambient air entrained into the air jet to produce a greater combined air flow compared to providing only the suction unit.

[0010] An extractor assembly and / or an air handling apparatus according to the first and / or second aspect of the present invention may be advantageous because the inventors of the present application have determined that providing an air jet directed towards the suction unit can increase the distance from which air can be drawn into the suction unit relative to the suction unit. That is, the extractor assembly and / or the air handling apparatus can allow the entrainment of ambient air located directly and / or not directly below the suction unit, and / or the entrainment of ambient air radially outside or laterally distal to the extractor assembly and / or the air handling apparatus. For example, the extractor assembly and / or the air handling apparatus can allow the entrainment of ambient air at a distance of at least twice the maximum diameter of the suction unit from the suction inlet.

[0011] An extractor assembly and / or an air handling apparatus according to the first and / or second aspect of the present invention may be advantageous because the inventors of the present application have determined that providing an air jet directed towards the suction unit can reduce the mixing of suspended contaminants with the air in the environment in which the extractor assembly and / or the air handling apparatus operates. This may be important in settings where airborne source contamination must be controlled, such as medical settings.

[0012] An extractor assembly and / or an air handling apparatus according to the first and / or second aspect of the present invention may be advantageous because the inventors of the present application have determined that providing an air jet directed towards the suction unit can allow similar suction and / or air handling performance to be achieved with a lower total flow rate. Compared to providing only the suction unit, this can reduce the energy consumption, noise, size, and / or cost of the extractor assembly and / or the air handling apparatus to provide similar performance.

[0013] An extractor assembly and / or an air handling device according to the first and / or second aspect of the present invention may be advantageous because the inventors of the present application have determined that providing an air jet directed towards the suction unit can allow for improved extraction and / or air handling performance at a similar total flow rate compared to providing only a suction unit. Compared to providing only a suction unit, this can reduce the time taken for the extractor assembly and / or air handling device to suck and / or process air within the environment in which the extractor assembly and / or air handling device operates.

[0014] An extractor assembly and / or an air handling device according to the first and / or second aspect of the present invention may include any combination of the following features.

[0015] The suction inlet may have a larger cross-sectional area than the jet outlet, for example five times or ten times larger. When the air jet travels towards the suction inlet and entrains ambient air to form a combined air flow, the cross-sectional area of the combined air flow increases compared to the cross-sectional area of the air jet at the jet outlet. Providing a larger cross-sectional area at the suction inlet compared to the jet outlet can allow a larger proportion of the combined air flow to be drawn in through the suction inlet.

[0016] The suction inlet may have a geometry sufficient to draw in all of the mixed flow. For example, the suction inlet may have a larger equivalent diameter than the jet outlet. This can help to improve the efficiency and performance of the extractor assembly and / or air handling device.

[0017] A free air jet tends towards a circular cross-section as it travels away from its source. However, a surface air jet can be restricted along one side, for example by a wall. In an embodiment, the jet outlet may be defined by discrete holes, and thus the air jet may tend towards a semi-circular cross-section as it travels away from its source. In an embodiment, the jet outlet may be defined by an elongate slot, and thus the air jet may tend towards a rectangular cross-section as it travels away from its source. The cross-sectional area (or diameter or equivalent diameter) of the suction inlet may be equal to or greater than the maximum cross-sectional area (or diameter or equivalent diameter) of the combined air flow at the suction inlet.

[0018] The jet outlet may have a perimeter and a cross-sectional area, the cross-sectional area may have an equivalent diameter D and an equivalent radius r, and the ratio of the perimeter to the cross-sectional area of the jet outlet may be at least D / 2 mm-1. In an embodiment including a jet outlet defined by discrete holes (such as smooth circular holes), the ratio of the perimeter to the cross-sectional area of the jet outlet may be defined by at least 2 / r or 4 / D. The advantage of this is that for a given cross-sectional area, the jet outlet has a relatively long perimeter. Thus, the air jet discharged from the outlet has a relatively large surface area, which better promotes entrainment.

[0019] The jet outlet can be substantially circular or annular. Alternatively, the jet outlet can be non-circular. An increase in the perimeter of the jet outlet is associated with an increase in the amount of ambient air entrained by the air jet. Thus, a non-circular jet outlet can improve the efficiency and performance of the extractor assembly and / or the air handling device. For example, the jet outlet can be oval, triangular, rectangular, cross-shaped, or star-shaped.

[0020] The air jet can be discharged from the jet outlet at a first flow rate, and the combined air stream can be drawn into the suction inlet at a greater second flow rate. Drawing the combined air stream through the suction inlet at a flow rate greater than the flow rate at which air is discharged from the jet outlet can allow a greater proportion of the combined air stream to be drawn through the suction inlet.

[0021] The air flow rate at the suction inlet can be equal to or greater than the flow rate of the combined air stream. This helps to ensure that substantially all of the combined air stream is drawn through the suction inlet. The suction unit can discharge the combined air stream or a portion thereof that is drawn into the suction unit into an exhaust pipe, which is arranged to remove the combined air stream or a portion thereof from the environment.

[0022] The jet outlet and the suction inlet can be coaxially arranged. That is, the centerlines of the jet outlet and the suction inlet are aligned. This can help to increase the amount of ambient air entrained by the air jet and ultimately drawn into the suction unit to be suctioned and / or processed by the extractor assembly and / or the air handling unit, respectively.

[0023] The centerlines of the jet outlet and the suction inlet can be radially or laterally offset (e.g., they can be parallel but misaligned). The centerlines of the jet outlet and the suction inlet can be angularly offset (e.g., they can be angularly misaligned or arranged at an angle to each other). The centerlines of the jet outlet and the suction inlet can be both radially / laterally offset and angularly offset (e.g., they can be parallel and angularly misaligned).

[0024] The jet outlet can be arranged such that the discharged air jet is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the suction inlet (e.g., parallel to the centerline of the suction inlet). Additionally or alternatively, the jet outlet can be arranged such that the discharged air jet is substantially parallel to the plane of the suction inlet (e.g., perpendicular to the centerline of the suction inlet). In some examples, the jet outlet can be arranged such that the discharged air jet has a component parallel to the centerline of the suction inlet and a component perpendicular to the centerline of the suction inlet. Depending on the orientation of the jet outlet relative to the suction inlet, the parallel and / or perpendicular components may be more dominant.

[0025] The injection unit may include a first air flow generator for generating an air jet. This can provide a more compact injection unit compared to providing a separate air flow generator. The suction unit may include a second air flow generator for sucking a combined air flow into the suction unit. This can provide a more compact suction unit compared to providing a separate air flow generator.

[0026] The extractor assembly may further include an exhaust pipe. The exhaust pipe may be coupled to or aligned with the suction outlet. The exhaust pipe may be arranged such that the combined air flow sucked through the suction inlet or a part thereof is received by the exhaust pipe via the suction inlet. The exhaust pipe may be additionally arranged to discharge the combined air flow or a part thereof from the environment.

[0027] The suction unit may include an air flow generator for sucking a combined air flow into the suction unit. The suction unit may include an air flow generator for sucking at least a part of the combined air flow into the suction unit.

[0028] The extractor assembly may further include a return pipe arranged to return at least a part of the combined air flow sucked through the suction inlet to the injection unit. The air treatment device may include a return pipe arranged to return at least a part of the combined air flow sucked through the suction inlet to the injection unit. The injection unit may discharge the air flow returned by the return pipe as at least a part of the air jet. This can provide a more efficient and more compact extractor assembly and / or air treatment device compared to an extractor assembly and / or air treatment device including an air flow generator in each injection and suction unit.

[0029] The injection unit may include a jet inlet through which ambient air is sucked, and the ambient air subsequently forms at least a part of the air jet. This can increase the distance by which the ambient air is ultimately sucked into the suction unit and extracted and / or treated relative to the suction unit compared to the air flow returned by the return pipe forming all the air jets.

[0030] The injection unit may include at least one jet outlet. The injection unit may include a plurality of jet outlets. Each jet outlet may be configured to emit an air jet towards the suction unit.

[0031] The plurality of jet outlets may be arranged on at least one surface, for example, on two surfaces that may be orthogonal. The plurality of jet outlets may be arranged such that the discharged multiple air jets interfere with each other to produce an enhanced air jet. The enhanced air jet may entrain ambient air from at least a part of the periphery of the enhanced air jet to produce a combined air flow.

[0032] In an example, the number of multiple jet outlets can be defined by elongated slots. Each slot can extend through at least one surface. Each elongated jet outlet can be arranged to be substantially parallel to an adjacent elongated jet outlet.

[0033] In some examples, the number of multiple jet outlets can be defined by discrete holes. The jet outlets can be arranged in substantially parallel rows and / or substantially parallel columns (such as a regular array). In an embodiment, the first row / column of jet outlets can be offset or staggered relative to an adjacent second row / column.

[0034] In other examples, the multiple jet outlets can be defined by a combination of elongated slots and discrete holes arranged across at least one surface.

[0035] The enhanced air jet can entrain ambient air around at least a portion of the perimeter of the enhanced air jet to produce a combined air flow. In an example, the suction unit can include at least one suction inlet, optionally including multiple suction inlets.

[0036] The or each surface can be one of flat, curved, convex, concave, S-shaped, U-shaped, L-shaped, semi-cylindrical, and cylindrical. In an example, each, some, or all of the multiple jet outlets can be one of oval, triangular, rectangular, cross-shaped, or star-shaped.

[0037] The jet unit can include a thermal unit arranged to heat and / or cool the air jet relative to the ambient air. Depending on the relative positions of the jet and suction units, providing an air jet that is hotter or colder than the ambient air as the air jet travels from the jet outlet towards the suction inlet compared to an air jet at ambient temperature can increase the amount of ambient air entrained. By way of example, the thermal unit can employ an electric heater, a Peltier device, or a vapor compression cycle.

[0038] The jet unit can include one or more guides, such as one or more vanes or fans, arranged to cause the air jet to travel between the jet outlet and the suction inlet in a non-linear motion during use. This can help increase the amount of ambient air entrained as the air jet travels from the jet outlet towards the suction inlet compared to an air jet that travels in a linear motion.

[0039] The separation distance between the jet outlet and the suction inlet can be at least 200 mm. Providing a separation distance of at least 200 mm can help increase the amount of ambient air entrained as the air jet travels from the jet outlet towards the suction inlet compared to a smaller separation distance.

[0040] The extractor assembly and / or the air handling unit may include one or more of the following: a thermal unit, a humidifier, a dehumidifier, a filter, and an ionizer, to process the combined air stream or a portion thereof that is drawn into the suction outlet via the suction unit. Thus, the extractor assembly and / or the air handling device according to the present invention may be applicable to a variety of air handling processes.

[0041] The suction unit may process the combined air stream and discharge the processed air stream or a portion thereof back into the environment in which the air handling device is located. Additionally or alternatively, the suction unit may discharge the processed air stream or a portion thereof into an exhaust pipe arranged to carry away the processed air stream from the environment.

[0042] The air handling device may include a detector arranged to detect parameters of the ambient air. The air handling device may include a controller connected to the detector and arranged to cause an air jet to be directed towards the suction inlet in response to the detector indicating that a predetermined processing criterion is met. This may help to improve the efficiency of the air handling device. The detector may be arranged to detect contaminants, air temperature, and / or air humidity. For example, the detector may include a contaminant detector, and the controller may be configured to cause the jetting unit to emit an oscillating air jet when the detector does not detect contaminants, and to direct the jet towards the suction unit when the detector detects contaminants until the contaminants are removed from the air. In another example, the air handling device may be arranged to be inoperative until a predetermined processing criterion is met. The predetermined processing criterion may be that the contaminant concentration, air temperature, and / or air humidity percentage reaches or exceeds a threshold level.

[0043] The air handling device may include a contaminant detector and a controller connected to the contaminant detector. The controller may be arranged to cause an air jet to be directed towards the suction inlet in response to the contaminant detector detecting contaminants.

[0044] The air handling device may include a user interface that may be operated by a user to select one or more operating parameters of the device. This may allow the air handling device to be operated as desired by the user.

[0045] The air treatment device may include at least one additional jet unit arranged to emit a (or at least one) additional air jet towards the suction unit. The said (or at least one) additional air jet entrains ambient air to produce an additional combined air flow, and the suction inlet is arranged to suck at least a part of each of the combined air flow and the additional combined air flow into the suction unit. Compared with using a single jet unit, this arrangement can increase the amount of ambient air entrained when the air jet travels from the jet outlet towards the suction inlet. This arrangement can increase the distance relative to the suction inlet from which the ambient air is finally sucked into the suction unit via the suction inlet, which can improve the performance of the air treatment device.

[0046] The suction inlet may have a geometry sufficient to suck in all of the combined air flow and the additional combined air flow. This can help improve the efficiency and performance of the air treatment device.

[0047] The jet unit and the additional jet unit may be inclined towards each other such that when the combined air flow travels towards the suction inlet, the combined air flow and the additional combined air flow cross paths. This can reduce the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the two combined air flows, such that a smaller suction inlet is required to suck in the two combined air flows compared to an example where the combined air flow and the additional combined air flow do not cross paths.

[0048] The suction unit may take the form of a range hood. The suction unit may be arranged above one or more pollutant sources, such as at least two pollutant sources. The jet outlet may be located on one side of the one or more pollutant sources.

[0049] In an embodiment, two or more pollutant sources may be arranged in an array. Two or more pollutant sources may be symmetrically arranged around the jet outlet. The jet outlet may be located substantially at the center or midpoint of the two or more pollutant sources.

[0050] The jet unit and the suction unit may be located in the same housing unit. The housing unit may include a suction inlet and a jet outlet such that the suction inlet and the jet outlet may be arranged at substantially the same height. Thus, the jet outlet may also be arranged above one or more pollutant sources.

[0051] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an extractor comprising an array of pollutant sources, a range hood arranged above the array and including a suction inlet, and a jet generator including a jet outlet located substantially at the center of the array and arranged to direct an air jet towards the suction inlet. When the air jet travels from the jet unit to the suction unit, the air jet entrains ambient air around substantially the entire periphery of the air jet to produce a combined air flow, and the suction inlet is arranged to suck the combined air flow into the range hood.

[0052] For example, the extractor hood can be a kitchen extractor hood, and the pollutant source array can include a cooking range array. The extractor hood can include an air treatment unit as described with reference to the second aspect and an exhaust device for discharging the combined air flow inhaled into the extractor hood through the suction inlet.

[0053] Where appropriate, the optional features of aspects of the present invention can be equivalently applied to other aspects of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an air treatment device according to aspects and embodiments of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 2 is shown according to Figure 1 a schematic cross-sectional view of the air treatment device;

[0056] Figure 3 is a graph showing the average pollution concentration of a conventional air treatment device and an air treatment device according to aspects and embodiments of the present invention over time;

[0057] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an air treatment device according to aspects and embodiments of the present invention;

[0058] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an air treatment device according to aspects and embodiments of the present invention;

[0059] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing an extractor device according to aspects and embodiments of the present invention;

[0060] Figure 7 is Figure 6 a schematic top view of a part of the extractor device;

[0061] Figure 8 is a schematic side view of an extraction assembly according to other aspects and embodiments of the present invention; and

[0062] Figure 9 is a schematic front view showing an extraction assembly according to other aspects and embodiments of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0063] An air treatment device for inhaling air from the environment in which the air treatment device is located and treating the inhaled air will now be described. The air treatment device can be arranged to provide any suitable form of air treatment in use, such as filtration, heating, cooling, purification, humidification, dehumidification, and ionization.

[0064] Figure 1 and 2Shows a first example of the air handling device 100. Figure 2 is Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of the air handling device 100. The air handling device 100 includes a jetting unit 110 and a suction unit 120, which is spaced apart from the jetting unit 110 by approximately 1.5 m. It should be understood that in other examples, the jetting unit 110 and the suction unit 120 may be spaced apart by any other suitable distance.

[0065] The jetting unit 110 includes a first air flow generator 116 for generating an air jet 102. In this example, the first air flow generator 116 includes rotating fan blades, but it should be understood that any other suitable air flow generator may be employed.

[0066] The jetting unit 110 includes a jet inlet 114 through which air is drawn into the jetting unit 110 when the first air flow generator 116 is in use. In this example, ambient air 104 from the surroundings is drawn into the jetting unit 110 via the jet inlet 114. The jet inlet 114 includes a plurality of holes in the outer surface of the jetting unit 110 and is fluidly connected to the jet outlet 112 of the jetting unit 110. The air jet 102 generated by the first air flow generator 116 is emitted through the jet outlet 112 towards the suction unit 120. The jet outlet 112 is substantially cross-shaped, but it should be understood that any other suitable shape may be employed. As described below, the air jet 102 discharged from the jet outlet 112 entrains ambient air from the surrounding environment. The advantage of using a cross-shaped jet outlet 112 is that for a given cross-sectional area, the outlet 112 has a relatively long perimeter. Thus, the air jet 102 discharged from the outlet 112 has a relatively large surface area, which better promotes entrainment. Thus, although the jet outlet 112 may have an alternative shape, there is a potential benefit in having a jet outlet 112 for which the ratio of the perimeter of the jet outlet 112 to the cross-sectional area is relatively high.

[0067] The jetting unit 110 is arranged such that as the air jet 102 travels from the jetting unit 110 to the suction unit 120, the air jet 102 entrains ambient air 104 from the environment to produce a combined air flow 106. Thus, as the combined air flow 106 forms between the jet outlet 112 and the suction inlet 122, the cross-sectional area of the air jet 102 increases.

[0068] The air jet 102 is discharged from the jet outlet 112 at a first flow rate Q J and due to the entrainment of the ambient air 104, the combined air flow 106 reaches the suction inlet 122 at a greater second flow rate Q C Changing the first flow rate Q JThe entrainment amount of the ambient air 104 can be changed such that the ratio between the first and second flow rates Q J 、Q C can be changed by changing the operating characteristics of the injection unit 110.

[0069] The air jet 102 entrains the ambient air 104 around substantially the entire periphery of the air jet 102. That is, there is no physical barrier between the injection unit 110 and the suction unit 120 that could prevent the entrainment of the ambient air 104 by the air jet 102 outside the radial outer side of the air jet. Thus, the ambient air containing pollutants discharged from a pollutant source remote from the air treatment device 100 is drawn by the air jet 102 towards the air treatment device 100 and into the suction unit 120.

[0070] The suction unit 120 includes a second air flow generator 132 for sucking the combined air flow 106 into the suction unit 120. In this example, the second air flow generator 132 includes rotating fan blades, but it should be understood that any other suitable air flow generator can be employed. The first and second air flow generators 116, 132 are communicatively connected such that a change in the flow rate generated by the first air flow generator 116 causes a corresponding change in the flow rate generated by the second air flow generator 132. This can help ensure that substantially all of the combined air flow 106 is sucked into the suction unit 120.

[0071] The suction unit 120 includes a suction inlet 122 through which the combined air flow 106 is sucked into the suction unit 120 when the second air flow generator 132 is in use. The suction inlet 122 and the jet outlet 112 are coaxially arranged along the longitudinal axis 10 of the air treatment device 100.

[0072] The suction outlet 122 has a cross-sectional area larger than that of the jet outlet 112 and an equivalent diameter larger than that of the jet outlet 112. In this example, the cross-sectional area of the suction outlet 122 is at least five times larger than that of the jet outlet 112. The cross-sectional area of the suction inlet 122 is larger than the cross-sectional area of the combined air flow 106 such that substantially all of the combined air flow 106 is sucked into the suction unit 120 via the suction inlet 122.

[0073] The suction inlet 122 includes a plurality of holes formed in the inlet surface 124, and the combined air flow 106 is sucked through the plurality of holes. It should be understood that in other examples, the suction inlet 122 can take any other suitable form, such as a single hole.

[0074] Air is sucked into the suction unit 120 by the second air flow generator 132 at a third flow rate Q S In this example, the third flow rate Q SA second flow rate Q that is equal to or greater than the flow rate of the combined air flow 106 at the suction inlet 122 C . This can help ensure that substantially all of the combined air flow 106 is drawn into the suction unit 120.

[0075] The suction unit 120 includes an air treatment unit 126 which, in this example, includes a HEPA filter 127. It should be understood that in other examples, any other suitable filter or combination of filters may be employed. It should be understood that in other examples, the air treatment unit 126 may include any other suitable form of air treatment unit for treating the air drawn into the suction unit 120. The filter 127 is arranged within the suction unit 120 such that substantially all of the combined air flow 106 drawn into the suction unit 120 passes through the filter 127 to remove particles from the combined air flow 106 and produce a treated air flow 108.

[0076] The suction unit 110 includes a suction outlet 128 through which the treated air flow 108 is discharged from the suction unit 110. The suction outlet 128 may discharge the treated air flow 108 in any direction other than the direction opposite to the flow of the air jet 102 or the ambient air 104 towards the air jet 102.

[0077] The suction outlet 128 includes a plurality of holes formed in the outlet surface 130 and the treated air flow 108 is discharged through the plurality of holes. It should be understood that in other examples, the suction outlet 128 may take any other suitable form, such as a single hole.

[0078] The suction outlet 128 is located on the upper surface of the suction unit 110. It should be understood that in other examples, the suction outlet 128 may be formed in more than one surface of the suction unit, such as on a plurality of side surfaces of the suction unit 110, which can ensure a uniform distribution of the treated air flow 108 around the environment.

[0079] In this example, the treated air flow 108 is discharged back into the environment in which the air treatment device 100 is located. In other examples, the treated air flow 108 may be discharged into an exhaust pipe arranged to remove the treated air from the environment.

[0080] The treated air flow 108 is discharged from the suction outlet 128 at a fourth flow rate Q T . In this example, the fourth flow rate Q T is substantially equal to a third flow rate Q corresponding to the flow rate at which air is drawn into the suction unit 120 by the second air flow generator 132 S .

[0081] The ejection unit 110 includes a thermal unit 118 which is arranged to heat and cool the air jet 102 relative to the ambient air. The thermal unit 118 is arranged upstream of the first air flow generator 116, but in other examples, it may be located downstream of the first air flow generator 116. The thermal unit 118 includes a temperature sensor (not shown) which is arranged to determine the temperature of the ambient air and heat or cool the air jet 102 so as to change the amount of ambient air entrained by the air jet 102. It should be understood that in other examples, the thermal unit 118 may be omitted.

[0082] The ejection unit 110 includes a plurality of vanes (not shown) which are positioned adjacent to the jet outlet 112 and arranged to cause the air jet 102 to travel in a vortex motion between the jet outlet 112 and the suction inlet 122 during use. It should be understood that in other examples, other forms of guides may be employed to cause the air jet to travel in a non-linear motion between the jet outlet 112 and the suction inlet 122. By moving in a non-linear motion (such as a vortex), the air jet 102 can entrain a greater amount of ambient air as it travels between the jet outlet 112 and the suction inlet 122.

[0083] The air handling device 100 includes a pollutant detector 140 and a controller (not shown) connected to the pollutant detector 140. The pollutant detector 140 is arranged to detect one or more pollutants in the environment and send a signal indicating whether one or more pollutants have been detected to the controller. The controller is arranged to cause the air jet 102 to be directed towards the suction inlet 122 in response to a signal indicating that one or more pollutants have been detected. It should be understood that in other examples, such as in examples where the air handling device 100 is used to provide other air treatments to the air, any other suitable type of detector may be employed. For example, the air handling device 100 may include a dehumidifier and a humidity detector, and the controller may be arranged to cause the air jet 102 to be directed towards the suction inlet 122 if the detected ambient humidity is higher than a threshold humidity. In this example, the pollutant detector 140 is located on the ejection unit 110, but it should be understood that the pollutant detector 140 may alternatively be located on the suction unit 120.

[0084] The air treatment device 100 includes a user interface 150, which can be operated by a user to operate the air treatment device 100. The user interface 150 may include one or more of the following: buttons, switches, toggle switches, knobs, touchscreens, or a wireless communication module for communicating with a smart device. The user interface 150 enables the user to turn the air treatment device 100 on or off and / or adjust one or more operating parameters of the air treatment device 100, such as the amount of heating or cooling of the air jet 102 by the heating unit 118 or the flow rates of the first and / or second air flow generators 116, 132. In this example, the user interface 150 is located on the ejection unit 110, but it should be understood that the user interface 150 may alternatively be located on the suction unit 210.

[0085] Figure 3 is a graph depicting the performance of an air treatment device (solid line, 156) (in this case an air purifier) for corresponding flow rates according to aspects and embodiments of the present invention relative to a conventional air purifier (dashed line, 158). In this demonstration, the flow rate of the conventional air purifier is 60 l / s, and the flow rate Q at the suction inlet S is also 60 l / s. Figure 3 shows that the rate of decrease in the average pollution concentration of the conventional air purifier is basically exponentially decaying. In contrast, the rate of decrease in the average pollution concentration of the air treatment device according to aspects and embodiments of the present invention is significantly greater, especially within the first 5 - 10 minutes (T = 300 s to T = 600 s), and more particularly around T = 500 s, as indicated by reference numeral 160. This graph can be explained by the increase in the amount of ambient air drawn towards the air jet and into the suction unit.

[0086] Figure 4 shows another example of an air treatment device 200 according to aspects and embodiments of the present invention. The air treatment device 200 is substantially similar to Figure 1 and Figure 2 the air treatment device 100 shown and described above. Similar components have the same reference numerals, but with 100 added, and will not be described again for the sake of brevity. Any features described with reference to the air treatment device 100 equally apply to the air treatment device 200.

[0087] The air treatment device 200 includes a return pipe 260 for allowing air flow to flow from the suction unit 220 to the ejection unit 210. The return pipe 260 may include a check valve (not shown) to prevent air flow from passing in the opposite direction. In this example, the return pipe 260 is located on one side of the suction unit 220 and the ejection unit 210.

[0088] In some examples, the return tube 260 adjacently positions the center of the suction inlet 222 with the center of the jet outlet 212 such that the return tube 260 is substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis 20 of the air handling unit 200. This can help provide a more compact arrangement without substantially inhibiting the entrainment amount of the air jet 202 because the outer periphery of the air jet 202 is not affected by the presence of the return tube 260 and the return tube does not impede the ambient air 204 when the ambient air 204 is drawn towards the air jet 202.

[0089] In this example, the suction unit 220 includes an air flow generator while the injection unit 210 does not include an air flow generator. In use, a portion of the combined air flow 206 drawn into the suction unit 220 is discharged from the suction unit 220 via the return tube 260 to form a return air flow. The return air flow forms the air jet 202 discharged from the jet outlet 210. It should be understood that in other examples, the injection unit 210 may also include an air flow generator and the return air flow may form part of the air jet 202.

[0090] The return air flow has a flow rate Q R , which in this example is substantially equal to a first flow rate Q corresponding to the flow rate at the jet outlet 212 J . In this example, a fourth flow rate Q corresponding to the flow rate at the suction outlet 228 T is less than a third flow rate Q corresponding to the flow rate at the suction inlet 222 S . That is to say,

[0091] Q T＝ Q S –Q R

[0092] The return tube 260 is located downstream of an air handling unit (not shown) such that a portion of the treated air flow 208 returns to the injection unit 210.

[0093] Figure 5 Another example of an air handling unit 300 in accordance with aspects and embodiments of the present invention is shown. The air handling unit 300 is substantially similar to Figure 1 and Figure 2 the air handling unit 100 shown and described above. Similar components have the same reference numerals but with 200 added and will not be described again for the sake of brevity. Any features described with reference to the air handling units 100, 200 are equally applicable to the air handling unit 300.

[0094] The air handling device 300 includes two jet units 310a, 310b, each arranged to emit air jets 302a, 302b. The suction unit 320 is arranged to suck in the combined air flows 306a, 306b of each jet unit 310a, 310b.

[0095] Even when the combined flow rate (Q Ja +Q Jb ) at the jet units 310a, 310b is substantially equal to the flow rate Q J at the jet units 110, 210, the flow rate Q C of the combined air flows 306a, 306b is greater than the flow rate of the combined air flows of the air handling devices 100, 200 described above, because providing two air jets 302a, 302b results in a greater entrainment of ambient air 304 compared to providing a single air jet 102, 202.

[0096] The jet units 310a, 310b are inclined towards each other such that the combined air flows 306a, 306b substantially completely cross paths as they travel towards the suction unit 320. It should be understood that in other examples, the jet units 310a, 310b may be arranged to emit substantially parallel air jets 302a, 302b which do not cross or only partially cross paths, and the suction unit 320 may be arranged such that the suction inlet 322 has a sufficient equivalent diameter to suck in substantially all of the two combined air flows 306a, 306b.

[0097] In an embodiment, the combined air flows 306a, 306b may be processed by an air handling unit (not shown) after being sucked in through the suction inlet 322, thereby producing a processed air flow 308. The processed air flow 308 or a portion thereof may be discharged at a flow rate Q T from the suction outlet 328.

[0098] Figure 6 and 7 shows an extractor 400 according to aspects and embodiments of the present invention. The extractor 400 is substantially similar to Figure 1 and Figure 2 the air handling device 100 shown and described above. Similar components have the same reference numerals but with 300 added, and will not be described again for the sake of brevity. Any features described with reference to the air handling devices 100, 200, 300 are equally applicable to the extractor 400.

[0099] Extractor 400 includes a suction unit 420 in the form of a range hood. The range hood 420 is arranged above the array of pollutant sources 480. The range hood 420 includes a suction inlet 422 defined in the lower surface of the range hood 420. In this example, the array of pollutant sources 480 is a four-ring burner arrangement on a cooking grate. In Figure 6 and 7 the example shown, two burners are used, which support and heat their respective pans 482. The pans 482 emit unwanted heat, odors, and particles. It should be understood that in other examples, there may be more or fewer pollutant sources in the array 480.

[0100] Extractor 400 includes a jetting unit 410, which includes a jet outlet 412. The jet outlet is located at the center of the array 480 and is arranged to direct an air jet 402 towards the suction inlet 422. As the air jet 402 travels from the jetting unit 410 to the suction unit 420, ambient air 404 is entrained around substantially the entire perimeter of the air jet 402 to produce a combined air flow 406. The combined air flow 406 includes the entrained unwanted heat, odors, and particles emitted from the pans 482.

[0101] The jet outlet 412 is cross-shaped. As described above, this increases the perimeter of the jet outlet 412 compared to a circular outlet with the same cross-sectional area, which can help increase the amount of ambient air entrained. It should be understood that any other suitable shape may be employed in other examples.

[0102] Extractor assemblies 500, 600 will now be described, which are configured to draw air from the environment in which the extractor assembly is located and extract the drawn air (e.g., exhaust the extracted air from the environment).

[0103] Figure 8 Extractor assembly 500 according to aspects and embodiments of the present invention is shown. Similar components have the same reference numerals, but with 400 added (i.e., they are now prefixed with "5"). Any features described with reference to the air handling devices 100, 200, 300 and the extractor 400 equally apply to the extractor assembly 500.

[0104] Extractor assembly 500 includes a jetting unit 510 and a suction unit 520, which is located adjacent to and partially adjacent to the jetting unit 510.

[0105] The suction unit 520 takes the form of a range hood or a cooking extractor hood arranged above the pollutant source 580. The suction unit 520 includes a suction inlet 522 defined in the lower surface of the suction unit 520 and a suction outlet 528 located on the upper surface of the suction unit 520. In this example, the pollutant source 580 is provided by a heating unit arrangement (such as a gas burner or an electric ring) on a cooktop. Two such heating units are shown for heating a frying pan 582. In use, the frying pan 582 emits unwanted heat, moisture, and odors.

[0106] The jet unit 510 includes a jet inlet 514 and a plurality of jet outlets 512a, 512b, 512c. The plurality of jet outlets 512a, b, c may be defined by elongated slots or discrete holes or a combination of both. In this example, ambient air 504 from the environment is drawn into the jet unit 510 at a flow rate Q IN The jet inlet 514 is fluidly connected to the plurality of jet outlets 512a, b, c, and air jets are emitted through the jet outlets 512a, b, c towards the suction unit 520.

[0107] In this example, the jet unit 510 extends orthogonally to the suction unit 520. The jet unit 510 may take the form of a backplate or a panel or include a backplate or a panel, which may be mounted on a wall or other surface on one side of the cooktop, typically behind the heating unit. In this example, the backplate includes the plurality of jet outlets 512a, b, c. The plurality of jet outlets 512a, b, c are arranged on the surface of the backplate such that the emitted air jets interfere with each other to produce an enhanced air jet 502.

[0108] The jet unit 510 is arranged such that when the enhanced air jet 502 travels from the jet unit 510 to the suction unit 520, the enhanced air jet 502 entrains ambient air 504 from the environment to produce a combined air flow 506. The backplate provides a physical barrier that prevents ambient air 504 from being entrained on one half of the enhanced air jet 502, such that the enhanced air jet 502 entrains ambient air 504 only around a portion of the perimeter of the enhanced air jet 502. As the combined air flow 506 forms between the jet outlets 512 and the suction inlet 522, the cross-sectional area of the enhanced air jet 502 increases. In the case where each jet outlet 512a, b, c is defined by a discrete hole, the cross-sectional area of the enhanced air jet 502 tends towards a semi-circular cross-section as it travels away from its source. In the case where each jet outlet 512a, b, c is defined by an elongated slot, the cross-section of the enhanced jet 502 tends towards a rectangular shape as it travels away from its source.

[0109] In this example, the centerline passing through the suction inlet 522 and the centerlines passing through each of the jet outlets 512a, b, c are radially offset (e.g., they are not aligned parallel). Further, the centerlines passing through each suction inlet 522 and each jet outlet 512a, b, c are angularly offset (e.g., they are not aligned at an angle). The plane of each jet outlet 512a, b, c is thus at an angle with respect to the plane of the suction inlet 522. Accordingly, each emitted air jet has a component parallel to the centerline of the suction inlet 522 and a component perpendicular to the centerline of the suction inlet 522. In this example, the parallel component is more dominant such that each air jet is directed towards the suction inlet 522 (and thus, the enhanced air jets 502 and the combined air flow 506 are also directed towards the suction inlet 522).

[0110] The enhanced air jets 502 are discharged from the jet outlets 512a at a flow rate Q J1 , from the jet outlets 512b at a flow rate Q J2 and from the jet outlets 512c at a flow rate Q J3 . The entrained flow rate of the ambient air 504 is Q EN . The combined air flow 506 then reaches the suction inlet 522 at a greater second flow rate Q C , where Q C = Q J1 + Q J2 + Q J3 + Q EN .

[0111] Changing the flow rates Q J1 , Q J2 and Q J3 can change the entrained flow rate Q EN , and thus the amount of entrained ambient air 504. In this way, the flow rates Q J1 , Q J2 and Q J3 can be changed relative to the flow rate Q C by changing the operating characteristics of the jet unit 510.

[0112] The ambient air 504 adjacent to the boundary defining the combined air flow 506 will experience the strongest entrainment. The separate streamlines 505 depict a boundary beyond which the ambient air 504 does not experience entrainment or experiences negligible entrainment. Between these two boundaries, the ambient air 504 will experience decreasing entrainment as the distance from the jet unit 510 increases. The induced air flow rate Q IND describes the ambient air 504 that is directed towards the jet outlets 512a, b, c but is extracted by the suction inlet 522 before entrainment can occur. This is referred to herein as the induced air flow 507.

[0113] After the combined air flow 506 is drawn into the suction unit 520, it may be referred to as the exhaust air flow 508. The exhaust air flow 508 may be defined by a flow rate Q EX = Q C + Q IND defined.

[0114] The suction inlet 522 is arranged to draw at least a portion of the combined air flow 506 and at least a portion of the induced air flow 507 into the suction unit 520. In particular, the suction inlet 522 has a cross-sectional area that is larger than the cross-sectional area of the combined air flow 506, such that substantially all of the combined air flow 506 is drawn into the suction unit 520 via the suction inlet 522 together with at least a portion of the induced air flow 507.

[0115] The exhaust air flow 508 is discharged from the suction unit 510 through the suction outlet 528. In this example, the exhaust air flow 508 is discharged into an exhaust pipe 529 that is coupled to the suction outlet 528. The exhaust pipe 529 is arranged to receive the exhaust air flow 508 (or a portion thereof) and to discharge the exhaust air flow 508 away from the environment (e.g., by discharging the exhaust air flow 508 to an external area).

[0116] In a similar manner, Figure 9 an extractor assembly 600 in accordance with aspects and embodiments of the present invention is shown. Similar components have the same reference numerals, but with 500 added (i.e., they are now preceded by "6"). Unless otherwise noted, similar components are considered to be structurally and functionally similar to those described with reference to Figure 5 the components described. Any features described with reference to the air handling devices 100, 200, 300, the extractor 400, and the extractor assembly 500 apply equally to the extractor assembly 600.

[0117] The extractor assembly 600 includes a jet unit 610 and a suction unit 620 that are located within the same housing structure. The suction unit 620 takes the form of a range hood that is disposed above the pollutant source 680 and includes a suction inlet 622 defined in the lower surface of the suction unit 620 and a suction outlet 628 located on the upper surface of the suction unit 620.

[0118] The jet unit 610 includes a jet inlet 614 and a plurality of jet outlets 612a, 612b, 612c, 612d. The plurality of jet outlets 612a, b, c, d may be defined by elongated slots or discrete holes or a combination of both. The jet outlets 612a, b, c, d and the suction inlet 622 are disposed at substantially the same height from a common reference 609 (in this case, the common reference 609 is defined by a cooktop rack). The plurality of jet outlets 612a, b, c, d are arranged on the lower surface of the suction unit 620 and are arranged such that the emitted air jets interfere with each other to produce enhanced air jets 602a and 602b.

[0119] Ambient air 604 from the environment is drawn into the jet unit 610 through the jet inlet 614 at a flow rate Q IN The jet inlet 614 is fluidly connected to the plurality of jet outlets 612a, b, c, d, through which the air jets are emitted towards the suction unit 620. As the enhanced air jets 602a, b travel from the jet outlets 612a, b, c, d to the suction inlet 622, they entrain ambient air 604 from the environment to produce combined air flows 606a and 606b, respectively.

[0120] The lower surface of the suction unit 620 provides a physical barrier that prevents the entrainment of ambient air 604, such that the ambient air 604 is only entrained around a portion of the periphery of the enhanced air jets 602a, b. In an example where the jet outlets 612a, b, c, d are discrete holes, as the enhanced air jets 602a, b travel away from their respective sources, each of them tends to have a semi-circular cross-section with an increasing diameter. However, in an example where the jet outlets 612a, b, c, d are elongated slots, as the enhanced air jets 602a, b travel away from their respective sources, each of them tends to have a rectangular cross-section with an increasing cross-sectional area (or an increasing length and / or height).

[0121] In this example, the centerline passing through the suction inlet 622 and the centerlines passing through any of the jet outlets 612a, b, c, d are radially and angularly offset relative to each other. Thus, each emitted air jet has a component parallel to the centerline of the suction inlet 622 and a component perpendicular to the centerline of the suction inlet 622. In this example, the perpendicular component is more dominant, such that each air jet is directed towards the suction inlet 622 (therefore, the enhanced air jets 602a, 602b and the combined air flows 606a, 606b are also directed towards the suction inlet 622).

[0122] An air jet is discharged from the jet outlet 612a at a flow rate Q J1 and is discharged from the jet outlet 612b at a flow rate Q J2 and is discharged from the jet outlet 612c at a flow rate Q J3Discharge, and discharge from the jet outlet 612d at a flow rate Q J4 Discharge.

[0123] The entrainment flow rate of the ambient air 604 is represented by Q EN1 and Q EN2 In some examples, Q J1 +Q J2 +Q EN1 =Q C1 and Q J3 +Q J4 +Q EN2 =Q C2 where Q C1 and Q C2 are the flow rates of the combined air flows 606a and 606b respectively. In some examples, when Q J1 =Q J2 =Q J3 =Q J4 then Q EN1 =Q EN2 and Q C1 =Q C2 . However, changing one or more of the flow rates Q J1 , Q J2 , Q J3 and Q J4 can change the entrainment flow rates Q EN1 and Q EN2 , and thus change the total amount of entrained ambient air 604 and the flow rates Q C1 and Q C2 at the suction inlet 622.

[0124] Each air jet is discharged from the jet outlets 612a, b, c, d at a first flow rate. The combined air flow 606a is drawn into the suction inlet 622 at a greater second flow rate, and the combined air flow 606b is drawn into the suction inlet 622 at a greater third flow rate. The second and third flow rates can be substantially the same. Both the second and third flow rates can be greater than the first flow rate.

[0125] The ambient air 604 adjacent to the boundary defining the combined air flows 606a, b will experience the strongest entrainment. The separate streamlines 605a and 605b depict the boundary beyond which the ambient air 604 does not experience entrainment or experiences negligible entrainment. Between these boundaries, as the distance from the jet unit 610 increases, the ambient air 604 will experience a gradually decreasing entrainment effect. The flow rate of the induced air flow 607 is represented by Q IND .

[0126] After the combined air flows 606a, b are drawn into the suction unit 620, it can become a single exhaust air flow 608. Then, the exhaust air flow 608 through the suction inlet 622 is defined by the flow rate Q EX = Q C1 + Q C2 + Q IND defined.

[0127] The suction inlet 622 is arranged to draw at least a portion of the combined air flows 606a, b and at least a portion of the induced air flow 607 into the suction unit 620. In particular, the suction inlet 622 has a cross-sectional area that is larger than the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the combined air flows 606a, b, such that substantially all of the combined air flows 606a, b, together with at least a portion of the induced air flow 607, are drawn into the suction unit 620 via the suction inlet 622.

[0128] The exhaust air flow 608 exits the suction unit 610 through the suction outlet 628. In this example, the exhaust air flow 608 or a portion thereof can be discharged into the exhaust pipe, as described above. Alternatively or additionally, the exhaust air flow 608 or a portion thereof can be processed by the air handling unit as described above. Further, the exhaust flow 608 or a portion thereof can be returned to the injection unit through the return pipe as described above.

[0129] Although specific examples and embodiments have been described, other embodiments falling within the scope of the present invention can be envisioned. For example, Figure 8 and 9 the embodiments shown can be combined such that multiple jet outlets are located on the lower surface of the suction unit and on the orthogonal backplate surface, with each jet outlet arranged to direct an air jet towards the suction inlet.

Claims

1. An extractor assembly, comprising a jet unit and a suction unit, wherein: The jet unit includes a jet outlet configured to emit an air jet towards the suction unit; The jet unit is arranged such that when the air jet travels from the jet unit to the suction unit, the air jet entrains ambient air around at least a portion of the periphery of the air jet to produce a combined air flow; and The suction unit includes a suction inlet and a suction outlet, and the combined air flow is drawn into the suction unit through the suction inlet and discharged from the suction unit through the suction outlet.

2. The extractor assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The air jet is discharged from the jet outlet at a first flow rate, and the combined air flow is drawn into the suction inlet at a greater second flow rate.

3. The extractor assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The cross-sectional area of the suction inlet is equal to or greater than the maximum cross-sectional area of the combined air flow at the suction inlet.

4. The extractor assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The jet outlet and the suction inlet are coaxially arranged.

5. The extractor assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The centerline passing through the jet outlet and the centerline passing through the suction inlet are radially and / or angularly offset.

6. The extractor assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The jet outlet is arranged such that the discharged air jet has a component parallel to the centerline of the suction inlet and / or a component perpendicular to the centerline of the suction inlet.

7. The extractor assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The jet unit includes a first air flow generator for generating the air jet, and the suction unit includes a second air flow generator for drawing the combined air flow into the suction unit.

8. The extractor assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The jet unit is spaced apart from the suction unit.

9. The extractor assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The jet unit is at least partially adjacent to and / or at least partially abuts the suction unit.

10. The extractor assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The jet outlet and the suction inlet are provided at substantially the same height from a common reference.

11. The extractor assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The jet outlet is defined by discrete holes or elongated slots.

12. The extractor assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The separation distance between the jet outlet and the suction inlet is at least 200 mm.

13. The extractor assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an exhaust pipe connected to the suction outlet; wherein, An exhaust pipe is arranged such that the combined air flow drawn through the suction inlet or a portion thereof is received by the exhaust pipe via the suction outlet; and wherein the exhaust pipe is further arranged to discharge the combined air flow or a portion thereof from the environment.

14. The extractor assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The jet unit includes one or more guides arranged to cause the air jet to travel between the jet outlet and the suction inlet in a non-linear motion during use.

15. The extractor assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one additional jet unit arranged to emit at least one additional air jet towards the suction unit, wherein, At least one additional air jet entrains ambient air to produce an additional combined air flow, and the suction inlet is arranged to draw at least a portion of each of the combined air flow and the additional combined air flow into the suction unit.

16. The extractor assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The jet unit includes a plurality of jet outlets, each jet outlet configured to emit an air jet towards the suction unit.

17. The extractor assembly according to claim 16, wherein, The plurality of jet outlets are arranged on at least one surface and arranged such that the emitted multiple air jets interfere with each other to produce an enhanced air jet; and wherein the enhanced air jet entrains ambient air around at least a portion of the periphery of the enhanced air jet to produce the combined air flow.

18. The extractor assembly according to claim 16 or 17, wherein, Each of the plurality of jet outlets is defined by discrete holes or elongated slots.

19. The extractor assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an air treatment unit for treating at least a portion of the combined air flow drawn into the suction inlet.

20. The extractor assembly according to claim 19, further comprising a detector arranged to detect a parameter of the ambient air and a controller connected to the detector, wherein the controller is arranged to direct the air jet towards the suction inlet in response to the detector indicating that a predetermined processing criterion is met.

21. The extractor assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The suction unit is arranged above one or more pollutant sources.

22. The extractor assembly according to claim 21, wherein, The jet outlet is located on one side of the one or more pollutant sources.

23. The extractor assembly according to claim 21, wherein, The jet outlet is substantially located at the center or midpoint of two or more pollutant sources.

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