Kitchen ventilation system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current kitchen ventilation systems fail to prevent grease from entering the chimney exhaust duct, leading to high maintenance costs for UV systems and increased risk of kitchen fires spreading through the exhaust system due to grease buildup.
Innovation Solution
A kitchen ventilation system incorporating a fire barrier air filter with elongate extruded bodies having concave and baffle surfaces, which creates a narrow inlet and outlet gap and a longitudinal tubular chamber to filter air and prevent fire and grease from entering the exhaust duct.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If grease is allowed to pass through the ventilation system, then the system operates with simple components, but the grease coats the interior walls of the chimney exhaust ducts and renders UV systems ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
The filter assembly is divided into multiple extruded bodies arranged in parallel, each with its own inlet and outlet gaps. This segmentation allows the system to handle large volumes of air while effectively capturing grease particles through multiple filtering surfaces working simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter utilizes the porous structure of the extruded bodies with controlled inlet and outlet gaps to capture grease particles. The porous design allows air to pass through while trapping grease, preventing it from coating the duct walls and maintaining UV system effectiveness.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional filters are used without fire barrier properties, then the system is simpler and cheaper, but kitchen fires can enter the exhaust duct and spread through grease-coated surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The filter assembly serves multiple functions simultaneously: it captures grease particles, acts as a fire barrier to prevent flames from entering the exhaust duct, and reduces maintenance requirements. This multi-functionality is achieved through the combination of the porous extruded bodies and fire-resistant materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The narrow inlet and outlet gaps, which might seem to restrict airflow, actually serve as effective fire barriers while maintaining sufficient air passage. The design converts potential airflow resistance into a beneficial fire prevention feature, as the narrow gaps prevent flame propagation while still allowing air to pass through.
3Manufacturing precision
If the filter has narrow inlet and outlet gaps to improve filtration efficiency, then particle separation is enhanced, but airflow resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter assembly is divided into multiple extruded bodies arranged in parallel, each with narrow inlet and outlet gaps. This segmentation provides multiple filtering pathways, allowing the system to maintain high particle separation efficiency while reducing overall airflow resistance through the parallel configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter utilizes the third dimension by arranging extruded bodies vertically in parallel, creating multiple layers of filtration surfaces. This dimensional approach increases the total filtering area available, allowing narrow gaps in each individual body to collectively provide sufficient airflow capacity while maintaining high separation efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves high separation efficiency for particles, reduces maintenance costs, and effectively prevents fires from spreading through the exhaust system, as demonstrated by flame tests that show no evidence of fire or grease leakage beyond the filter.
Implementation Method 1
a fire barrier air filter mounted to the hood to receive and filter the air flow, the fire barrier air filter comprising a plurality of elongate extruded bodies in parallel alignment; each extruded body bound by first and second opposing concave surfaces and first and second baffle surfaces, the first and second baffle surfaces oriented transverse to the air flow
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a kitchen ventilation system, comprising: a kitchen hood communicative with a kitchen exhaust duct; a fan communicative with the hood to create an air flow through the hood and to the exhaust duct; a fire barrier air filter mounted to the hood to receive and filter the air flow, the fire barrier air filter comprising a plurality of elongate extruded bodies in parallel alignment; each extruded body bound by first and second opposing concave surfaces and first and second baffle surfaces, the first and second baffle surfaces oriented transverse to the air flow; and at least one of the of the first and second concave surfaces oriented in facing opposition to a neighboring concave surface provided by a neighboring extruded body to form a cooperating pair of facing concave surfaces, the pair of facing concave surfaces defining a narrow longitudinal inlet gap, a narrow longitudinal outlet gap, and a longitudinal tubular chamber communicating therebetween. A kit providing at least a fire barrier air filter of the system and instructions for its installation is also described. A method of fire prevention using components of the system or kit is also described.