Labyrinth Kitchen Hood Filter for Grease Particle Separation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing kitchen hood filters do not provide a sufficient degree of filtration for solid and liquid particles containing grease, leading to unfiltered air remaining in the room, which is a critical issue for hygiene and fire safety in professional kitchens.

Innovation Solution

A kitchen hood filter design featuring a housing with bent profiles forming elongated air flow areas, incorporating centrifugal force in circulation chambers and labyrinthine passages to slow down air flow, increasing the time particles are subjected to external forces for enhanced filtration, made of stainless steel for durability and easy maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If existing kitchen hood filters are used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the filtration efficiency for grease particles is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiltration efficiencyVSAvoidfilter structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The filter is divided into multiple longitudinal chambers (at least three) with different flow path configurations. Some chambers have straight flow paths while others have bent flow paths, allowing the system to process different particle sizes simultaneously through segmented parallel channels, thereby achieving high filtration efficiency without excessive complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The filter introduces a third dimension by bending profiles vertically to create bent flow paths with downward and upward sections. This vertical dimension addition increases the effective filtration path length and enhances particle separation efficiency without significantly increasing the horizontal footprint or manufacturing difficulty

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If air flow speed is high, then productivity is improved, but particles are not sufficiently subjected to external forces for effective filtration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair flow rateVSAvoidfiltration efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The filter segments the air flow into multiple parallel chambers, each handling a portion of the total air flow. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high overall productivity while ensuring that particles in each chamber are adequately exposed to centrifugal forces and flow path effects for effective filtration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bent flow paths with curved sections create centrifugal forces that act on grease particles. The curved geometry ensures particles are subjected to external forces throughout the flow path, improving filtration efficiency while maintaining reasonable air flow rates through the chambers

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Manufacturing precision

If centrifugal force is applied in circulation chambers, then filtration efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiltration efficiencyVSAvoidchamber structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bent profiles with curved sections generate centrifugal force naturally through the geometry of the flow path itself, rather than requiring additional mechanical centrifugal components. This approach achieves effective particle separation while keeping the chamber structure relatively simple and manufacturable

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The filter structure uses its own geometry (bent profiles) to generate the necessary centrifugal force for particle separation. The system serves itself by using the flow path configuration to create the separating force, eliminating the need for additional external force-generating components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 filter achieves a high filtration efficiency of over 95% for particles up to 10 µm, significantly improving air quality and fire safety by effectively removing grease particles, as demonstrated in laboratory tests compared to prior art filters.

Implementation Method 1

The arms of the individual profiles form two circulation chambers in which the flowing air containing grease particles is subjected to centrifugal force

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 2

The arms in the outlet slotted duct form a labyrinthine passage changing the direction of the air flow and slowing down the air flow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLabyrinthine flow path:

Data Source

PatentEP3677844B1Kitchen hood filter
Publication Date: 2023.06.21 STALGAST RADOM
  • EP3677844B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3677844B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3677844B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The subject-matter of the invention is a kitchen hood filter designed to evacuate and purify air and to filter solid and liquid particles from air. A kitchen hood filter comprising of a housing, inside of which a number of profiles forming chambers, through which the air flows, are mounted, wherein the individual profiles (10, 10') have arms (9, 11, 12, 13) that are bent to form elongated areas of air flow, and the arms (9, 11, 12, 13) of the individual profiles (10, 10') form at least two circulation chambers (14, 15), and in the direction of air intake and air outlet, the arms (9, 11, 12, 13) of the individual profiles (10, 10') form an intake slotted duct (4) and an outlet slotted duct (1), whereas the arms (9, 11, 12, 13) in the outlet slotted duct (4) form a labyrinthine passage.