Modular Kitchen Wall Unit With Mini-Hood Fume Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Exhaust systems in industrial and commercial settings suffer from significant energy loss and contamination due to the withdrawal of conditioned air, turbulence leading to pollutant mixing, and fouling issues that hinder energy recovery, along with the inflexibility and high costs associated with permanent installations.
Innovation Solution
A modular wall unit with integrated heat exchangers and air filtration systems that recirculate and clean exhaust streams, utilizing ultraviolet light, disposable filters, and heat pumps to minimize energy loss, reduce fouling, and enhance flexibility in exhaust system design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If exhaust systems withdraw conditioned air to remove contaminants, then air quality is improved, but energy loss increases due to the need to replace and recondition the air
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers energy from the exhaust air stream by capturing heat and moisture that would otherwise be discarded. The system uses heat exchangers to transfer thermal energy from the warm exhaust air to the incoming fresh air, reducing the energy required for heating or cooling the replacement air.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary heat exchanger system between the exhaust air and the incoming fresh air. This intermediary device facilitates energy transfer without direct mixing of the air streams, allowing energy recovery while maintaining air quality separation.
2Loss of energy
If make-up air is discharged close to the exhaust hood to reduce conditioned air loss, then volume of conditioned air is reduced, but turbulence increases causing vigorous mixing and contaminant escape
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of discharging make-up air close to the hood with a different mechanism: using heat exchangers positioned to capture exhaust air energy and transfer it to fresh air, eliminating the need for turbulent make-up air discharge while maintaining energy efficiency.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If permanent exhaust system connections are installed to ensure reliable contaminant removal, then air quality is maintained, but flexibility and reconfiguration capability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the exhaust system into modular components including wall units with integrated heat exchangers, filters, and fans. These modular segments can be independently installed, removed, and reconfigured without requiring permanent structural modifications, providing both reliability and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a dynamic, adaptable exhaust system where modular wall units can be repositioned and reconfigured as facility needs change. The system transitions from static permanent installations to dynamic, easily modifiable configurations while maintaining effective contaminant removal.
4Loss of energy
If energy recovery systems are implemented to capture value from exhaust streams, then energy efficiency is improved, but fouling from effluent streams causes performance degradation and maintenance problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes contaminants, moisture, and particulates from the exhaust air stream before the air contacts the heat exchanger surfaces. This extraction process prevents fouling and maintains heat transfer efficiency, allowing energy recovery without the maintenance problems of direct contact systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary filtration and condensation system between the exhaust air and the heat exchanger. This intermediary layer captures contaminants and moisture, protecting the heat exchanger surfaces from fouling while still allowing thermal energy transfer to occur.
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 solution effectively recovers energy and reduces pollutant mixing, maintains system cleanliness, and provides flexibility in exhaust system configuration, thereby minimizing energy consumption and operational costs while improving environmental sustainability.
Implementation Method 1
heat exchangers and air filtration systems that recirculate and clean exhaust streams
Implementation Method 2
utilizing ultraviolet light, disposable filters, and heat pumps to minimize energy loss, reduce fouling, and enhance flexibility in exhaust system design
Implementation Method 3
utilizing ultraviolet light, disposable filters, and heat pumps to minimize energy loss, reduce fouling, and enhance flexibility in exhaust system design
Data Source
Figure 1a~1d
Figure 1e~2b
Figure 2c~2f
AI summary
A modular wall unit (800;801;803), comprising a duct section (854), an electrical section (858) and a plumbing section (856), which sections are housed by the modular wall unit (800;801;803); a filter module (867) which holds a grease filter cartridge (852) and which allows the filter cartridge (852) to be removed, wherein a suction can be applied to an interior plenum of the duct section (854) via an exhaust collar (866) to thereby draw fumes through the filter via a filter inlet (869) and through an aperture (853) in the top of the filter module (867), the filter module (867) also including a small plenum section (864) that connects to a mini-hood (870) conduit (871) which transfers some of the suction into the filter cartridge (852) to the mini-hood (870) conduit (871) for drawing air and fumes into an inlet (862) thereof; and a shelf (868) arranged so that it is below the mini-hood (870) conduit (871) and that the filter inlet (869) is below the shelf (868), wherein a space (863) is between the mini-hood (870) conduit (871) and the shelf (868), wherein air and fume can be drawn into the inlet (862) to isolate an appliance in the space (863).