Recirculating Ventilation with Air Curtain for Ductless Fume Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fixed building ventilation systems for commercial cooking equipment are complex, expensive to install and maintain, and often require external ductwork, which can lead to inefficient air capture and potential health hazards when cooking appliances are not properly vented, especially when located away from kitchen spaces.
Innovation Solution
A self-contained, recirculating ventilation system with an intake, exhaust, and adjustable directing member that filters and treats polluted air, including a plurality of capture hoods and an air curtain to prevent the release of smoke, heat, and grease-laden air into the room, eliminating the need for external ductwork.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If fixed building ventilation systems with external ductwork are used, then air can be vented to the exterior, but installation and maintenance become complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the ventilation function from the complex external ductwork system and concentrates it into a self-contained air cleaner unit with integrated fan and filters, eliminating the need for extensive duct installation while maintaining air cleaning capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the air intake, filtration system, fan, and exhaust functions into a single integrated air cleaner unit, combining multiple components that would traditionally require separate ductwork connections into one modular device
2Ease of manufacture
If cooking appliances are positioned away from kitchen spaces without venting, then installation is simpler, but fire risk increases and polluted air is released into the room
Solution Approach 1:
The air cleaner unit is designed as a self-contained system with its own power supply, fan, and filtration components that autonomously capture and clean polluted air without requiring connection to external building ventilation infrastructure, enabling safe placement away from kitchen spaces
Solution Approach 2:
The air cleaner acts as an intermediary device between the cooking appliance and the room environment, capturing polluted air at the source and filtering it before recirculation or exhaust, thereby preventing direct release into the room while maintaining installation simplicity
3Ease of operation
If localized venting equipment is used, then installation is easier, but air movements from breezes or air conditioning interfere with capture of polluted air
Solution Approach 1:
The air cleaner is positioned to receive polluted air directly at the source before it can be dispersed by room air movements, and the fan creates a controlled airflow pattern that pre-establishes capture zones resistant to interference from breezes or air conditioning
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable directing members (louvers) allow dynamic adjustment of exhaust airflow direction and pattern, enabling optimization of air capture efficiency under varying room conditions such as different air conditioning settings or breeze patterns
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 effectively captures and cleans polluted air from cooking appliances, improving indoor air quality and safety by recirculating and filtering air within the system, reducing installation and maintenance costs, and preventing air pollution in the room.
Implementation Method 1
The exhaust air louvers are positioned to direct exhaust air towards the air intake of the hood... The system provides an air screen that keeps polluted air in the recirculating ventilation system
Implementation Method 2
The air treatment modules include a grease filter, a particulate filter, and a deoderizing filter... The air handling system provides for filtering or treatment of grease laden air, smoke, heat, moisture and odor
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes an intake, an exhaust, and an adjustable directing member. The intake is for taking in air, the exhaust is for exhausting air, and the adjustable directing member is positioned for directing exhaust air toward the intake. Another aspect is a system that includes a source of polluted air and an air cleaning system. The air cleaning system includes an intake, an exhaust, and a directing member. The intake is for taking in polluted air and the exhaust is for exhausting air. The directing member is for directing air from the exhaust toward the intake to provide an air screen for keeping the polluted air in the vicinity of the intake.