ASHRAE Journal

Kitchen Exhaust: Issues and Solutions

By John A. Clark, P .E. Fellow/Life Member ASHRAE

kitchen exhaust system is more than a hood in the kitchen area to capture, contain, and remove vapor, smoke and grease from cooking operations. Hood manufacturers have designed canopies that capture and contain. Filter banks also are part of the package. It is important to understand how the exhaust fan, stack discharge, and replacement air contribute to a successful kitchen exhaust system.
Basic System Considerations A hood canopy is used to contain the rising thermal plume produced by hot cooking processes. The hood includes a filter bank to remove grease and to prevent flame penetration into the ductwork. Air movement transports the heat and contaminants through the filters, up the ductwork, and out of the building. A fan provides the air movement. The design airflow for a UL-listed hood is based on the minimum amount of air required to capture and contain the thermal plume. The newer codes will relate cfm per linear foot of hood to the cooking surface temperature hood tests as conducted per UL 710 Standard. This UL cfm is a minimum established under test conditions. Consider using a value of 10% to 15% more cfm to deal with field conditions. The UL710 rating is based on the following tests: a. Temperature test with minimum cfm and cooking equipment on. Temperature rise is measured. b. Cooking test with minimum cfm and cooking 70% lean meat patties. No smoke spillage allowed. c. Abnormal flare-up with minimum cfm, 1 pint (473 mL) of grease is ignited. Temperature rise is measured. d. Fan failure test with 50% of minimum cfm, 1 pint (473 mL) of grease ignited. Temperature rise is measured. e. Fire test with minimum cfm and 3 pints (1.4 L) of grease ignited. The hood should not be damaged. f. Burnout test with minimum cfm. The head is coated with 0.3 lbs of grease per square foot (0.01 kg/m2) and 1 pint (473 mL) of grease ignited. Temperature rise is measured. The measured temperature rise is compared to an acceptable tabular value. The four categories of cooking equipment tested are listed according to the cooking surface temperature: Light duty such as ovens, steamers and small kettles up to 400F (200C). Medium duty such as large kettles, ranges, griddles and fryers up to 400F (200C). Heavy duty such as upright boilers, charbroilers and woks up to 600F (315C). Extra heavy duty such as solid-fuel equipment up to 700F (370C). The design exhaust rate is the desired airflow rate in cfm/ft times the length of the hood canopy. Table 1 is reproduced from the 1999 ASHRAE HandbookApplications.

As a reminder, the primary purpose of the grease filter in the hood is to prevent flame penetration into the duct. The thermal plume will rise into the canopy and be contained if there are no disturbing cross currents of air. Fans Most systems place the exhaust fan at or near the outlet of the duct system. Placing the fan at the outlet end keeps the duct under negative pressure so leakage tends to be into the duct. If the duct was pressurized by a fan near the hood, grease would tend to leak out. A roof-mounted fan often is used for ease of service and cleaning. The purposes of the fan, other than to move the air, are: Keep the contaminants off the roof surfaces, Discharge hot, grease-laden air away from air intakes, and In the case of fire, direct the heat or flames away from the roof or nearby surfaces. The up-blast power roof ventilator (PRV) is the fan most often selected for this duty. This type of fan is a compact unit and, with the proper curb, discharges the exhaust at least 40 in. (100 cm) above the roof surface to satisfy the requirement in Section 4-8.2.1 of NFPA 96 designed to keep the grease off the roof surface. The up-blast PRV has some shortcomings. Its static pressure is normally limited to 2.0 to 2.5-in. w.c. (500 to 600 Pa). This limitation becomes a problem when About the Author John A. Clark, P .E., is an associate vice president in the Mechanical Engineering Group of Hammel, Green and Abrahamson, Inc. in Minneapolis.
ASHRAE Journal 37

October 2001

ASHRAE Journal
Minimum Exhaust Flow Rate, cfm per linear foot of hood there is a long exhaust duct and/or when Type of Hood Light Duty Medium Duty Heavy Duty Extra Heavy Duty the hood contains cartridge-type filters Wall-Mounted Canopy 150 to 200 200 to 300 200 to 400 350+ that have greater resistance than baffleSingle Island 250 to 300 300 to 400 300 to 600 550+ type filters. For example, a cartridge-type Double Island (per side) 150 to 200 200 to 300 250 to 400 500+ hood designed for charbroilers at 300 cfm Eyebrow 150 to 200 150 to 250 per linear foot (43 L/s per linear meter) Back Shelf/Pass Over 100 to 200 200 to 300 300 to 400 Not Recommended has a static pressure loss of 1.5 in. w.c. (370 Pa). This does not leave much static Table 1: Typical minimum exhaust flow rates for listed Type 1 hoods for cooking pressure capacity for the ductwork and equipment type. stack outlet losses. If the fan cannot develop the necessary static pressure, it will not move its design exhaust volume. The Minimum result will be grease discharged out of Extended 40 in. Base the fan outlet and onto the roof and/or Discharge Drain nearby surfaces. Roof Height Vented Base When large amounts of grease appear on the fan or roof, often the cfm is below Horizontal PRV design values. Once the fan capacity is Centrifugal Fan Utility Set returned to its proper cfm, the grease discharge drops significantly. Figure 1: Typical exhaust outlets. The condition of grease discharge at low exhaust cfms is a result of not enough air at the filter surface to cool vaporized D+1 4D grease and moisture. The cooling at this D+1 4D point is needed for the filters to remove 6 in. Drain Lip Min. grease. The grease and water vapor are D 6 in. Min. D separated from the airstream at the filter, if condensing can occur at the filter surface. The larger particles are then sepaDrain Roof rated as the air changes direction as it passes through the filter bank. If the proFrom Indoor Fan cess produces a large amount of vapor, water mist can be used to cool the vapors Figure 2: High velocity vertical discharge. at the hood. The ASHRAE-sponsored research project to measure what is contained in the kitchen and the direction of discharge. The discharge plume will tend exhaust confirmed this cooling and condensing phenomenon. to remain at the elevation where the discharge vector is overIf the up-blast PRV is not appropriate, what other types of come by the wind vector. The result is that nearby intakes refans can be used? A utility fan set with backward inclined entrain the exhaust contaminants. The average discharge blades is a good choice for systems with higher static pres- velocity from PRV units is 1,000 fpm (5 m/s). sure requirements. The fan set should have the UL 762 rating Therefore, with a 15 mph (24 km/h) crosswind, the discharge for high temperature service. The fan arrangement can be will stay at the 40-in. (100 cm) discharge above the roof. Also, horizontal if the discharge is at least 40 in. (100 cm) off the with the fans low profile, the stack outlet is vulnerable to wind roof, or it can be upwards. An in-line fan with the motor lo- backwash from adjacent structures. To make matters worse, the cated out of the airstream and belt/pulley protection from exhaust fan and the replacement air unit often are surrounded grease is another choice. A horizontal or vertical discharge is by a visual screen or wall enclosure. In these cases, the disacceptable with the proper bearing and support. Consider- charge effluent often stays within the enclosure and is re-enation should be given to drain the rain and moisture that may trained into the replacement air system. reach the fan scroll. Drain outlets are available in the lower Figure 2 illustrates a proven design that has been successarea of the fan scroll. Exhaust stack configurations may be ful in industrial and laboratory exhaust systems. The design one of the types as shown in Figure 1. Some fan manufactur- outlet velocity of these stacks should be in the 2,500 to 3,000 ers lay the centrifugal fan wheel in a horizontal arrangement fpm (13 to 15 m/s) range. The discharge plume will extend and angle the outlet upwards. This is a specialized arrange- another 5 to 10 ft (1.5 to 3 m) above the stack outlet before ment that can be considered. the wind vector turns the plume horizontal. This height separation keeps the exhaust out of intakes that are below the Stack Discharge plane of the plume discharge. Induced air from the drain openFan discharge stack design often is neglected. Most designs ing also dilutes the odor and smoke particulate in the exsimply satisfy the height requirement above the roof surface haust air. If the exhaust is unusually odorous or smoky, air

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ASHRAE Journal

w w w. a s h r a e j o u r n a l . o r g

October 2001

Kitchen Exhaust

Figure 3: Exhaust stack dilution inlet.

can be introduced into the exhaust airstream before the fan (Figure 3). 1/2 1/2 Butterfly Damper Outlet stack velocity is governed only Mesh by the consideration for fan static presScreen sure/horsepower and noise. The stack height is usually about 10 ft (3 m) above the roof surface. At velocities above 3,000 fpm (15 m/s), the velocity pressure loss of duct fittings increases, reRoof quiring more fan horsepower, and the velocity noise rises above NC 40 levels, which is objectionable. The stack can be round and made of stainless steel, aluminum, or painted galvanized steel, to minimize visual objection to the Figure 4: Typical closure damper arrangement. stack. An exhaust stack for a system that shuts down at night in a does not impinge on the hood face and drop down, which cold climate causes problems. The problems are heat loss from disturbs the thermal plume. Typical supply air outlets are perthe building up the stack; start-up problems moving cold dense forated panels or grilles in the front face of the hood, slot difair up a multistory stack; and freezing of sprinkler heads at the fusers blowing away from the hood face, low velocity mass roofline near the stack outlet. One solution to these problems flow down discharge diffusers, backwall discharge ducts beis to provide a closure damper at or near the system outlet. The low the cooking surface, and vaned diffusers located away authority having jurisdiction often allows a closure damper at from the hood face. Hood side curtains control disturbing cross the horizontal discharge of the centrifugal fan or in the inlet to drafts at the hood. The replacement air quantity must come the fan at the roof curb, if the damper is accessible at the roofline from outdoor air intakes of supply units to the space. These (Figure 4). outdoor air intakes cannot be closed after occupancy in an attempt to save energy. Replacement Air Concept Replacement air for the air exhausted should come mainly Conclusion from the kitchen area. Ten to 15% of the outdoor air can be To achieve more predictable and reliable performance from transferred from the dining area adjacent to the kitchen. This a kitchen exhaust system, select UL-listed hoods appropriate is also advantageous to control the migration of cooking for the cooking equipment and select a fan that will produce odors into the dining area. Be careful that the transfer air the tested minimum cfm at the system static pressure. Select path does not occur mainly at the pass-through window fan types that will not re-entrain the exhaust back into the between the kitchen and the dining room. The air velocity outdoor air intakes. Provide an appropriate exhaust stack that tends to cool off the food resting on the shelf in the pass- directs the discharge away from the same level as outdoor air through window. intakes. Provide replacement air supply devices that do not The supply air to the kitchen should be through outlets that disturb the thermal plume from cooking surfaces. Balance the do not disturb the rising thermal plume off the cooking sur- outdoor inlet cfm to the exhaust cfm. Lack of attention to one face. Avoid using four-way diffusers at or near the hood canopy. or more of the components listed previously is likely to cause The goal is to avoid blowing toward the hood so the airflow failed or substandard kitchen exhaust systems.
October 2001 ASHRAE Journal 39