Kitchen exhaust air system

Exhaust air purification with oxygen activation for restaurants and industrial kitchens

Kitchen exhaust air ducts are highly contaminated by aerosols from the cooking and frying process. The grease is first extracted in gas or vapor form and is then deposited on the colder duct walls. The residues "resinify" and form a source of odors and germs.

First and foremost, they are a high fire risk because the deposited grease acts as a dangerous fire accelerant. Grease deposits in the ducts can also impair the proper functioning of fire dampers and safety devices. DIN EN 16282 "Construction elements in commercial kitchen facilities for ventilation" requires that ventilation systems must be able to eliminate odors, grease components and gaseous products from the exhaust air.

Treatment of kitchen exhaust air

The conventional solution for exhaust air purification (activated carbon, UV-C) is mechanical or chemical cleaning of the exhaust air ducts. Proper cleaning is time-consuming and often has to be carried out at short intervals, depending on the intensity of use and degree of soiling. The costs are considerable and can amount to several thousand euros per year for a typical restaurant operation.

ProActiveAir-F is a system for the special treatment of greasy kitchen exhaust air by introducing a controlled amount of active oxygen into the exhaust air duct or exhaust air hood as required to oxidize the aerosol-contaminated exhaust air.

Little effort - big effect

The system draws in existing outdoor or indoor air via a built-in pre-filter and enriches it with active oxygen. The activated air is fed to the extractor hood and the air duct via a special hose, where the active oxygen immediately reacts with the grease-laden exhaust air. The grease molecules break down into their original substances - mainly carbon, nitrogen and water - and are transported outside with the exhaust air. Small residues oxidize to form soot particles, which can settle on the duct walls and are also removed over time via the air flow.

Important questions and answers

1. How can air hygiene be ensured

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Air hygiene is ensured by regular, time-consuming manual or chemical cleaning. Or by permanent cleaning with ProActiveAir-F technology.

What techniques can help against "smelly" kitchen exhaust air?

Activated charcoal binds odors, but also has disadvantages. At air temperatures above 35°C or humidity above 55%, activated charcoal is ineffective! It is also flammable and therefore potentially a fire accelerant.
The alternative to activated charcoal is zeolite, a type of rock. Zeolite has a germicidal effect, fat and odor molecules are broken down and do not accumulate. Zeolite breaks down the fats by itself and therefore has a much longer service life compared to activated carbon thanks to self-cleaning.

UV-C radiation with a wavelength of 185 nm) is often used to treat contaminated kitchen exhaust air. The technology makes it possible to generate oxygen radicals as oxidizing agents. However, the problem here is that grease-laden kitchen exhaust air, which quickly deposits on the UV-C glass tubes, changes the wavelength of the UV-C radiation and thus also greatly reduces the degradation performance. The tubes would have to be removed and cleaned practically every week.Our ProActiveAir-F technology cleans residue-free using activated oxygen and is "technically" located outside the kitchen exhaust air ducts. This means that the technology itself cannot become contaminated.

3. How can the reduction of the grease load in the exhaust air ducts, in particular the reduction of old grease deposits - as these have a significantly lower flash point than fresh grease (fresh grease approx. 300°C, old grease 130°C), be achieved?

Reduction of the grease load in the exhaust air ducts, in particular the reduction of old grease deposits, is reliably achieved by the ProActiveAir-F technology, which works independently of temperature.

4. What happens if the kitchen exhaust air system malfunctions

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It means trouble, stress, extra work, loss of turnover and sometimes even business downtime for almost every company. In the worst case scenario, a grease fire can cause the entire company to go up in flames.

What health hazards are caused by grease deposits in the exhaust air?

Odor nuisance and an ideal breeding ground for pathogens and a significant fire hazard. You can avoid all of this with our technology, which is based on nature.

RESULT WITH OUR TECHNOLOGY

The controlled and regulated injection of activated oxygen oxidized pollutants. Contamination of the ducts and unpleasant odours in the exhaust air were minimized or even completely prevented. As a result, the fat molecules were broken down into their original substances, such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen and water. The kitchen exhaust air became odorless and, in addition, grease residues were continuously broken down on the duct walls. In pilot tests, kitchen exhaust air ducts in hospitals, for example, were still almost grease-free even after 7 years. This means that the costs for regular cleaning of the exhaust air ducts (including downtime) can be almost completely eliminated. Preventing grease deposits reduces the risk of fire and makes it easier to comply with fire protection regulations. At the same time, the service life of the exhaust air systems is increased because our technology prevents sooting of the system and downstream components.