The present invention relates generally to exhaust hoods, and, more particularly, to multi-stage filters for use with such hoods.
In a typical restaurant kitchen, a plurality of cooking units are lined up side by side in a row under a common exhaust hood. The cooking units may include, for example, ranges, griddles, fryers, and broilers. They all produce air laden with grease, smoke, fumes, moisture, and heat in varying amounts and temperatures. The air is drawn in to the exhaust hood, where it is filtered. One known filtration system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,083 to Lambertson, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Commercial exhaust hoods manufactured to be installed in the U.S. must comply with certain codes and standards, such as the National Fire Protection Associates (NFPA) Standard 96. This standard requires that all hoods used in commercial cooking establishments that are installed over cooking equipment that creates effluents other than heat and steam, such as grease, during the cooking process include grease removal devices that are individually listed in accordance with Underwriter Laboratories (UL) Standard 1046, or as components of UL 710 listed hoods. This standard requires grease removal devices to be able to prevent the spread of fire from the upstream face of the filter to an area downstream of the filter.
Embodiments disclosed herein provide a filtration system for a ventilation hood, which includes a first, or “primary” filter configured to be mounted within the ventilation hood, including an air inlet, and air outlet, and a grease outlet. The primary filter is configured to drain grease through the grease outlet and out of the ventilation hood. The system also includes at least one second, or “secondary” filter configured to be attached to the primary filter, operatively located downstream of the first filter.
The first filter may be, for example, a cartridge filter, and may be particularly effective as a fire barrier. The second filter may be, for example, woven metal, such as corrugated stainless steel. Alternatively, the second filter may be fiber. The system may further include a perforated sheet configured to be mounted within the ventilation hood downstream of the second filter. The system may also include a filter housing, configured to removably receive the first and second filters. The housing may further house the perforated sheet. The filtration system may further include a third filter configured to be mounted to the first or the second filter, at a location downstream of the second filter.
The first filter may be a cartridge filter or a baffle filter. The filter material of the second filter may be natural fiber or synthetic fiber.
The second filter is disposed either downstream or upstream of the first filter.
The second filter may be attached, such as removably attached, to the first filter.
The housing elements may cooperate to define a housing for the filter material. The housing may be configured to be opened to allow access to the filter material. The upstream housing element may be hingedly attached to the downstream housing element such that the upstream housing element can be hinged open from the downstream housing element to thereby open the housing. A latch may be provided, to hold the housing closed, and may be manipulable by hand to open and close the housing without requiring tools.
Some embodiments of the invention also provide a ventilation hood, housing the above-described system.
A filtration system for a ventilation hood includes a first filter and a second filter, operatively disposed in series. The first filter is configured to be mounted within the ventilation hood, and has an air inlet, an air outlet, and a grease outlet. The second filter includes a filter material with an upstream surface and a downstream surface, an upstream housing element abutting the upstream surface of the filter material, and a downstream housing element abutting the downstream surface of the filter material. The housing elements include openings, and hold the filter material in compression.
The ventilation hood may include a track, and the second filter may be configured to be inserted onto the hood by being moved along the track. The first filter may also be configured to be inserted onto the hood by being moved along the track.
For a further understanding of the nature and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the embodiments of the present invention.
Exemplary embodiments will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a filtration system for a ventilation hood including a first, or “primary” filter, which drains grease to a grease drain, and at least one second, or “secondary” filter located downstream of the first filter.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a filtration system for a ventilation hood including a first filter, which drains grease out of the filter, and at least one second filter located either upstream or downstream of the first filter. The first filter is preferably effective at preventing the spread of fire from the upstream face of the filtration system to an area downstream of the system. The second filter includes filter material sandwiched between two perforated sheets of relatively more rigid material.
While fiber filters are prized for their particle filtration abilities, their consistency is similar to that of paper towels, and they are known to collapse during use, particularly with age. For this reason, they are not used as often as might be expected given their excellent filtration properties. The present inventor has discovered that by sandwiching the fiber material between two perforated sheets, the problems caused by the consistency can be rectified. In a presently preferred embodiment, the two sheets are placed very close together to squeeze and hold the material between them. In this way, the material remains in place, regardless of how much grease and other particulates it has absorbed.
The terms “primary,” “secondary,” and “tertiary,” as used herein, refer to the relative placement of the filters within the ventilation hood. The secondary filter is positioned downstream of the primary filter, i.e. between the air outlet of the primary filter and the air outlet of the ventilation hood. Therefore, the air is filtered first by the primary filter, second by the secondary filter, and, in some embodiments, third by the tertiary filter. These terms are used throughout the specification to refer only to the relative positions of the filters within the ventilation hood. The “secondary” filter should not be construed as being subordinate to or less relevant than the “primary” filter, but only as being located in a second position. Likewise, the “tertiary” filter should not be construed as being subordinate to or less relevant than the “primary” or “secondary” filters, but only as being located in a third position.
The first filter may be any filter that drains grease out of the filter, and is preferably also an effective fire barrier. One example of a filter for a ventilation hood that drains grease to a grease drain and is an effective fire barrier is the adjustable ventilator cartridge filter disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,083 to Lambertson (the inventor of the present application), and shown in
The polluted air enters the filter at the topmost arrow and encounters two immediate direction changes forced by the configuration of the walls of the filter. These immediate direction changes start the segmenting of the heavier pollutants from the lighter air. The air flow then enters a high velocity corridor at the second arrow. The entire flow is sped up and then goes through a drastic turn of direction of about 180° at the third arrow. The high rate of air speed and the sudden change in direction facilitate grease extraction. The separated heavier pollutants are unable to follow the lighter air flow around the sudden change of direction at the third arrow. Thus the momentum of the grease carries it to the bottom of the cartridge filter where it impinges with the hood, and then drains into the grease trough provided in the ventilation hood.
Other grease-draining and fire barrier filters are within the scope of the appended claims.
Another example of a filter for a ventilation hood that drains grease to a grease drain is a baffle-type filter, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,782 to Struble et al, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The inventor of both U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,083 and the instant application has noted that the cartridge filter of U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,083 and
The grease that is filtered by the cartridge filter is drained rather than being stored inside the filter. In other words, the cartridge filter is an example of a “non-loading” filter, in that the grease does not load up within it. Therefore, if a fire enters the filter, there is very little grease inside of the filter to serve as fuel. The shape of the cartridge filter is also such that a flame cannot travel through the entire filter.
However, the filter of U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,083 and
Therefore, embodiments of the present invention further include a second disposable or permanent filter, located either upstream or downstream of the first filter, the second filter being permanently or removably attached to the first filter, or mounted within the hood separately from the first filter.
A recent change in the UL 1046 standard now allows for testing of so-called “multi-stage” filters. Materials that cannot and could not pass the fire safety requirement of the standard individually may be utilized if the filter assembly as a whole can pass the test. Less flame-retardant portions of the multi-stage filter must be attached to more flame-retardant portions so a user cannot erroneously install only the less flame-retardant portions.
Embodiments of the present invention thus provide a filtration system with both a primary and a secondary filter, where the primary filter is a very effective fire barrier, and the secondary filter is a very effective grease filter. The resulting combination provides superior performance in both respects. Because the primary filter is very effective as a fire barrier, the secondary filter is protected from potential fire damage. This allows the secondary filter to be made of materials that were previously considered unsuitable for use in a such a filtration system. This also allows the secondary filter to be a “loading” filter, i.e. to store the grease that has been filtered out within the filter. Embodiments of the present invention provide a primary filter that both blocks fire from spreading to the secondary filter, as well as filtering out many of the larger grease particles, which would otherwise load the secondary filter with a large amount of grease, leading to an increased risk of fire spreading, or even clog the secondary filter.
In some embodiments, the secondary filter is made, in whole or in part, of woven metal. The fineness or coarseness of the weave, size of the filter, and material can be selected by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings herein to advantageously filter any desired particle size. For example and without limitation, the secondary filter may be a stainless steel filter as manufactured by Smith, such as that disclosed in http://www.nationalfilter sales.com/product.php?p=smith-filter_ss10202n&product=100554&category=192 and http://www.ntsupply.com/files/products/stainlessmesh.pdf (both provided as Appendix A of priority application U.S. Ser. No. 13/363,128), the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Such an exemplary filter includes seven layers of corrugated stainless steel. Filter elements are processed from stainless steel sheets, expanded to 0.032 strand. Frames are made from stainless steel, no less than 0.024 thickness, joined with stainless steel rivets.
In other embodiments, the secondary filter is made, in whole or in part, of fibers, such as natural, synthetic, and/or hybrid fibers, with or without a stabilizer frame, such as, for example and without limitation, the filter disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication 2010/0071324 to Alexander et al., the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. In some embodiments, the secondary filter is made, in whole or in part, of wool fiber, such as, for example and without limitation, the filter disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,983 to More, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Also illustrated in
In further embodiments, the thickness (alternatively referred to as width) of the perforated sheets can be measured according to gauge (ga.). Accordingly, embodiments using 0.5 mm thick stainless steel are approximately equivalent to 25 ga., whereas in other embodiments, 25 ga. galvanized steel is about 0.62 mm thick, and 25 ga. aluminum is about 0.45 mm thick. In other embodiment, the thickness of the perforated sheets can be 18 ga. thick, which for stainless steel is about 1.27 mm thick, for galvanized steel is about 1.31 mm thick, and for aluminum is about 1.02 mm thick. The thickness of the perforated sheets can provide structural strength to the overall filter.
In some embodiments, these perforated sheets provide resistance to the greasy air flowing through the filter material 206, creating an additional static pressure drop across the filter 206. This distributes the air flow more evenly throughout the filter, thus improving the particle extraction efficiency. The width and rigidity of the perforated sheet can very dependent on the amount of resistance the perforated sheet needs to withstand. Perforated sheet widths as thin as 25 gauge can be utilized in low resistance applications and widths as thick as 14 gauge can be utilized in high resistance applications.
In use, polluted air enters the first filter 202, where it is first filtered, and the less-polluted air then enters the second filter 206 with an increased static pressure, and is further filtered there. The clean air then flows through the downstream perforated sheet 210 and exits the ventilation hood 2.
In use, polluted air enters the primary filter, and many of the particles, such as those of a particular particle size, exit the ventilation hood through the grease drain 204, while others remain in the air. The less-polluted air then enters the secondary filter, where further particles become lodged in the secondary filter. The clean air then exits the ventilation hood 2.
Other embodiments provide the second filter upstream of the first filter. These embodiments are considered particularly suitable when retrofitting an existing hood. Most hoods, whether with or without first filters, have tracks near the upstream end of the hood. (See 212 and 214 in
It should be clear from the foregoing that embodiments described herein provide superior filter systems that are very effective both at removing grease and at preventing fires. It should also be noted that some embodiments create much less static pressure than other devices attempting to achieve similar grease extraction levels. This requires less energy to remove more grease from the airstream.
In use, polluted air enters the primary filter 702, where it is first filtered. The less-polluted air then enters the secondary filter 706, where it is further filtered. The still less-polluted air then enters the tertiary filter 708, where it is still further filtered. The clean air then flows through the perforated sheet 710 and exits the ventilation hood 7.
While
In use, polluted air enters the primary filter 802, where it is first filtered, and the less-polluted air then enters the secondary filter 806, where it is further filtered. The clean air then flows through the perforated sheet 810 and exits the ventilation hood 8.
Again, most hoods, whether with or without first filters, have tracks near the upstream end of the hood. (See 712 and 714 in
Particle collection efficiency for several exemplary embodiments is illustrated in
As can easily be seen by comparing these figures to one another, the embodiment of
Other filter materials are within the scope of the appended claims.
As was mentioned above, the second filter can be placed either upstream or downstream of the first filter. There are three presently preferred configurations: first, the second filter is downstream of the first filter. (This configuration is similar to that discussed in of priority application U.S. Ser. No. 13/363,128 and particularly in the embodiments of
The grease removal efficiency and static pressure drop across the filter system are further detailed in, “Particle Capture Efficiency Determination for Streivor Inc. Grease Filters: Final Report,” (provided in Appendix B of priority application U.S. Ser. No. 13/363,128) the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. All references therein (namely, ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 52.2-2007: Method of Testing General Ventilation Air-Cleaning Devices for Removal Efficiency by Particle Size, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc., Atlanta, Ga. 2007; ASTM Standard F2519-05, Standard Test Method for Grease Particle Capture Efficiency of Commercial Kitchen Filters and Extractors, ASTM International; and Kuehn, T. H., Olson, B. A., Ramsey, J. W., Friell, J. and Rocklage, J. M., Development of a Standard Method of Test for Commercial Kitchen Grease Removal Systems, Final Report, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn., Jul. 31, 2004) are further incorporated by reference herein.
As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Many other embodiments are possible without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. These other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention, which is set forth in the following claims.
This application is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 15/640,003, filed Jun. 30, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,512,869 issued Dec. 24, 2019 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 14/284,350, filed May 21, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,732,966; issued Aug. 15, 2017; which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 13/363,128, filed Jan. 31, 2012 (now abandoned); which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/438,226, filed Jan. 31, 2011, the disclosures of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
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