Hood devices, methods, and systems with features to enhance capture and containment

Abstract

A device that augments the capture and containment of an exhaust hood using jets is retrofitable to existing exhaust hoods. The device, in embodiments, forms a self-contained system that is separate from the hood and can be installed in existing hoods providing them with increased performance. Various embodiments are shown which are suitable for canopy and backshelf hood designs.

Claims

1. An exhaust enhancement apparatus for an exhaust hood, the exhaust hood having a plurality of edges which define a perimeter with a recess therein for capturing contaminated air from a cooking appliance, the exhaust enhancement apparatus comprising: a plenum, with a distribution channel, configured to be attached to and extend entirely along at least a front edge of the exhaust hood edges, the plenum having an inlet and a plurality of apertures extending along a length thereof; and an ambient air supply configured to supply the plenum inlet with a pressurized supply of ambient air, said exhaust enhancement apparatus producing at least one curtain jet by flowing the pressurized air through said distribution channel and out through the plurality of apertures, wherein the ambient air supply includes a fan module, containing a blower and an air inlet grill in a housing thereof, attached to the plenum, the exhaust enhancement apparatus is a self-contained unit constructed for retro-fit attachment as a unit to an exterior surface of the exhaust hood, the plenum being separate from the hood and attached external to the exhaust hood opposite the recess and extending along the front edge of the exhaust hood in a horizontal direction along a longitudinal dimension thereof as well as horizontally away from the recess in a direction perpendicular to said longitudinal dimension, the at least one curtain jet emanates from the plurality of apertures at a location spaced from the exhaust hood front edge, wherein the ambient air supply has a low profile and lies against an outer surface of the exhaust hood with the air inlet grill on an outwardly facing side thereof.

2. An exhaust enhancement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plenum apertures face at an angle diagonally downwardly and away from an interior of the exhaust hood.

3. An exhaust enhancement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plenum apertures are arranged to form at least one curtain jet.

4. An exhaust enhancement apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plenum apertures are arranged to form at least one curtain jet.

5. An exhaust enhancement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ambient air supply has an air inlet attached to the plenum and positioned on the exhaust hood facing outwardly when the plenum is attached to the exhaust hood.

6. An exhaust enhancement apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the ambient air supply has an air inlet attached to the plenum and positioned on the exhaust hood facing outwardly when the plenum is attached to the exhaust hood.

7. An exhaust enhancement apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the ambient air supply has an air inlet attached to the plenum and positioned on the exhaust hood facing outwardly when the plenum is attached to the exhaust hood.

8. An exhaust enhancement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ambient air supply has a flow controller coupled to the fan module and configured to permit a flow of air supplied to the plenum inlet to be adjusted based on the exhaust flow rate of the exhaust hood.

9. An exhaust enhancement apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the ambient air supply has a flow controller coupled to the fan module and configured to permit a flow of air supplied to the plenum inlet to be adjusted based on the exhaust flow rate of the exhaust hood.

10. An exhaust enhancement apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the ambient air supply has a flow controller coupled to the fan module and configured to permit a flow of air supplied to the plenum inlet to be adjusted based on the exhaust flow rate of the exhaust hood.

11. An exhaust enhancement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust hood partially covers an appliance in a top-down view, the appliance having a movable platen, in said top-down view, the front edge of the exhaust hood is positioned between a forward edge of the platen and a rear edge of the platen when the platen is closed, and the at least one curtain jet is projected at an angle away from the exhaust hood recess such that the at least one curtain jet passes immediately adjacent to and clearing the forward edge of the platen when the platen is open.

12. An exhaust enhancement apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the exhaust hood partially covers an appliance in a top-down view, the appliance having a movable platen, in said top-down view, the front edge of the exhaust hood is positioned between a forward edge of the platen and a rear edge of the platen when the platen is closed, and the at least one curtain jet is projected at an angle away from the exhaust hood recess such that the at least one curtain jet passes immediately adjacent to and clearing the forward edge of the platen when the platen is open.

13. An exhaust enhancement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plenum is positioned such that it extends the exhaust hood when attached thereto.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) The foregoing and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be better appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, considered with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a back-shelf style exhaust hood according to an embodiment of the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional representation of the exhaust hood of FIG. 1 used with a platen-grill cooking appliance.

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a back-shelf style exhaust hood according to another embodiment of the invention.

(5) FIG. 4 is a partial cutaway view of a canopy-style exhaust hood with a capture augmentation device installed therewithin.

(6) FIG. 5 is a view of a part of a distribution plenum (or header) from a bottom or top view showing a curved elbow portion and two straight portions of the plenum.

(7) FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view looking up toward a canopy at a distribution header.

(8) FIG. 7 is a partial cutaway view of a canopy-style exhaust hood with a capture augmentation device installed therewithin.

(9) FIGS. 8A through 8C show different possible positions for distribution header portions within a canopy hood.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) Exhaust hoods for ventilation of pollutants from cooking appliances, such as ranges, promote capture and containment by providing a buffer zone above the pollutant source where buoyancy-driven momentum transients can be dissipated before pollutants are extracted. By managing transients in this way, the effective capture zone of an exhaust supply can be increased.

(11) The effective capture and containment capability of the exhaust hood can be enhanced by the use of air curtain jets positioned around a perimeter of the exhaust hood. The particular range of velocities, positioning, and direction of the jets in combination with a shape of the exhaust hood, can create an enhanced buffer zone below the hood and can induce flow of contaminated air into the exhaust hood. This can reduce the volume of flow of air required to ensure full capture and containment.

(12) Referring to FIG. 1, an exhaust hood 100 has side skirts 106 and an exhaust collar 100 which is connectable to an exhaust duct (not shown) such that air and fumes are drawn into a recess 108 and out through the exhaust collar 110. A retrofit discharging module 140 has a fan module 101 containing a blower (not shown), that draws ambient room air into a duct 102 and passes the air into a distribution channel 104 pressurizing it such that air issues from an array of holes in the distribution channel 104 as individual air jets that expand due to air entrainment and coalesce a short distance thereafter to form a curtain jet 112. A cooking appliance top surface is indicated at 114. The retrofit discharging module 140 is attached to the exhaust hood 100 at its forward edge and requires only electrical connections to operate. Preferably, the fan module 101 is provided with a flow controller, such as a damper or a speed controller, to permit the flow rate to be adjusted to fit the operating conditions of the hood 100 exhaust flow rate. Preferably, the distribution channel 104 is a plenum. The holes (apertures) in the plenum 104 can be arranged so as to form substantially a straight line across a length of the plenum 104. The size of the holes and the distance between them can vary based on the particular application. The discharging plenum 104 can be configured to be tilted with respect to the forward edge of the exhaust hood. This can change the direction in which the holes are facing the cooking appliance, and thus the direction of the curtain jet 112. The direction of the curtain jet 112 can be changed to be anything between a substantially vertical and a substantially horizontal direction.

(13) In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the curtain jet 231 is shown forming an angle intermediate between the vertical and horizontal. This configuration may be used in embodiments where the exhaust hood 234 protects a platen grill 232 having a platen 230. The angle may be chosen such that the jet 112 clears a forward edge 235 of the platen 230 when the platen 230 is in a raised position.

(14) Referring to FIG. 3, an exhaust hood 200 has side panels (the panels are sometimes called skirts) 208 and an exhaust collar 201 which is connectable to an exhaust duct (not shown) such that air and fumes are drawn into a recess 209 and out through the exhaust collar 201. A capture augmentation device 260 has a fan module 204 containing a blower (not shown separately), that draws ambient room air into a duct 205 and passes the air into a distribution plenum 206 such that the air issues from an array of holes in the plenum 206 forming a curtain jet 212. The plenum 206, and similar elements with jet-forming holes in them, is also referred to as a header. A cooking appliance, such as a fryer or other kitchen appliance, may be located beneath the recess 209.

(15) The capture augmentation device 260 is attached to the hood 200 at its forward edge and requires only electrical connections to operate. Preferably, the fan module 204 is provided with a flow controller, such as a damper or a speed controller, to permit the flow rate to be adjusted to fit the operating conditions of the hood 200 exhaust flow rate. A perimeter 250 of the exhaust hood includes a forward edge 254 and at least one descending side edge 252 of the hood. The side skirts 208 of this embodiment have cut-out areas 210 shaped and sized to permit cooking implements, such as fryer baskets to be moved away from the fryer (not shown) which would reside below the recess 209.

(16) Descending plenums 202 with arrays of holes are connected to receive air from the plenum 206 and thereby form curtain jets 214 as shown. The curtain jets 214 effectively extend the effect of the side skirts 208 into the recess areas 210. The direction of the curtain jets may be altered according to various embodiments. For example, the curtain jets 214 can be partially directed toward the opposite side panel 208 (that is, inwardly toward the middle of the recess) rather than parallel to the side panel 208 (i.e., in the plane of panel 208).

(17) Referring to FIG. 4, an exhaust hood 300 has side walls 306 and a top wall 320 that together defines a recess 307 enclosed on all sides but an underside facing the one or more cooking appliances 400. The hood 300 has an exhaust collar 305 which is connectable to an exhaust duct (not shown) such that air and fumes are drawn into the recess 307 and out through the exhaust collar 305. A capture augmentation device 308 has a fan module 301 containing a blower (not shown separately), that draws ambient room into a duct 322 and passes the air into a distribution plenum 302 pressurizing it such that the air issues from an array of holes (for example, hole 324) forming vertical and horizontal curtain jets 304 and 326, respectively. The distribution plenum 302 has a cylindrical cross-section with straight and curved portions such that all sides of the canopy hood can be provided with the curtain jets shown. Preferably, the fan module 301 is provided with a flow controller (not shown), such as a damper or a speed controller, to permit the flow rate to be adjusted to fit the operating conditions of the hood 300 exhaust flow rate. The distribution plenum 302 can be cylindrical as indicated at 303 with the array of holes 324 arranged in one or more substantially straight rows across a length of the plenum 302.

(18) Referring also to FIG. 5, the distribution plenum 302 is positioned within the recess 307 so as to extend along and substantially in parallel with the inside facing surface of at least one of the side walls 306. The tube 302 can be connected to the fan module 301 which is arranged external to the exhaust hood 300. The distribution plenum 302 can be offset upwardly from the bottom edge of the side wall and be offset horizontally from the inside surface of the side wall. The distance by which the discharging tube is offset from the edge and the side wall can vary depending on the application. In this embodiment the plurality of holes are positioned in a straight line facing the cooking appliance, so that the curtain jet 304 generated can be directed downwardly toward the cooking appliance in a substantially vertical direction. In another embodiment, the discharging tube 302 can have a second set of plurality of holes positioned along the length of the tube 302, such that the first set of holes is substantially perpendicular to the second set of holes. In this case, a second curtain jet 311 is generated facing the inside of the recess 307 in a direction which is substantially horizontal. The exhaust hood may be a canopy-style hood. In alternate embodiments, the tube 303 may be formed of a plurality of sections 400 each connectable to its own fan module 301, as shown in FIG. 5.

(19) Referring to FIG. 5, the distribution plenum 302 is tube positioned to extend along at least two adjacent inside surfaces of the exhaust hood 300 meeting at at least one corner. In this embodiment the distribution channel 302 has at least two straight tube portions 309 each extending along a respective inside surface of the exhaust hood 300. The two portions 309 are connected to each other through a curved tube portion 310 (or elbow). The curtain jet 311 generated in each of the straight tube portions 309 has a direction which is substantially horizontal and the curtain jet 312 generated in the curved tube portion 310 in angled relative to the direction of the curtain jet 311. Each of the straight tube portions 309 can be tilted relative to the curved tube portion 310. By tilting the straight tube portions 309, the direction of the curtain jet 311 can be changed. Referring to FIG. 7, the distribution channel 302 is positioned so as to extend along the entire perimeter of the recess 307. The distribution channel may be a tube. In this embodiment, the ambient air forced into one end 303 of the tube 302 may flow throughout the entire tube 302 so as to circumnavigate the entire exhaust hood 300 and generate curtain jets 311 and 312.

(20) In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the distribution plenum 502 has a box-shaped cross-section as indicated at 503. Other features are conform to the description of FIG. 4. FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C show various locations for the distribution plenum 502 (or 302). The plenum may be hung by hangers from within the canopy such that it does not touch the interior wall of the canopy as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. Alternatively, it can be attached as shown in the FIGS. 8A and 8C to the hood 820 interior. Alternatively it can be hung by hangers (similar to pipe hangers, for example) such that it is at the level of the lower edge 802 of the hood 800. In FIG. 8C, the distribution plenum is shown below the lower edge 802 of the hood 800.

(21) It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made in keeping with the principles exemplified by the illustrative embodiments.