Kitchen exhaust systems are made of several interdependent units. Exhaust hoods, exhaust fans, makeup air units, and packaged rooftop kitchen hoods. HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning) units need to operate within defined parameters to complement one another to maintain peak performance. In this blog post, we’ll discuss complete commercial Kitchen HVAC design guidelines for Restaurants.
Ideally, an effective Kitchen exhaust system should get rid of:
- Heat
- particulate matter
- grease laden steam
- cooking vapors
Understanding basic HVAC Design for Commercial Kitchens
Basically, Heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) refers to the simultaneous control of temperature, humidity, radiant energy, air motion and air quality. In addition to that, control of pressure in the conditioned space relative to adjacent areas is a requirement. The HVAC load in a restaurant represents approximately 30 per cent of its total energy consumption. Depending on the facility layout, the kitchen ventilation system can account for up to 50 per cent of the HVAC load including fan energy. This represents one of the larger energy-consuming end uses within a commercial food service facility.
Additionally, an important factor is the noise level of the air conditioning equipment. For engineering purposes, the definition extends to include the lowest life-cycle cost of conditioning the air by right-sizing of equipment to meet the particular application with the lowest operating and maintenance costs.
Since a major use of our energy on this planet goes toward conditioning the air that we breathe in the built environment we must emphasize more sustainable, i.e., “green,” HVAC systems, that use less energy and include environmentally friendly methods and components to reduce the system’s impact on the world’s fuel supplies while providing healthy indoor environments.
Kitchen HVAC system design is an intellectual process, commonly involving teamwork and iteration, which leads to a device, system and/or process which satisfies a need.
Kitchen HVAC design goals
The goal of HVAC design has remained constant over the years: to efficiently provide safe, comfortable environments. However, the process continues to refine the codes in effect, requiring energy efficiency of both equipment and system operation and, most importantly, by occupant comfort, ventilation and air quality.
Exhaust Hoods
No piece of equipment generates more controversy within the food service equipment supply and design community than the kitchen exhaust hood and design due to the variety of styles and makeup air combinations. Moreover, the style and construction features of the exhaust hood affect the design exhaust rate. The capacity of an exhaust hood is in cubic feet per minute (cfm). Here is the guide to choosing a Kitchen hood for your restaurant.
Kitchen exhaust hood repair services in Los Angeles.
Ventilation and kitchen HVAC Design
The most important factor is how much occupancy ventilation air is available for use as transfer air.
Successfully applying the fundamentals of restaurant commercial kitchen ventilation and fulfilling its requirements during the design process requires a good understanding of the owner’s menu and appliance preferences. Information about the owner’s kitchen equipment and commercial kitchen ventilation requirements may evolve throughout the design phase. Moreover, Data needed by other members of the design team may require early estimates of certain parameters (e.g., the amount of exhaust and makeup air, motor horsepower, water supply and wastewater flow rates). As we proceed, further refinements to the design that affect exhaust and makeup air requirements come into play.
Also, download the Free ventilation guide for commercial Kitchens here.
Kitchen HVAC Design ideas:
- Load Calculations and Weather Conditions
- Plant design and construction.
- Special environmental conditions
- Redundant system and requirement
Also,
- Minimize the number of fittings.—Fittings are expensive and cause significant increases in pressure loss in comparison to straight ducts.
- Use semi-extended plenums.—Plenums reduce the number of transition fittings and facilitate balancing.
- Seal ductwork.
Conclusion:
Finally, fundamental steps to an effective Kitchen HVAC Design are as follows:
- Establish position and duty classifications of appliances.
- Determine (or negotiate with a food service consultant) the preferred appliance layout for optimum exhaust ventilation.
- Select commercial kitchen hood design.
- Size exhaust airflow rate.
- Select makeup air strategy, and size airflow and layout diffusers.
What are basic kitchen ventilation design tips?
Basic kitchen ventilation design tips include installing an efficient hood system, considering the kitchen layout, using proper exhaust fan sizing, ensuring adequate makeup air, and positioning ventilation equipment strategically for optimal performance.
What are basic commercial kitchen HVAC design guidelines?
In commercial kitchen HVAC design, prioritize proper ventilation with efficient exhaust hoods, ensure adequate makeup air, size HVAC units appropriately, establish zoning for temperature control, opt for energy-efficient equipment, and enforce regular maintenance for optimal functionality.
