Exhaust purification apparatus and utilization thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to an exhaust purification apparatus for removing contaminants and odorous components from exhaust from cooking or the like, to an exhaust purification cabinet and cooking device equipped with the exhaust purification apparatus, and to a cooking system equipped with such a cooking device. The exhaust purification apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a pretreatment unit ( 117 ) for trapping contaminants present in the exhaust and an optical treatment unit ( 119 ) comprising a photocatalytic filter ( 62 ) and disposed downstream of the pretreatment unit. The exhaust purification apparatus is disposed, for example, in an exhaust duct extending from a kitchen. The pretreatment unit ( 117 ) preferably comprises a dust collector ( 50 ) for trapping smoke particles present in the exhaust and/or a de-oiling filter ( 20 ) for trapping oil and fat components present in the exhaust. The exhaust purification cabinet comprises the exhaust purification apparatus contained in a cabinet having an exhaust path formed therein. The cooking device comprises the exhaust purification apparatus in a cooking device body comprising the cooking unit and having an exhaust path formed inside thereof. The cooking system comprises a plurality of cooking devices and a main duct connected to exhaust release openings of the cooking units.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An exhaust purification apparatus disposed in an exhaust channel, comprising 
 a pretreatment unit for trapping contaminants present in exhaust, and    an optical treatment unit having a photocatalytic filter, wherein    said optical treatment unit is disposed downstream of said pretreatment unit.    
     
     
         2 . The exhaust purification apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein 
 said photocatalytic filter comprises a ceramic substrate and a photocatalyst supported on said ceramic substrate,    said ceramic substrate comprises a ceramic porous body having a three-dimensional net-like structure and ceramic particles held in said ceramic porous body, and    the mean particle size of said ceramic particles is from no less than 1 μm to no more than 100 μm.    
     
     
         3 . The exhaust purification apparatus as described in  claim 2 , wherein the mean diameter of skeletal sections of said ceramic porous body is from no less than 100 μm to no more than 1000 μm.  
     
     
         4 . The exhaust purification apparatus as described in  claim 3 , wherein said photocatalytic filter satisfies at least one of the following three conditions: 
 (1) a porosity of from no less than 65% to no more than 95%;    (2) a bulk density of from no less than 0.15 g/cm 3  to no more than 0.60 g/cm 3 ; and    (3) a number of cells of from no less than 10 cells per 25 mm to no more than 30 cells per 25 mm.    
     
     
         5 . The exhaust purification apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein said pretreatment unit comprises a particulate filter for trapping particles present in the exhaust.  
     
     
         6 . The exhaust purification apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein said pretreatment unit comprises a dust collector for trapping smoke particles present in the exhaust.  
     
     
         7 . The exhaust purification apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein said pretreatment unit comprises a de-oiling filter for trapping oil and fat components present in the exhaust.  
     
     
         8 . The exhaust purification apparatus as described in  claim 7 , wherein said de-oiling filter has a capacity of removing no less than 70 wt. % of oil and fat components present in the exhaust.  
     
     
         9 . The exhaust purification apparatus as described in  claim 7 , wherein said de-oiling filter is a multi-layer plate-like filter.  
     
     
         10 . The exhaust purification apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein 
 said pretreatment unit comprises a de-oiling filter for trapping oil and fat components present in the exhaust and a dust collector for trapping smoke particles present in the exhaust, and    said dust collector is disposed downstream of said de-oiling filter.    
     
     
         11 . The exhaust purification apparatus as described in  claim 10 , wherein the sectional area of the opening of said exhaust channel at each flow inlet side of the zone where said de-oiling filter, dust collector, and photocatalytic filter are located increases in the order of description.  
     
     
         12 . The exhaust purification apparatus as described in any one claim from claims  1  through  11 , which is further provided with a cabinet comprising an intake opening, an exhaust release opening, and an exhaust path from said intake opening to said exhaust release opening.  
     
     
         13 . The exhaust purification apparatus as described in any one claim from claims  1  through  11 , which is further provided with a cooking device body comprising a cooking unit for heating and cooking the product which is to be cooked, an intake opening for sucking in the exhaust from said cooking unit, an exhaust release opening for releasing exhaust that has been purified, and an exhaust path passing from said intake opening to said exhaust release opening.  
     
     
         14 . The exhaust purification apparatus as described in any one claim from claims  1  through  11 , wherein said optical treatment unit further comprises a light source for illuminating said photocatalytic filter with light.  
     
     
         15 . The exhaust purification apparatus as described in any one claim from claims  1  through  11 , which further comprises a means for supplying ozone that supplies ozone into said exhaust channel.  
     
     
         16 . An exhaust purification cabinet containing the exhaust purification apparatus described in any one claim from claims  1  through  11  in a cabinet comprising an intake opening, an exhaust release opening, and an exhaust path from said intake opening to said exhaust release opening.  
     
     
         17 . A cooking device containing the exhaust purification apparatus described in any one claim from claims  1  through  11  in a cooking device body comprising a cooking unit for heating and cooking the product which is to be cooked, an intake opening for sucking in the exhaust generated from said cooking unit, an exhaust release opening for releasing exhaust that has been purified, and an exhaust path passing from said intake opening to said exhaust release opening.  
     
     
         18 . A cooking system comprising a plurality of the cooking devices described in  claim 17  and a main duct connected to the exhaust release opening of each cooking device.