Kitchen exhaust recovery system

Abstract

Example embodiments of the described technology provide an exhaust hood for removing effluent plumes produced by cooking activity. The exhaust hood may comprise an exhaust fan operable to create a region of negative pressure beneath the exhaust hood for drawing air entraining the effluent plumes into the exhaust hood. The exhaust hood may also comprise one or more plenum chambers in fluid communication with the exhaust fan. The exhaust hood may also comprise one or more orifices in fluid communication with the one or more plenum chambers, the orifices located along a front edge of the exhaust hood. The exhaust hood may also comprise a filter for cleaning the air drawn into the exhaust hood such that air entraining the effluent plumes drawn into the exhaust hood by the exhaust fan is drawn through the filter to yield cleaned air. The exhaust hood may deliver at least a portion of the cleaned air into the one or more plenum chambers. The orifices may be configured to eject the portion of the cleaned air as one or more jets arranged to provide an air curtain.

1 . An exhaust hood for capturing effluent plumes produced by cooking activity, the exhaust hood comprising:
 at least one fan operable to create a region of negative pressure beneath the exhaust hood for drawing air entraining the effluent plumes into the exhaust hood;   one or more plenum chambers in fluid communication with the exhaust fan;   one or more first orifices in fluid communication with the one or more plenum chambers, the first orifices located along a front edge of the exhaust hood; and   a filter for cleaning the air drawn into the exhaust hood, wherein, by action of the exhaust fan drawing the air entraining the effluent plumes into the exhaust hood, the air is drawn through the filter to yield cleaned air;   wherein at least a portion of the cleaned air that has been pressurized by the fan is delivered into the one or more plenum chambers and wherein the first orifices are configured to eject the portion of the cleaned air as one or more first jets arranged to provide a first air curtain.   
     
     
         2 . The exhaust hood according to  claim 1  comprising one or more second orifices in fluid communication with the one or more plenum chambers and configured to eject at least a portion of the cleaned air in a rearward direction as one or more second jets. 
     
     
         3 . The exhaust hood according to  claim 2  wherein the second jets are oriented generally horizontally. 
     
     
         4 . The exhaust hood according to  claim 2  comprising one or more third orifices in fluid communication with the one or more plenum chambers and configured to eject at least a portion of the cleaned air in a downward direction as one or more third jets to provide at least one second air curtain extending along at least one side of the exhaust hood. 
     
     
         5 . The exhaust hood according to  claim 4  comprising one or more baffles disposed in the one or more plenum chambers, the one or more baffles adjustable to vary a distribution of the cleaned air between the first orifices and the third orifices. 
     
     
         6 . The exhaust hood according to  claim 1  wherein the first orifices are positioned on a forward-facing surface of the exhaust hood. 
     
     
         7 . The exhaust hood according to  claim 6  wherein a forward edge of exhaust hood is spaced by 12 inches from a rear of the exhaust hood that is designed to be against a wall. 
     
     
         8 . The exhaust hood according to  claim 1  wherein the exhaust hood is mounted over a cooktop, the cooktop comprising an area which extends past a front portion of the exhaust hood, and wherein the orifices are oriented to direct the first jets at a forward angle θ. 
     
     
         9 . The exhaust hood according to  claim 8  wherein the forward angle θ is such that the first air curtain is angled to slightly clear the outer edge of the cooktop. 
     
     
         10 . The exhaust hood according to  claim 8  wherein the first air curtain has an angle of 28 degrees ±2 degrees from vertical. 
     
     
         11 . The exhaust hood according to  claim 1  wherein an angle of the first air curtain is adjustable. 
     
     
         12 . The exhaust hood according to  claim 1  comprising a generally horizontal diffuser supported at a lower portion of the exhaust hood behind the first air curtain, the diffuser configured to block upward motion of effluent plumes and to concentrate the region of negative pressure around a perimeter of the exhaust hood. 
     
     
         13 . The exhaust hood according to  claim 1  wherein an overall length of the exhaust hood is smaller than an overall length of a cooking appliance over which the exhaust hood is configured to be mounted. 
     
     
         14 . The exhaust hood according to  claim 1  comprising panels that extend downwardly around a bottom perimeter of the exhaust hood to form a recess on a bottom side of the exhaust hood. 
     
     
         15 . The exhaust hood according to  claim 1  wherein the filter is an activated carbon filter. 
     
     
         16 . The exhaust hood according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one fan comprises comprising a second fan located downstream of the filter, the second fan operable to pressurize the one or more plenum chambers with the cleaned air. 
     
     
         17 . The exhaust hood according to  claim 1  further comprising an intake fan operable to draw ambient air into the one or more plenum chambers. 
     
     
         18 . The exhaust hood according to  claim 1  comprising a controller configured to control one or more of:
 a flow of the cleaned air that is directed to the first air curtain; and 
 an angle of the one or more first jets. 
 
     
     
         19 . An exhaust hood for capturing effluent plumes produced at a cooktop, the exhaust hood comprising:
 a body mountable against a wall, the body having a rear side for abutting the wall and a front side spaced from the rear side, the body having vents formed on a lower surface thereof;   a fan within the body and toward the rear side of the body, the fan connected to draw air and any entrained cooking effluent through the vents into an interior space of the exhaust hood and to deliver at least some of the air through a filter and into a plenum located within the exhaust hood;   first apertures arranged along the front side of the body, the apertures fluidly coupled to the plenum and arranged to provide a first air curtain that extends across the front side of the body and is directed forward and downward from the exhaust hood.   
     
     
         20 . The exhaust hood according to  claim 19  wherein the front and rear surfaces of the body are spaced apart by a distance of about 12 inches, the exhaust hood includes second apertures arranged to extend along one or two lateral sides of the exhaust hood between the front and rear sides of the body, the second apertures fluidly coupled to receive filtered pressurized air within the body to provide a second air curtain that extends along one or both of the lateral sides of the body and is directed downwardly from the exhaust hood.