Minimum energy ventilation for fast food restaurant kitchens
HVAC load represents 30 percent of the total energy consumed in restaurants, and up to 75% of this load can be directly attributed to the kitchen exhaust ventilation system. Over the last several years, research on kitchen exhaust hood ventilation rates has been focused on methods to reduce exhaust air because flow rates prescribed by codes are higher than necessary for capture and containment of cooking effluent. In this research, a fast food restaurant was computer modeled using weather data for five cities to assess the effects of different levels of ventilation rates and strategies on energy use and costs. It was found that decreases in kitchen exhaust flow rates resulted in improved energy and economic performance in most cases. Decreases in cookline radiant gain to space were not sufficient to make higher ventilation rates cost- effective.
- Research Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States); Architectural Energy Corp., Boulder, CO (United States); International Facility Management Association, Houston, TX (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 414301
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-TR--106671
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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