Variable exhaust controller for commercial kitchens

A method of controlling the volume rate of make-up air supplied in the vicinity of a hood positioned to collect heat and cooking by-product generated by a cooking unit and to exhaust same through an exhaust passage coupled to the hood, the method comprising:

• exhausting collected heat and cooking by-product through the exhaust passage;
• supplying a varying volume rate of make-up air through and in the vicinity of the hood;
• sensing a level of cooking by-product generated by the cooking unit;
• defining a flow path through the hood and between the cooking unit and the exhaust passage wherein sensing of the level of cooking by-product generated occurs outside the flow path;
• and
• varying the volume rate of make-up air supplied in accordance with at least the sensed level of cooking by-product.

An exhaust system for removing heat and cooking by-product generated by a cooking unit, comprising:

• hood means for collecting heat and cooking by-products generated by the cooking unit;
• exhaust port means coupled to the hood for exhausting, at a variable volume rate, air containing collected heat and cooking by-product;
• air drive means for varying the volume rate of air exhausted by the exhaust port means to define a flow path through the hood means and between the cooking unit and the exhaust port means;
• by-product sensor means situated relative the flow path for sensing a level of cooking by-product escaping from the flow path, the air drive means being responsive to the by-product sensor means for varying the volume rate of air exhausted whereby to seek to contain cooking by-product within the flow path.

A make-up air exhaust system for removing heat and cooking by-products generated by a cooking unit, comprising:

• hood means for collecting heat and cooking by-products generated by the cooking unit;
• exhaust port means coupled to the hood for exhausting collected heat and cooking by-products;
• make-up air supply means coupled through the hood for supplying a variable volume rate of air through and to the vicinity of the hood means;
• by-product sensor means for sensing a level of cooking by-product generated by the cooking unit, the exhaust port means defining a flow path through the hood, the by-product sensor means positioned to sense the level of cooking by-product escaping from the flow path, the make-up air supply means being responsive to the by-product sensor means for varying the volume rate of air supplied.

A method of controlling the volume rate of air exhausted from a hood adjacent a cooking unit and through an exhaust passage coupled to the hood, the hood having a pair of spaced-apart, generally vertical, parallel walls with depending edges defining a generally planar exhaust opening therebetween, the hood positioned to collect through the exhaust opening heat and cooking by-product generated by the cooking unit, the method comprising:

• causing cooking by-product generated by the cooking unit to pass through the exhaust opening;
• launching a light beam along a path generally parallel the exhaust opening and extending between the walls;
• detecting a level of the launched light beam wherein the detected level of the launched light beam corresponds to the level of cooking by-product passing through the exhaust opening;
• and
• varying the volume rate at which air is exhausted through the exhaust passage in accordance with at least the sensed level of cooking by-product passing through the exhaust opening.

An exhaust system for removing heat and cooking by-product generated by a cooking unit, comprising:

• hood means having a pair of spaced-apart, generally vertical, parallel walls with depending edges defining a generally planar exhaust opening therebetween, the hood means for collecting through the exhaust opening heat and cooking by-product generated by the cooking unit;
• exhaust port means coupled to the hood for exhausting, at a variable volume rate, air containing collected heat and cooking by-product whereby cooking by-product generated by the cooking unit will pass through the exhaust opening;
• air drive means for varying the volume rate of air exhausted by the exhaust port means;
• and
• optical means for (a) launching a light beam along a path generally parallel the exhaust opening and extending between the hood walls, and (b) detecting a level of the launched light beam wherein the detected level of the launched light beam corresponds to the level of cooking by-product passing through the exhaust opening, the air drive means being responsive to the optical means for varying the volume rate of air exhausted.