Air extraction in restaurants for proper ventilation

Ventilation in professional environments is something that must be taken care of both at the moment of setting up the system and equipping the facilities and subsequently during their maintenance. One of the most common environments that require special care at a professional level is industrial kitchens. Therefore, for the air extraction in restaurants we need to adhere to the existing regulations and also work to ensure that our employees and customers have the best conditions.

The first thing to consider for the ventilation in industrial kitchens and restaurants is that the main requirement is that there is air extraction from the sources where smoke is produced to the outside. This applies to all industrial environments and is of special relevance in kitchens, as smoke and conditioned air must be carried outside.

Regulations specify that the airflow for air extraction in restaurants and other facilities must be a minimum of 2 dm3/s per m2 of floor area. Moreover, the kitchen of a restaurant falls within category AE 4, which means it is "extraction air with a very high level of contamination".

Mechanical extraction is undoubtedly the best solution to guarantee the healthiness of kitchens, as specified in the current regulations UNE-EN 1366-1:2016 on ducts and fire resistance. For its part, the Technical Building Code indicates that extraction systems in restaurants and kitchens must have a fire resistance of one hour. The ducts must also withstand this time, as they must continue to operate in case of fire to be able to extract harmful combustion gases.

It is also essential to keep in mind that extraction worsens the farther the focus is from the fan that collects the smoke and contaminants. Therefore, the extractor should be installed as close as possible to the cooking area or where the smoke and harmful gases gather. This is the same as in smoke extraction in domestic kitchens.

The main enemies of restaurants are smoke, dust, odors, and heat emitted by the installations in the kitchens. This, in addition, does not only affect the cooking area. In many cases, poor ventilation in the work area can affect the dining room and, consequently, the comfort and health of the diners.

Modern ventilation systems are also capable of automatically measuring the needs of the workspace to avoid unnecessary energy waste.

Ventilation systems for air extraction in restaurants

In an air extraction system in restaurants, the main element is the extractor hood, which must be properly placed to maximize its capabilities. Eliminating the stale air and also the heat must be a priority in every industrial kitchen.

In many workplaces, there is an abusive use of the air conditioning system to counteract the effect of kitchens. While it is true that heat can be very high, a quick extraction of smoke and contaminants will also eliminate heat, so a system must be installed that can extract what the kitchen needs.

To have a better working environment and for the ventilation system to operate more efficiently, it's important to control:

• Lighting in kitchens. An excessive use of bulbs can generate more heat; it is important that the light is uniform and of lower consumption, as well as being less polluting and producing reduced heat. LED solutions are becoming very common.
• Appliances that generate heat. Ovens, stoves, and other types of industrial appliances must be chosen carefully since if they generate too much heat, they worsen air extraction and also comfort.
• The location of the kitchen concerning the sun. If contact with rays is direct on the ceiling or walls of the kitchen, we may suffer an increase in heat that will work against us.
• Opting for energy efficiency. All equipment must be low consumption and designed to save on supply costs.

The double-flow ventilation systems are also the best alternative for air extraction in restaurants, as they can extract warm and contaminated air while introducing only what is necessary into the workplace. And they can perform optimally in the working area and also in the dining room.