Reduction of Hazardous Air Pollutant Emissions from Commercial Kitchens

Particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from commercial cooking establishments are a subject of increasing concern around the globe. Although increased awareness of the health hazards of respirable particulates and VOCs has prompted the development of new technologies to reduce emissions from restaurants, current technologies do not remove all hazardous air pollutants, have high capital costs, or have high operating costs. An exhaust filtration system that removes greater than 99% of the PM and greater than 85% of the VOCs from underfired broiler exhaust will be developed in the proposed program. The system will make use of a microstructured multifunctional filter cartridge that can trap and oxidize PM and VOC at low exhaust temperatures. Filtration system life cycle cost estimates indicate that the proposed technology has the potential to be a more cost-effective emissions reduction solution than currently offered products. It also will improve kitchen fire safety by reducing grease buildup in ventilation equipment. The Phase I program demonstrated the feasibility of using the filtration concept in a subscale demonstration. The Phase II program will refine the properties of the materials that make up the cartridge and demonstrate a full-scale filtration system operating in a commercial kitchen. There are approximately 945,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets in the United States, the majority of which contain cooking equipment that emits hazardous air pollutants. The proposed technology is adaptable to a wide variety of emission profiles and offers the potential for significant improvements in urban air quality.