Retrofit Air Polluton Control filter for Restaurant Underfired Charbroilers

Daily about 700,000 US food service operations/restaurants emit >285 tons of particulate matter (PM) and >41 tons of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a significant source of environmental air pollution that can adversely impact health. An estimated 321,000 US underfired charbroilers are responsible for 94% of current restaurant emissions, with approximate costs for conventional emission control technologies >$15/ton of PM/VOC reduced. The large underfired charbroiler installed base requires a retrofit implementation approach to new emission control technology for fine particle (PM-2.5) air quality compliance. Current conventional technologies are either (s) too capital intensive to install, (b) too costly to operate/maintain, or (c) have inefficient overall filtration performance, allowing significantly more than the current emissions standards. Development of a new cost-effective emissions control system, two-thirds less energy intensive than conventional alternatives, is proposed that integrates (1) a novel self-cleaning inertial disk filter (commercialized as a metalworking oil mist eliminator) with (2) a proprietary water mist evaporative cooler for VOC condensation and (3) a continuous grease removal system for long-term unattended operation. The rotary disk filter has previously demonstrated mass removal efficiencies >99% for aerosol particles >1¿m at high particle concentrations. The results of the proposed project would provide technological proof-of-concept to restaurateurs and environmental professionals for subsequent device commercialization. Since aerosol grease emissions from one underfired charboiler is estimated to be 2.5 MT/yr, national technology implementation of a device achieving nominally 705 reduction in grease emissions has potential pollution reduction capabilities of 483,105 MT/yr, significantly reducing smog in major urban areas. Anticipated benefits are: compactness, ease of maintenance/service, enhanced removal efficiencies, increased environmental compliance, enhanced worker/customer safety, reduced operational costs, elimination of contaminated media disposal in landfills and longer service life. Project technical objectives are: (1) fabricate a 500CFM prototype, (2) demonstrate prefilter grease vapor condensation, (3) show PM collection/clean-in-place with no significant buildup of grease over time, (4) determine nominal prototype operating parameters, (5) achieve greater than or equal to 70% reduction in PM grease emissions, and (6) compare/contract prototype filtration performance/ economics with conventional technologies. Potential US commercial device sales for underfired charbroiler restaurant grease emission control is >$2B. The technology can also be adapted to improve emission compliance of industrial process gas streams: agriculture (pesticides), power generation, transportation, construction/mining, petrochemicals, etc. Economies will be gained in long-term sustainable process efficiencies, reduced operation/maintenance/disposal costs, decreased filter cleaning/replacement down time, enhanced worker (OSHA/NIOSH) safety environmental friendliness and greater compliance with EPA PM 2.5 emission requirements.