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Air Handling Unit (AHU)

Air Handling Units for Commercial Kitchens – Conventional Ventilation and Its Limitations

During cooking operations, significant amounts of heat, steam, grease vapor, and harmful gases are generated. As a result, kitchen environments become excessively hot and humid, creating conditions that are not only uncomfortable but also potentially hazardous. Prolonged exposure to cooking fumes and gases can pose serious health risks.

To mitigate these issues, powerful exhaust fans are typically installed to remove contaminated air. However, effective exhaust requires a corresponding supply of make-up air from outside. Without adequate air supply, even high-capacity exhaust fans cannot perform efficiently.

In turn, this introduces additional challenges. In the winter, cold outdoor air flows directly into the kitchen, while in the summer, hot outdoor air enters the space. Consequently, despite the presence of supply fans, operators often avoid using them due to discomfort caused by cold or hot drafts.

Dedicated kitchen air handling units are engineered to resolve these structural shortcomings by balancing exhaust and supplying air while maintaining a comfortable indoor environment.

kitchen/gym

auditorium

Dedicated Air Handling Unit

external pores

A dedicated air handling system for kitchens is essential to efficiently remove harmful gases generated during cooking, dynamically control exhaust and supply airflow according to operating conditions, and recover exhaust heat for reuse, thereby improving comfort, safety, and energy efficiency.

Air Handling Unit (AHU)

What Is a Dedicated Kitchen Air Handling Unit?

Air Handling Unit (AHU)

Issues with Conventional Kitchen Ventilation Systems and Improvement Measures

Conventional Ventilation Methods and Issues

No. Ventilation Method Issues
1 Exhaust fan–focused ventilation Insufficient exhaust efficiency due to lack of make-up air; excessive heat buildup in the workspace
2 Insufficient exhaust airflow Internal contamination and inhalation of harmful gases
3 No or insufficient supply fan Inadequate make-up air; infiltration of excessively cold or hot outdoor air
4 No air supply filtration Direct exposure to external contaminants
5 ON/OFF operation only No airflow modulation; inability to control power consumption
6 No noise reduction High noise levels leading to potential complaints

Improvements Achieved by Applying a Dedicated Kitchen Air Handling Unit

No. Ventilation Method Issues Solution
1 Exhaust fan–focused ventilation Insufficient exhaust efficiency; excessive heat Integrated supply-and-exhaust air handling unit
2 Insufficient exhaust airflow Internal contamination and harmful gas exposure Powerful and highly effective ventilation
3 No or insufficient supply fan Inadequate make-up air; cold/hot air intrusion Temperature differential reduced through heat recovery
4 No air supply filtration Exposure to external contaminants Filtered supply air
5 ON/OFF operation Noise complaints; no airflow control Variable airflow control
6 No noise reduction Noise-related issues Noise reduction
Air Handling Units

Types and Applications of Dedicated Kitchen Air Handling Units

Based on site-specific conditions—including available installation space, installation constraints, kitchen area and required airflow capacity, as well as the application of heat exchangers and coils—appropriate unit models and airflow specifications are selected, engineered, and supplied in accordance with project drawings.

Model Classification Code Description

Air Handling Unit

Key Component Overview

  • EC PLUG FAN

    Low-noise, compact design Significantly quieter operation compared to conventional Sirocco fans Approximately 50% reduction in size versus Sirocco fans, enabling a more compact overall unit design Contributes to cost reduction through space and material efficiency

    Integrated inverter control Conventional Sirocco fans do not allow RPM control EC plug fans support precise RPM modulation, enabling airflow control based on indoor conditions and reducing operating and maintenance costs

  • Filter Unit

    MB(Melt Blown nonwoven fabric) Designed to filter incoming outdoor air using melt-blown nonwoven media; for kitchen applications with high airflow demand, large-surface-area filters with low static pressure loss are applied Kitchen-grade filters process large volumes of air and therefore require periodic replacement to maintain filtration performance, prevent external contamination, and sustain fan efficiency

  • Heat Exchanger

    Air-to-air heat exchange type in which exhaust air and supply air cross-flow, enabling thermal energy transfer In kitchen environments, exhaust air temperature is high during winter; heat recovery preheats incoming cold outdoor air, reducing thermal discomfort for kitchen staff caused by cold drafts

  • Chilled/Hot Water Coil

    Groundwater or municipal water typically maintains a stable temperature range (15–18 °C); when water circulates through the coil and outdoor air passes across it, hot air can be cooled in summer and cold air can be warmed in winter Continuous water flow is required; particularly suitable for kitchens with high water usage or facilities equipped with underground water storage tanks, where stored water can be circulated through the coil for effective temperature control

  • DX Coil

    A direct expansion refrigerant heat exchanger used in HVAC systems; high-pressure liquid refrigerant expands through an expansion valve, atomizes into mist, evaporates at low pressure, and absorbs heat to cool the air As a heat exchanger, the DX coil becomes cold during refrigerant evaporation Designed to accommodate various refrigerants used in direct expansion air handling units, including R-22, R-134a, R-407C, and R-410A

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