Indoor air quality and energy-saving potential improvement of a range-hood-integrated air cleaner

Local exhaust systems based on range hoods are widely used to reduce cooking oil fumes (COF) of kitchen spaces. This work proposes a range-hood-integrated air cleaner to improve air distribution in residential kitchens and reduce individual inhalation exposure to COF. Effects of hood exhaust rates, cooking–heating intensities, and airflow parameters of the air cleaner on the volume-averaged concentration (VAC) of kitchen space and the intake fraction (IF) are discussed through orthogonal experimental design, and significant factors are the hood exhaust rate, the air supply velocity, and angle of the air cleaner by evaluating significance levels. Optimal airflow parameters of the air cleaner are obtained through single-factor analysis, and VAC is reduced by approximately 90% compared with the single range-hood exhaust system. The energy-saving potential of the air cleaner is identified and evaluated using the concept of the equivalent exhaust rate. The air cleaner is more conducive to creating a comfortable kitchen environment and reducing heat transfer load. This work provides a new solution for optimizing air distribution in highly polluted kitchen environments.