What types of fumes can oil fume filters treat?

When it comes to oil fume filters, the general perception is that they're simply a tool for dealing with "oil mist" rising from cooking. However, this is far from the truth. Especially in commercial kitchens, whether in the back kitchens of large chain restaurants or the stoves of busy street food stalls, the smoke produced has an extremely complex composition. In addition to the grease particles clearly visible to the naked eye, other contaminants also lurk within the kitchen, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and various dust particles. Fume filters that meet national environmental standards offer targeted treatment capabilities, comprehensively purifying these three core pollutants and creating a clean and safe environment for commercial kitchens.

1. Core Target: Oil Mist Particles Generated by Cooking

Oil mist particles are the primary component of kitchen fumes. They are formed by the volatilization and condensation of oils and fats in food. They can be divided into three categories based on their diameter, and oil fume filters effectively treat particles of all sizes:

Coarse particles (diameter > 10μm): such as the "oil specks" produced when frying eggs or French fries. These particles are heavy and easily settle on stovetops and walls. The oil fume filter's "pre-filter" directly intercepts them, achieving a removal rate of 99%;

Fine particles (1-10μm): such as the "green smoke" produced when stir-frying peppers and meat. These particles easily spread through the air. The "dust collecting plates" of electrostatic purifiers capture them through adsorption, achieving a removal rate of over 95%;

Ultrafine particles (<1μm): such as the "mist" produced when grilling or deep-frying at high temperatures. These particles are invisible to the naked eye, but prolonged inhalation can damage the lungs. Electrostatic or UV photolytic purifiers achieve a removal rate of up to 90% through "ionization adsorption" or "photolytic oxidation."

2. Key Target: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Associated with Cooking Fumes

During the cooking process, proteins, spices, and oils in food decompose under heat, producing volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Although colorless, these compounds emit a pungent odor and are a major cause of cooking fume nuisance. Cooking fume filters treat these VOCs in two ways:

Combined with an activated carbon module: The porous structure of activated carbon adsorbs VOC molecules. For commercial kitchens with strong odors, such as Sichuan restaurants and hot pot restaurants, a combined "electrostatic purifier + activated carbon" purification solution is often used. The electrostatic purifier first removes most oil mist particles to prevent them from clogging the activated carbon pores. Air containing VOCs then flows through the activated carbon module, where the VOC molecules are firmly adsorbed, achieving an odor removal rate of over 80%.

UV Photolysis Module: The core of a UV photolysis purifier is a high-energy UV lamp that emits high-energy ultraviolet light in wavelengths ranging from 185nm to 254nm. When air containing VOCs passes through the UV photolysis module, high-energy ultraviolet light directly destroys the VOCs' molecular structure, breaking them down into harmless substances such as water (H₂O) and carbon dioxide (CO₂). For example, barbecue restaurants using UV photolysis purifiers can effectively remove burnt odors, preventing them from spreading to the dining area and enhancing the customer dining experience.

3. Auxiliary Treatment Targets: Cooking Dust and Impurities

Commercial kitchen fumes also contain two types of non-cooking fume pollutants, which fume filters can also assist in treating:

Food residue dust: Daily cooking operations easily generate food residue dust. If this food residue dust enters the fume filter, long-term accumulation can clog the pores of the purification module, affecting the equipment's purification efficiency and even causing equipment failure. Fume filters are typically equipped with a "pre-filter" at the front end to directly filter out food residue dust, preventing it from entering subsequent purification modules such as electrostatic dust collection or UV photolysis. This ensures stable operation and reduces maintenance costs. Gas combustion

impurities: Incomplete combustion in gas stoves produces small amounts of dust and carbon monoxide (CO). It's important to note that while fume filters can't directly decompose CO, they offer a highly effective exhaust function, keeping CO concentrations in the kitchen within safe limits and preventing inhalation poisoning for cooks.

In summary, fume filters treat much more than just "oil fumes." They are comprehensive purification devices covering "oil mist particles + VOCs + dust impurities." Commercial kitchens should choose a matching module based on the types of pollutants they encounter. When choosing a fume filter, commercial kitchens shouldn't blindly select one. They should carefully consider their cooking methods and the main pollutants they encounter. This way, they can achieve "visible smoke elimination and invisible odor removal," truly meeting both environmental and health needs.