Accurex Pollution Control Units

Clean Kitchens: Inside and Out

With the increasing size of the urban landscape, the focus on clean air, and multiuse buildings, restaurant grease and odor control play an increasingly important role in commercial kitchen exhaust systems. Pollution control units, utilizing multiple stages of filters or electrostatic precipitator cells, are specifically designed to eliminate both grease and smoke particles from your kitchen exhaust system, while carbon-based odor control modules remove the remaining odor.

The Accurex Advantage

• ? Reduced Cooking Odors

  Activated carbon trays reduce cooking odors to maximize performance and minimize maintenance.

• ⚙️ Automatic Wash Down

  The automated wash down sequence allows for the grease buildup on the ESP collector plates to be removed easily with the touch of a button or an automatic daily schedule. This eliminates the need to change out costly filters and lowers overall maintenance requirements.

• ⭐ Quality Construction

  Tested to tolerate the rigors of the UL 8782, including withstanding 2,000°F temperature requirements, and built with a stainless steel housing and easy turn latches for simple access.

• ✅ Easy Installation

  Inlet transition provided to match ductwork and modular construction on a common mounting rail for easier installation.

• ? Code Compliant

  Unit is listed to UL 8782, a requirement of the 2021 International Mechanical Code. Also, the unit is furnished with an Accurex UL 705 listed inline or utility set fan with motor and drive mounted outside of the airstream complying with NFPA 96.

Importance of Grease Extraction

Grease is the by-product of commercial cooking processes that must be extracted from the effluent airstream via the kitchen ventilation system. Kitchen exhaust includes grease particulate in various sizes as well as grease vapors, smoke, and steam.

Grease Particle Size Distribution

• Coarse Grease Particulate: Larger, more visible effluent produced during cooking. Particle sizes range from 6.2 to 150 microns. Kitchen hood filters can typically capture this size.
• Fine Grease Particulate: Grease-covered moisture and air mixture produced by the long burning of cold or frozen food on a hot cooking surface. Particle sizes range from 0.55 to 6.2 microns. Kitchen hood filters can capture this size.
• Vapor + Ultrafine Particles: Produced when a drop of grease or water contacts a hot surface and burns off. Particle sizes range from 0.03 to 0.55 microns (smoke). Mechanical kitchen hood filters cannot capture particles of this size.

A comparison of normalized average grease mass emissions in the plume for worst-case appliances shows that Chinese Wok (Cubed Chicken Breast in Peanut Oil) has significantly higher emissions than a Solid Fuel Broiler using Mesquite (Hamburger).

Kitchen Hood Filters for Reduced Maintenance

The use of advanced mechanical filters in the hood improves the pollution control unit's ability to remove residual grease with less frequent filter changes at the PCU.

• Baffle Filter: 28% efficient at 8 microns.
• Grease-X-Tractor™: 69% efficient at 8 microns.
• Grease Grabber™: 100% efficient at 8 microns.

Grease Trapper Filtered

The Grease Trapper™ pollution control unit uses a multistage mechanical filter arrangement to remove grease particles from the exhaust air at an economical first cost. Independent pressure switches signal when the filter stages need replacing, taking the guesswork out of maintaining the equipment. The Grease Trapper™ incorporates carbon filters to remove odor molecules prior to discharging the air, reducing the impact of the kitchen exhaust to the surrounding area.

Key Features:

• 1. Factory inlet transition fabricated for ease of installation.
• 2. Metal mesh filters catch large grease particles and are easily washable.
• 3. MERV 8 pleated filters protect high-efficiency filters and minimize maintenance.
• 4. MERV 15 pleated final filter ensures a minimum 95% particulate removal efficiency.
• 5. 1-inch carbon trays reduce cooking odors.
• 6. Accurex UL 705 utility set fan with motor and drive mounted outside of the airstream per NFPA 96.
• 7. Modular stainless steel construction.
• 8. Pressure switch enclosure for ease of maintenance and wiring, with a remote filter status indicator panel.
• 9. Each module has a drain for grease or washing solution removal. Filter status can also be shown via keypad fault or BMS integration if controls are selected.

Industry Leading Clearances: The Grease Trapper™ allows for the smallest clearance to combustibles in the industry (12 inches on top, 6 inches on sides and bottom), fitting easily into tight spaces.

Grease Trapper ESP Electrostatic Precipitator

The Grease Trapper ESP™ pollution control unit uses electrostatic precipitator (ESP) modules and carbon trays to remove grease, smoke, and odors from the exhaust airstream. The automated wash down sequence allows for grease buildup on impingement filters and ESP collector plates to be removed easily with the touch of a button or an automatic daily schedule, eliminating the need to change out costly filters. Routine manual maintenance should still be conducted to ensure efficiency.

How It Works:

As air enters the ESP module, it passes across ionizer plates that positively charge particles. These charged particles are then attracted to negatively charged collector plates, like a magnet, capturing and removing contaminants from the airstream.

Key Features:

• 1. Factory inlet transition for ease of installation.
• 2. Toolless access via 270-degree turning latches.
• 3. Unit-mounted power pack supplies voltage for ESP cells.
• 4. Modular stainless steel construction.
• 5. Plug-and-play cables for easy installation.
• 6. Keypad or touchscreen available for ESP control.
• 7. Detergent control center and assembly with pump and 5-gallon bucket.
• 8. Detergent injection manifold for water and detergent injection.
• 9. Drain outlet for grease or washing solution removal.
• 10. Inlet hot water connection for automatic washdown.
• 11. Impingement filter distributes airflow and stops large particles; also washed.
• 12. Automatic washdown uses detergent to clean cells and impingement filter.
• 13. Pre-piped UL 300 fire system.
• 14. V-bank 2-inch carbon trays for reducing cooking odors.
• 15. Integral mounting rails for unit modules and exhaust fan.
• 16. Accurex UL 705 utility set fan with motor and drive mounted outside the airstream per NFPA 96.
• 17. Main control cabinet connects to unit components via plug-and-play cables.
• 18. Lightweight and durable ESP cells for ease of servicing.

Pollution Control Units Comparison

Dimensions

Grease Trapper

* Maximum width includes fan, power pack, motor clearance, and unit width. Unit access clearance is not accounted for. Dimensions are subject to change pending the final fan selection. Consult unit submittal for exact dimensions. Consult factory for final selection.

Grease Trapper ESP

* Maximum width includes fan, power pack, motor clearance, and unit width. Unit access clearance is not accounted for. Dimensions are subject to change pending the final fan selection. Consult unit submittal for exact dimensions. Consult factory for final selection.

Stay Up to Code on Pollution Control

The International Mechanical Code (IMC 2021) has guidelines for pollution control units, located in section 506.5.2, which states:

1. Pollution-control units shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 8782. (Note: IMC 2018 required UL 1978, while UL 710 was never recommended for pollution-control units.)
2. Fans serving pollution-control units shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 705.

Past PCU Standards

• UL 710 - Standard for Exhaust Hoods: Specific for commercial cooking equipment, designed to test and ensure proper operation of Type I commercial kitchen exhaust hoods. Focuses on liquid-tight construction, operation during cooking scenarios, and exhaust airflow rates. Largely unfit for pollution control units.
• UL 1978 - Standard for Grease Ducts: Specific for factory-built grease ducts, designed to test and ensure grease ductwork can withstand extreme conditions during a grease fire. Ensures stable construction during fire and extreme temperature situations. Was a previous requirement for pollution control units.

UL 8782 - Pollution Control Units for Commercial Cooking

Specifying a pollution control unit with a UL 8782 listing assures the kitchen is operating with the safest unit that can withstand harsh operating conditions. The new outline for PCUs specifically addresses the unique requirements of these units, as other standards (UL 710, UL 705, UL 1978) did not properly address them, causing confusion. UL 8782 utilizes tests from other standards, adopting extreme temperature testing from UL 1978 and electrical requirements from UL 710, while adding stipulations specific to PCUs, including modular construction and material requirements.

UL 705 - Standard for Power Roof Ventilators for Restaurant Exhaust

UL 705 references the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 96), which covers installation requirements for power ventilators in restaurant exhaust applications. NFPA 96 defines requirements for in-line exhaust fans in commercial kitchen systems as being of the type with the motor located outside the airstream and with belts and pulleys protected from the airstream by a greasetight housing (NFPA 96 8.1.3.1). It is crucial to confirm that inline exhaust fans used with pollution control units meet this requirement to uphold the UL-705 listing.