What is the best solution for a kitchen extractor when you have MVHR?

Spoke to several of the MVHR suppliers at Ecobuild and could not get a satisfactory answer.

Common sense tells me to keep the two seperate but is there anyone out there who manufactures what is effectively a stand alone MVHR unit which is a kitchen extractor that has its own grease filters etc?

thanks

I agree with your common sense too.

There are MVHR boxes that are designed specifically to go into standard sized kitchen units above a cooker and to drive extract etc. We looked at some when we started our project (eg from VentAxia, there was a HR205 "MVHR Unit Incorporating cookerhood" that I see I have data for).

Maybe it would simplify the ducting and vents install but we decided not to do it and went for a separate extract for the cooker hood. We made a small loft space for a separate (and larger) MVHR with summer bypass instead.

I'm glad we kept them separate.
We have a separate electric duct closer to install in the extract pipe when we get around to it but haven't done that yet.

I agree Joe, except, they don't for very long. I used to have a cooker hood and it was only good for hitting my head on (actually not true as I am pretty stumpy, but a normal person might).
The biggest issue is routine maintenance with anything in a kitchen. It really is a harsh environment.
Maybe I should call in at Pall who make air filtration systems for the aviation industry, they have a design that works like a bagless vacuum cleaner (was never a new idea and does not justify the creation of a billionaire). My air filter experience was for larger particulates than grease smoke, so a bit out of my experience. Now if you want the dust from a Cornish mine cleaned out, I am your man

Posted By: PuglieseI will see if he has any smart ideas

Excellent, post them up here

> Sprocket - Wher did you get the duct closer from?

I haven't looked in the box since it arrived but if I recall correctly it was going to be an "airtight duct damper" from Rega - the circular one.

Of course, it remains to be seen what will happen when it meets the "grease and clagg" :-/
This cooker will only see fairly light use so hopefully it will last a while anyway.
I'll make a point to install it somewhere accessible in case it jams.

We have specified several hundred MVHR systems. On all but one project we kept kitchen extract and MVHR separate, using a recirculation hood with carbon filters to remove odour.

The one exception was an 15 unit social housing apartment development where we used the Nuaire CookerXbox, which I believe was on a previous GBF thread. It worked OK but is noisy for an apartment set-up with the kitchen in the same space as the living room and the configuration means you can't add a silencer. I suspect the tenants will turn the unit off and on as required which sort of defeats the purpose of MVHR.

Also, they are not as good on the SAP Q rating as a conventional MVHR system.

I have the solution! Stop frying, even stop meat eating - and prolong yr active life too.

Like Chippyclaus, I have the ITHO cooker hood and also fitted the same at my daughter's house. Having experienced some anxious moments at the near universal disapproval on GBF of linking cooker hoods to MVHR, we also have had no problems.
When I went on an ITHO installation course, a lot of the concerns expressed were about tenants in housing associations etc. The majority attending were there on behalf of housing associations; only one other person was fitting MVHR on a small scale. It is also self evident that the large contracts are being installed by major housebuilders. For individual clients I feel it would be quite reasonable to leave the choice to them with suitable explanation.
Is a hopelessly neglected grease filter on a recirculation model better than a POSSIBLE slow clogging of a heat exchanger? Surely fats will accumulate mainly in the proximal extract ducts if not trapped by the s/s filters in the hood? The only other option is the direct extraction to external with the much greater noise level which I was keen to avoid.

Posted By: docmartinIs a hopelessly neglected grease filter on a recirculation model better than a POSSIBLE slow clogging of a heat exchanger?

Not sure if its better but just a lot cheaper and easier to sort out.

Posted By: SteamyTeaI agree Joe, except, they don't for very long. I used to have a cooker hood and it was only good for hitting my head on (actually not true as I am pretty stumpy, but a normal person might).
The biggest issue is routine maintenance with anything in a kitchen. It really is a harsh environment.
Maybe I should call in at Pall who make air filtration systems for the aviation industry, they have a design that works like a bagless vacuum cleaner (was never a new idea and does not justify the creation of a billionaire). My air filter experience was for larger particulates than grease smoke, so a bit out of my experience. Now if you want the dust from a Cornish mine cleaned out, I am your manhttp:///forum114/extensions/Vanillacons/smilies/standard/wink.gif" alt="" title="" >

I have a Berbel cooker hood (http://www.berbel.co.uk) which I suspect works in the way you propose using aerodynamics for grease separation rather than a filter. There is a big activated carbon filter which copes well with any smells from my cooking. It is also linked to the boost switch on the MVHR so that it is boosted when the cooker hood fan is in operation. Berbel hoods are beautifully engineered and correspondingly expensive!

No need to pull it apart John.

http://www.berbel.de/int/the-advantages/new-technology.html

Anyone got any experience of the berbel wall box thing?

http://www.berbel.de/int/the-products/accessories/wall-box-frame.html

Or know of similar alternatives that could be used with any kitchen extractor hood?

Jim