Before Bistro Boys Catering in Denver, Colorado moved into a new 3,000-square-foot facility, the catering company had outgrown its kitchen ventilation system – to the degree that the menu was sometimes limited by how much smoke the facility’s hoods could remove.
So, when the catering company moved to a single-story space in a multi-tenant, commercial building, owner Wes Biggers jumped at the opportunity to upgrade. The new space was previously occupied by a pizza delivery company, so the ventilation would have to be redesigned to properly exhaust kitchen fumes generated during the preparation of a wide variety of food, from short ribs to Italian sauces and broths made from scratch.
Ventilation Objective
Biggers wanted a more energy-efficient and effective kitchen exhaust system to accommodate his menu and to prevent grease, smoke, and odors from entering other parts of the office building. He also wanted to improve the work environment for his employees by providing better heating, cooling, and lighting.
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Solution
Two Accurex centrifugal upblast roof exhaust fans , Model XRUD, one kitchen hood , Model XBEW, equipped with sufficient lighting and a factory-coordinated fire suppression system installation, and variable volume controls (Vari-Flow system) were installed to exhaust smoke and grease from the kitchen area efficiently, cost-effectively and safely.
The Model XRUD is a quiet operating, direct-drive upblast centrifugal exhaust fan that requires no belt replacements and offers a single point drain system for quick, easy cleaning. These fans are equipped with electronically commutated Vari-Green motors, providing soft start technology, thermal protection, and increased energy savings. Another benefit? These motors don’t require a costly variable frequency drive to operate, reducing upfront costs.
The Model XBEW exhaust-only wall canopy hood is one of the most efficient and cost-effective hood options on the market with large capture areas to promote low exhaust rates and excellent performance. The Model XDG make-up air unit replaces exhausted air with 100% outdoor air in volumes from 800 cfm to 15,000 cfm and provides ultra-efficient heating capacities up to 1.6 MBH. The evaporative cooling feature offers 90% cooling effectiveness. Configured for variable volume, this unit is capable of air ow reductions of up to 50%.
The Accurex Vari-Flow Air Management System helps reduce energy consumption and operating costs by automatically decreasing the air ow based on demand from the cooking operation. Decreasing fan speeds during low demand also reduces sound levels to improve comfort for both employees and other building tenants. The Ansul® R-102 System is capable of both detecting and suppressing fires 24 hours a day and features ANSULEX® Low pH Liquid Fire Suppressant – a highly effective and equipment-friendly, near-neutral pH extinguishing agent that minimizes damage and clean-up costs.
What We Achieved
“I’m extremely pleased with the quality of the hood, controls, and make-up air unit,” owner Wes Biggers said.
“The variable speed fan gives us increased flexibility in cooking on the line. We aren’t determining what we can cook and when by how much smoke the hood can remove! If we need to cook it, we do – when the schedule says it needs to be cooked. That improves the quality of food delivered to our customers.
The installation contractor recommended by Accurex completed the entire job - from rip-out to final testing - in about 10 days. I couldn’t be happier with the entire project!”
