Kitchen Air

[globe trekker]

I have a set of plans for a nationally known fast food restaurant. The plans

have one dedicated HVAC unit that is supplying and returning air to the

Kitchen areas, with one Supply Air duct supplying air to only one adjacent

office space. The office space is approx. 6.5 ft. x 11.5 ft. in dimensions.

The office DOES have a closeable door to it.

QUESTION: Can the recirculated Kitchen air be used to supply air to

this office space? We are using the 2006 I-codes. Code sections please.

There are 4 separate exhaust hoods in place, directly over the fryers /

cookers, in the designed plans.

Thanks for any input, .."yay" or "nay" !

.

 

[pyrguy]

Grease laden air is not allowed to be recirculated, but the hood system is supposed to take care of that.

Ventilation air in excess of the minimum required is allowed to be recirculated under section 403.2.1. So as long as the HVAC system is supplying ventilation air in excess of the total required air for the kitchen and office I say, "Why not?"

 

[Dr. J]

If you call this "HVAC Unit" a "FORCED-AIR WARM-AIR FURNACE", then Nay. It can't even be recirculated back to the kitchen.

IMC 918:

918.6 Prohibited sources.

Outdoor or return air for a forced-air heating system shall not be taken from the following locations:

...

5. A closet, bathroom, toilet room, kitchen, garage, mechanical room, boiler room or furnace room.

However, if it is a cooling only unit, or a hydronic air handler, then yea - there is no restriction. Table 403 does not have the "Mechanical exhaust is required and recirculation is prohibited" footnote.

If you were asking about the 2009 version, then air can't be recirculated period. Table 403 DOES have the "Mechanical exhaust is required and recirculation is prohibited" footnote.

You asked if the air returned from the kitchen can be used in another space. That is not the correct question, the correct question is "can there be a return grille in the kitchen?" 2009, the answer is NO. 2006, the answer is "it depends on the type of unit".

This is obviously stupid, but it is the code (redundant) From a real world standpoint, I would have no objection to the proposed design. The kitchen manager knows what a kitchen smells like. It would probably be a good idea if he/she does smell the burgers burning.

 

[globe trekker]

Thanks ya'll for your input!

I am 99% sure that the unit for the Kitchen area is not a "Forced Warm Air" type

of unit.

The ducting design just looks odd, because the one Supply Air duct to the office

space comes off of the Kitchen area unit, when there is another unit that is close

by that they could have just as easily "designed / ducted" off of. Yes, the

Return Air grilles, for the Kitchen Area unit, are in the Kitchen area.

FWIW, ..there won't be any burgers cooked in this particular restaurant, ..EVER!

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