There are a large number of kitchen extractor hoods on cruise ships. These cause significant thermal losses and consequently costs, as cruise ships spend most of their time in warm regions, meaning the supply air to the kitchens below must first be expensively cooled to a tolerable level. Subsequently, the fresh air absorbs the odours from the kitchen, heats up significantly, and is then blown out into the environment unused.
To improve the energy balance of the extractor hoods, FlowMotion, in collaboration with the University of Applied Sciences Emden, was tasked with optimising the hood and providing scientific evidence of its functionality. The University of Applied Sciences Emden undertook the measurements of velocities, temperatures, etc., while FlowMotion carried out the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations.
The primary goal of the development was to use an air jet within the hood to maximise the intake of odours and minimise the volume flow that must be discharged into the environment via the ship’s exhaust air system. A wide variety of hood geometries and air jet settings were simulated and the results analysed. The difficulty lay in arranging all components, such as grease separators, UV filters, lighting, and fans, within the very limited space beneath the hood to ensure an optimal air jet.
Ultimately, through the joint use of scientific methods, flow simulations, experimental testing, and extensive practical experience, a product was developed that exhibits 25–30% lower thermal energy losses. This new product received the prestigious Innovation Award from Meyer Werft in 2012.
