Carbon filter for hood: device, principle of operation and replacement technology

Before purchasing a recirculating hood, you must understand that in order to operate it properly, you will have to spend money on replacement consumables from time to time. More precisely, there is only one consumable - a carbon filter for the hood, which eliminates unpleasant odors in the kitchen and protects the engine from contamination.

Let's figure out what work the filter does, how to choose the right replacement element and install it. The information provided will be useful to those who are just thinking about buying a recirculation type hood and to those who are already using such a unit.

Types of kitchen hoods

Extraction is an important element in ensuring normal ventilation in the kitchen. The speed at which odors are removed from the room depends on its effectiveness.

Carbon filters are a mandatory component not for all types of hoods, but only for recirculating ones, so let’s first remember what types of air purification devices there are in the kitchen.

According to the method of air flow, all hoods can be divided into three categories:

• flow-through;
• circulation (recirculation);
• combined.

Flow hoods connected to the ventilation duct using a rigid or flexible air duct.

The air containing kitchen fumes enters the hood and then into the ventilation. Various types of flow devices They are also equipped with filters, but their function is slightly different - to protect the motor from an aggressive environment.

Recirculation devices do not require air ducts.

A hood without an air duct is installed above the stove so that it does not interfere with cooking. The width of the panel must be no less than the width of the hob

The air flow in the circulation model comes from the stove into the housing, passes through 2 cleaning stages (2 types of filters - anti-grease and carbon), and then returns to the kitchen space.

Comparative diagram of air movement in recirculation and flow (exhaust) modes. To ensure an exhaust effect, access to fresh air is desirable during equipment operation.

Combined models have an additional recirculation function. That is, you can insert carbon filters and start the recirculation mode, or you can connect an air duct and use the flow function.

Advantages of a recirculating hood

The question immediately arises: why buy a hood with filters (and this is an additional expense), when you can simply install a model with an air duct, which does not require annual investments?

In fact, recirculating hoods are very popular due to the following advantages:

• Autonomy. The device does not require a ventilation system to operate. If the exit to the ventilation shaft is in the opposite corner, you don’t have to worry about the design of the air duct, but simply install a model with a carbon filter.
• Compactness. The housing takes up a minimum of usable space above the stove, and its “working” part easily fits in a small cabinet. With sliders, the surface does not protrude beyond the border of the cabinet until it is time to turn on the device by sliding the panel over the stove.
• Heat retention. In winter, when the outside temperature is below zero, frequent ventilation threatens heat loss in the apartment.When using a hood with filters, there is no need to open the vents (unlike flow-through models, which require air flow).
• Easy to install. The hood is inserted into a cabinet suspended above the stove or simply attached to the wall. There is no need to create either an air duct or hanging structures to disguise it.
• Easy care. To ensure that the functionality of the device does not suffer, you need to change the carbon filters on time and periodically clean the anti-grease filters.

The cost of recirculation models can also be considered an advantage, since it fits well within a modest budget - on average from 2,200 rubles. up to 5000 rub. Plus, about once every six months you need to purchase a carbon filter, which will cost 350-900 rubles.

Additional information about recirculating hoods, their application and installation features is provided in the articles:

1. Coal hood: types, device, selection and installation rules
2. Hood without venting into ventilation: principle of operation, typical diagrams and installation rules
3. How a recirculation hood works + typical ventilation schemes with air recirculation

Design and principle of operation of a carbon filter

The appearance of the filter may vary, as it is made of either plastic or synthetic fabric. In the first case, it is a round or rectangular plastic cassette filled with activated carbon in the form of powder or granules; in the second, it is a dense piece of material impregnated with the same activated carbon.

Sometimes these two types are combined to create more effective protection against hot vapors and impurities that pass through them.

Charcoal cassettes are often round in shape and sold in sets of two.The plastic from which the cassette body is made is safe and does not emit harmful substances when heated

Carbon filters should not be confused with anti-grease filters, which are a metal mesh or grate and are the first stage of protection. On anti-fat barrier particles of fat and substances settle - this is a kind of coarse filter, but it does not retain odors.

And the charcoal filter passes through air that has already been cleared of grease, and this is what eliminates unpleasant and pungent cooking aromas.

The carbon filter is hidden inside the housing. Most often it is attached directly to the motor. And everyone has seen the anti-grease grille - it’s a steel or aluminum mesh, which is in plain sight, at the bottom of the hood

When choosing replacement units for your hood, you should follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. The fact is that in order to increase the demand for products, most of the filter cassettes and cartridges are universal in nature, that is, they are suitable not for one specific model, but for several. The list can contain up to 20 items.

On the packaging, the manufacturer indicates for which models of kitchen hoods the filter element is suitable (+)

You should ask the seller about the availability of consumables before purchasing a hood, otherwise you will soon encounter an unpleasant situation. After six months or 3-4 months (the service life is indicated in the instructions), you will want to purchase replacement cartridges, but you will not be able to find them on the open market.

This is especially true for the latest models that have just appeared on the market. If the problem has already occurred, try looking for a replacement in online stores.

Operating principle of coal protection:

• First, the air passes through a dense layer of viscose soaked in a charcoal solution.Some of the impurities and fat remain in the fabric structure.
• The partially purified air is then directed into the cassette where the granules are located. Activated carbon has remarkable properties - it not only traps residual impurities, but also absorbs specific odors.

Several cleaning cycles completely free the air flow of dirt and kitchen aroma. When the properties of the filler, “clogged” with grease and dirt, decrease, a new filter must be installed. In this regard, devices with sensors that indicate the need for replacement are very convenient.

How to install a new replacement unit

The most important recommendation when installing new cassettes or replacing old ones is to carefully read the manufacturer’s instructions. It indicates the procedure and some important nuances that relate to specific models.

For example, a simple carbon cartridge installed on the wrong side will not work correctly, and instead of clean air you will get wasted energy.

The instructions are often presented in the form of a plan - a step-by-step description of actions, sometimes accompanied by pictures. Responsible manufacturers complete their products with discs with video instructions or simply provide a link to the manufacturer’s website, where you can find all the information you need.

We offer examples of instructions that will help you when installing filters for various models.

Option #1. Replacing the filter for the model Shindo Aliot P.S. — there is only one replaceable element, it looks like a rectangular panel.

Option No. 2. Some hoods with a combined cleaning method have two filters that are attached to both sides of the motor. Let's look at how to install round coal exhaust cassettes Pyramid.

When the hood operates in flow mode, it is not necessary to install carbon filters. If they are nevertheless installed, and the equipment operates in different modes, then the shelf life of the filter is increased due to intermittent use.

Inexpensive carbon filters are easiest to purchase where kitchen hoods are sold - in home appliance supermarkets. For example, a set of carbon filters for a Krohn hood is easier to find in a store that sells equipment from this manufacturer.

If you don’t find consumables of the right brand, look for an option among the universal offers. Here are some universal type filters.

In addition to the products of the named manufacturers, you can find filters Filtero, ZEMAN, CATA, Hansa and etc.

Frequently asked questions from buyers

It is believed that flow hoods remove 100% of unpleasant odors from the room, while recirculating hoods operating on carbon filters remove much less. In fact, it is impossible to remove all odors from the kitchen, since they spread very quickly to neighboring rooms.

The difference in performance between the two types of hoods is about 15-20%, that is, carbon filters clean the air quite well.

Exhaust equipment with new carbon filters, when used correctly, works in such a way that it protects wallpaper, tiles, ceilings and furniture from grease and other deposits

Many people do not want to constantly spend money on consumables, and instead of hoods with carbon filters, they buy a model with an air duct, believing that in the end it is cheaper.

To calculate the costs, you need to add the cost of cartridges to the cost of a recirculating hood - for 10 years, on average, you will need about 20 pieces.And to the price of a flow-through model, you must add the payment for materials (ducts, corrugations, fittings) and services for installing the air duct. Additionally, you should take into account the cost of the suspended structure, if it is required for camouflage. It remains to compare the results.

Also, in order to save money, enterprising owners of hoods, instead of the hard plastic cassettes recommended by the manufacturer, manage to put soft fabric filters into the housing, which cost 5 times less. This is a gross violation of the use of exhaust equipment.

Homemade and refurbished filters sharply reduce the performance of devices, and also do not provide any guarantee that the engine will function for the required period after such “protection”.

You can often hear the question - is it possible to use non-original cassettes and panels if there is no corresponding brand? Of course, it is possible, but under one condition - if they are suitable in composition and size. This is easy to do by carefully examining the packaging: the names of the models to which the cassette or cartridge fits are usually indicated directly on the front side.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

In order for trade to flourish, employees of companies that sell filters make clear and convenient videos. After watching the video once, you can quickly, correctly and taking into account all the nuances, install the filter. Here are a couple of successful examples.

Installation of a pair of round cassettes of the HEE series:

Installing a filter on a Gretta CPB hood:

Some general information about hoods:

Buying and replacing filters takes some getting used to, just like other regular household chores.If you change the cartridges in your hood in time, it will remain operational for a long time and clean the air as much as possible from harmful particles and unpleasant odors.

Do you have personal experience using a recirculating hood in the kitchen? Share information about choosing filters and replacing them with our readers. Please leave comments or ask any questions you have - the feedback form is located below.