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Three ways UV lamp choice affect maintenance costs in professional kitchens

12.12.2022 Nyheter

The use of UV light in professional kitchen air purification is common, but in terms of efficient grease purification and life cycle costs, selecting the right technology makes all the difference. We list three factors of UV applications that help in controlling maintenance costs and make the work of the kitchen staff easier.

1) Two different UV wavelengths are needed for the highest cleaning efficiency

UV-C is a commonly used, traditional cleaning technology that prevents bacterial growth. It uses ultraviolet light of a longer wavelength (254 nm), which works effectively against microorganisms, molds, fungi, and bacteria. Vacuum UV, on the other hand, breaks down small fat particles very efficiently and produces ozone to further enhance air purification and odor removal. The combination of the two UV lights is necessary.

2) With efficient UV technology, the ductwork and grease chamber remain clean

The cleanliness of the ductwork and grease chambers is essential for the property’s fire safety and in managing maintenance costs. We often hear that thanks to our UV hoods, sweeping has not been needed once during years of service. One example is a vocational college in Helsinki, which has more than a hundred CleanMaster hoods, and the site’s ducts have not had to be swept since the commissioning back in 2017.

Double UV intensity with lamps developed for professional kitchens

Fat dissolving requires 50 mW of UV intensity per square centimeter. This breaks up the airborne fat particles in the exhaust air chamber and on its inner surfaces. Dual UV lamps are the most efficient on the market and can produce vacuum UV light at 25 W. The combination of both of the UV wavelengths (Vacuum-UV and UV-C) in Dual UV lamps is proven to be twice the intensity of similar systems on the market.

3) Long-lasting lamps require fewer replacements

Investing in the long service life of UV lamps pays off when you want to control professional kitchen maintenance costs. Maintaining a high UV intensity throughout the lamp life is also important, as it is a critical factor in the hood’s air purification ability.

Dual UV retains more than 96% of its original UV intensity for up to 16,000 hours. Dual UV lamps must be changed only half as often as similar lamps. In addition, only one UV lamp is needed per hood, and not two, as in other available systems. Especially in larger kitchens, the number of UV lamps as well as their replacement interval have a significant impact on maintenance costs.