Cheetah’s dynamic ventilation system saves up to 80% energy in commercial kitchens
Proof that the Cheetah demand controlled ventilation system from Quintex delivers massive energy savings is easy to find – just ask some top globally recognised brands.
From Carlson Rezidor and Center Parcs to Harrods, Claridges, and Wetherspoon as well as the NHS and top universities, the results of installing the Cheetah energy management technology have been very impressive.
Blue chip customers have seen rapid payback and big ongoing cost savings with the excellent energy efficiency provided by Cheetah. The innovative demand controlled ventilation (DCV) solution helps customers meet their environmental targets while raising profitability and adding value.
Cheetah saves energy by controlling the extract and air supply fans in line with demand. Energy savings of up to 80% are typically achieved by controlling ventilation fan speeds to match extract rates with cooking processes.
In commercial kitchens, Cheetah controls the mandatory variable speed drives efficiently to create a variable air volume (VAV) system and safely minimise energy usage. The Cheetah system has a number of intelligent modules interconnected by a data communications network.
Cheetah in Hotel Kitchens
In the hospitality sector, Carlson Rezidor is a globally respected brand and has Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotels in its extensive portfolio. The luxury brand has a strong commitment to care for the environment and sustainability policies with energy a prime focus.
As part of the energy-saving policy, the hotel group installed Cheetah at the Radisson Edwardian Heathrow, one of their largest hotels.
Previously, the extract system in the main kitchen used a constant 18 kW, 24 hours per day and exhausted over 7m³/sec of conditioned air continuously into the atmosphere. The air conditioning system in the kitchen has a 17.5 kW supply fan.
The Cheetah system now controls the extract and air supply automatically as conditions vary. It continuously monitors cooking activity in two kitchens and adjusts the speed of the extract and supply fan to match need.
The extract fan now consumes 50% less power while the loss of conditioned air to atmosphere of approximately 50% has been achieved with a 62% reduction in energy consumption. The supply air fan is controlled to slave the extract fan down to a preset speed, increasing the energy savings.
The group were so impressed that they installed Cheetah in a 10 other properties, achieving similar results across the estate.
Radisson Edwardian Blu results
- 159,966.66 kWh saved a year
- 84 tonnes carbon saved per annum
- Reduced energy consumption – 62%
- Annual saving in pounds – £14,118
- Payback – 1.39 years
Claridges
Luxury hotel Claridges is fully committed to environmentally-friendly policies and has achieved a 30 per cent reduction in kitchen ventilation energy costs with the installation of two Cheetah systems on the 11kW supply and extraction fans, with an ROI of 1.8 years.
The kitchen ventilation fans were constantly running at 100 per cent before installation and using more than 450 kWh per day but the Cheetah system ensured that energy consumption dropped to 315 kWh daily.
The Cheetah system automatically responds to changing kitchen conditions, controlling extraction and supply fans to match needs and so make significant energy savings.
Cheetah’s range of sensors measure temperature, smoke, steam and airflow in the extract and supply ducts to determine the fans’ optimum flow rates.
Claridges Results
- 49,275 kWh saved per annum
- 24.8 tonnes carbon saved per annum
- Reduced energy consumption – 30%
- Annual saving in pounds – £10,178
- Payback – 1.80 years
Retail Sector
The environmentally-aware Harrods store generates more than two-thirds of its electricity from its own generators and decided to reduce energy use in the Knightsbridge store as well as cut the amount of carbon emissions, to further support its sustainability policies.
The company trialled the Cheetah DCV system in the sub-basement kitchen, which had a large fan running at 38kW, and saw rapid ROI of just 1.09 years.
The Cheetah system’s intelligent controls and sensors detected cooking activity and varied speeds of the kitchen extract and supply fans. Laws of affinity guarantee that when fan speeds are reduced to 40% of full speed in standby mode only 6% of energy is consumed.
The system is regularly monitored to report on savings. Along with energy consumption, Cheetah identifies flow rates in the ducts, which helps with preventative maintenance of fans and belts.
Harrods Cheetah results
- 217,778 kWh saved a year
- 114.3 tonnes carbon saved per annum
- Reduced energy consumption – 46%
- Annual saving in pounds – £15,271
- Payback – 1.09 years
The NHS and Cheetah
Mile End Hospital in London is part of Barts Health NHS Trust, the largest in the UK, and it aims is to be the most sustainable trust in the UK by 2020.
The Trust chose install the Cheetah DCV system in the main kitchen at the Mile End Hospital, which provides food for 13,783 staff, as well as events. The kitchen ventilation system had been consuming a constant 40 kW, 24 hours a day and exhausted over 2m³/sec of conditioned air continuously into the atmosphere. The air conditioning system also incorporates a 4.0kW supply fan.
With Cheetah in place, the hospital saved 49,794kWh a year with an ROI of under two years.
NHS Mile End Hospital Cheetah results
- 49,794kWh saved per annum
- 13.3 tonnes carbon saved per annum
- Reduced energy consumption – 81%
- Annual saving in pounds – £2,725
- Payback – 1.95 years
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is one of Britain’s leading universities and has extensive environmental policies to promote best practice in sustainability.
As part of its ongoing sustainability strategy, the university successfully applied for 100% interest-free funding from Salix and installed the Cheetah DCV system in three kitchens, achieving ROI in just over two years.
Salix provides funding for proven, cost effective technologies that reduce CO2 emissions and cut energy consumption.
The university chose Cheetah to provide effective controls to match the varied schedules in the kitchens that cater for breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with conferencing facilities. The fans are often running for extended hours throughout the day and at weekends, to ensure efficient kitchen extract at all times.
The Cheetah system is the ideal solution for this variable usage. It increases fan speeds when cooking activity is high and responsively reduces speeds when there is less kitchen cooking activity, while maintaining minimum fan speeds when cooking has ceased.
University of Warwick Cheetah results
- 341,062 kWh saved a year
- 122 tonnes carbon saved per annum
- Reduced energy consumption – 65%
- Annual saving in pounds – £21,000
- Payback – 2.10 years
Cheetah in Restaurants
Wetherspoon
Leading pub and restaurant brand Wetherspoon chose the Cheetah DCV system for The Jack Fairman in Horley to cut ventilation energy consumption in its commercial kitchen and achieved payback in under two years. Since, 2015 Quintex have installed Cheetah into over 800 pubs.
The system controls the extract and supply fans, using temperature, smoke/steam and flow sensors to detect cooking activity and varying fan speeds. The Cheetah system also reduces heating and cooling losses with further savings from lower maintenance costs as the equipment is being driven more efficiently, resulting longer life span with fewer repairs.
Wetherspoon Cheetah results
- 36,167 kWh saved a year
- 18.9 tonnes carbon saved per annum
- Reduced energy consumption –69 %
- Annual saving in pounds – £2,729
- Payback – 1.88 years
Roast Restaurant
Roast Restaurant is owned by Iqbal Wahhab, who received an OBE for public service and service to the hospitality industry in the 2010 New Year’s Honours list. The top restaurant selected the Cheetah DVC system for the main kitchen extract canopies as part of a commitment to sustainability.
Energy optimisation is also a key factor in remaining competitive and bolstering profit margins. The Cheetah system delivered a 70% reduction in ventilation energy consumption, with ROI in just 1.7 years.
The restaurant kitchen had 7.5kW fan motors that were running at full speed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Cheetah’s intelligent controls and sensors detect when cooking activity is taking place, to control the kitchen extract and supply fans, varying the speeds and so saving energy.
The system was programmed to run fans at maximum efficiency, maintaining comfortable and safe working conditions. It also reduces energy consumption needed in heating and cooling so HVAC equipment will have a longer lifespan with fewer repairs, ensuring lower maintenance and replacement costs.
Roast Cheetah results
- 73,631 kWh saved a year
- 32 tonnes carbon saved per annum
- Reduced energy consumption – 70%
- Annual saving in pounds – £7,290
- Payback – 1.70 years
What could Cheetah do for you?
As a partner of Quintex, SaveMoneyCutCarbon can help your business benefit from the Cheetah system. We’re involved throughout the process, from survey to installation, applying our experience and expertees to ensure optimum energy savings and payback.