AVI Hood Features

Why the AVI Hood Saves You Money
How the AVI Hood Saves You Money
How the System Works
AVI Hood Operational Functions
The AVI Hood as a System
Makeup Air (MUA)
Possible Downside
Likely Ordering Scenario
Real Life Test Results

Since the AVI Hood operates at full capture and containment at such low exhaust rates, operators get very quick paybacks. The first cost of the AVI Hood may be higher than some exhaust-only hoods in the market. It is however lower than many of the compensating or short circuit hoods available today.

Beyond the first cost and obvious savings, there are unseen benefits that many operators now understand. Using the AVI Hood system with proper MUA, kitchen spaces will remain comfortable to the benefit of all employees. Kitchens, and especially pizza kitchens, have been known to be extremely hot and uncomfortable to work in. The AVI Hood system captures all the heat from the oven, except for small amounts of radiant heat, and effectively ventilates it.

Another cost-savings benefit of the AVI Hood is no more yellow ceiling tiles. It is clear when looking at ceilings around pizza ovens if a hood is working properly. With the AVI Hood’s unique full-panel design surrounding the ends of the ovens, all the grease and heat is captured and removed from the operating space.

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How the AVI Hood Saves You Money

It is important to understand that there are many variables in calculating cost and potential savings. Variables like weather conditions, how many windows and which direction they face, building construction, how many people are working, how much equipment is operating, and a host of other factors will affect payback and operating costs.

The largest savings is related to the lower CFMs at which AVI Hoods can operate. National estimates for the cost of heating and cooling 1 CFM of air annually, range from $1-$3 per year depending on location. The other savings come from downsized equipment, ductwork, smaller fans, and lower install costs.

The AVI hood over a double stack of XLT ovens is UL listed to need only 828 CFM of exhaust air. Other hood designs range from 1628 to a high of 2200 to remove all the heat from the same ovens. By using the AVI Hood system, there is approximately an 800 CFM reduction.

The other hard to calculate savings are listed below.

With no yellow ceiling tiles to clean, hundreds of hours and dollars in labor are saved a year
Less employee turnover as the store is comfortable to work in
Less food spoilage and dough loss
Less exhaust fan noise due to smaller size fan required
Quieter oven by shrouding the oven ends and using XLT’s Quiet Fire burner

Click here to contact your AVI salespersons

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How the System Works

The AVI Hood will comply with both Type I and Type II code requirements, and built with grease filters to comply with UL710 hood standard. It is used over a conveyor pizza oven, which is classified as a medium-duty appliance. By code, using this AVI Hood, operators will most likely need a fire suppression system and MUA - makeup air - that matches the exhaust rate.

The interpretation of these codes is often different from community to community. It is up to the end user to check with local code officials to determine rules and regulations. XLT, manufacturer of the AVI Hood, is an authorized installer and seller of Ansul fire suppression products. With XLT, operators can save money by ordering known fire suppression components with an order of AVI Hoods.

XLT will install the piping, nozzles, and other items needed. When the system is on-site, a local Ansul installer will finish the job by mounting the system box, checking the remote pulls and gas shut off, and starting and checking the system. If operators wait until ovens and AVI Hoods are on-site, they risk paying much more and having an installer who may not know the best way to pipe the system.

The Food Service Technology Center (FSTC), in conjunction with Fisher Nichol Consulting, offers industry-leading advice on many foodservice equipment issues. Below is the link to three excellent design papers that every operator, designer and builder should read.

http://www.fishnick.com/equipment/ckv/designguides/

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AVI Hood Operational Functions

The AVI Hood has been designed to accommodate every pizza operation. By simply building the panels to each customer’s specifications, owners can load and unload in any way needed. When ordering a new AVI Hood, just let XLT know what type of configuration is desired, and XLT will build it that way. If the system is moved later, the panels can be re-configured in the field.

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The AVI Hood as a System

The AVI Hood and XLT ovens are listed together for UL compliance. This makes official code more streamlined as the oven and hood are listed together as an approved system.

In the past, pizza ovens have been considered a bakery appliance and in many places exempt from Type 1 hoods and fire suppression. Today, the codes have been combined and pizza ovens have been reclassified. The best way to know what type of hood or fire suppression system is required is to ask your local code officials, fire department and/or building department. Make sure to ask these questions before ordering ovens and hoods. Before or after you order we would be happy to help you work through any issues with general, mechanical, or sub contractors. Just give us a call and we will help you.

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MUA – Makeup Air

Lastly MUA - makeup air - needs to be addressed and designed for: Per the International Mechanical Code rules, operators need to have MUA within 10⁰F of the conditioned space air. XLT recommends two methods to achieve this.

Preferred MUA method

Take full MUA needed from new or existing roof top mounted packaged HVAC unit. The unit will require an outside air economizer that can be set to bring in the correct amount of outside MUA. This air will be treated by the HVAC unit and be of comfortable temperature. The HVAC contractor can advise on how to accomplish this and meet the local community codes.

Issues

The HVAC unit will always have to be on when the hood is on, so MUA can always be provided. A fixed outside air damper or a motorized economizer will be needed to allow the correct CFM airflow of outside air. There will be times when HVAC may not be needed as the outside temperature is already comfortable, yet the unit will still have to be on. The good thing is the heating or cooling portion will not be needed, just the fan portion to bring in MUA. During closed hours, the HVAC unit can be operated by set point only. The HVAC package unit may have to be interlocked to the hood controls per the local code. This ensures that when the exhaust fan is turned on, the MUA must be turned on. In most cases, the oven function will have to be interlocked to the exhaust fan. This means when turning on the ovens, the exhaust fan also turns on automatically.

Alternative MUA method

Provide a dedicated MUA unit with cooling and heating that uses 100% outside air and matches it to the exhaust fan rates. The unit is going to be interlocked with the exhaust fan, so when turned on, the MUA unit is also on. This is the most expensive way to bring in MUA, yet in the end, can be the most efficient method. The units are only on when the hood is on and the air they bring back is a comfortable temperature. Most states require heated air. Operators can purchase the systems without the air conditioning coil, but it is not recommended. An oven interlock to the exhaust fan operation may be required as well. This means when the ovens are turned on, the exhaust fan also turns on automatically.

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Possible Downside

These units and associated installation will add 8-12K of added first-time cost to the operator. In practice, the operating costs are generally less than the HVAC method. The upside is that the kitchen will always be comfortable no matter the variations in outside conditions or how many ovens are operating. It is very common with an HVAC packaged unit that a technician may close the outside air dampers down t o make the unit work better. On a dedicated MUA unit, there are no dampers to close or set.

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Likely Ordering Scenario

The AVI Hood has two major parts. The top hood portion and the hanging skirts or panels. There are several ways to handle getting the hood parts to your store.

XLT Factory Delivery

XLT operates its own fleet of trucks and trailers. If you choose to use our transportation and set in place services we can deliver both your hood and ovens at the same time for a low cost. Our technician will install the ovens in the location you require. All the decks will be assembled and made ready for final connections. If you have the utilities ready, we can connect the gas hoses and plug the ovens into the AVI controller or wall receptacle.


Once the ovens are set in place the technician will bring the hood in and set in place on top of the new XLT ovens.

Once the hoods are on top of the ovens the technician will install the required brackets, all hang down panels, and fire suppression piping if ordered.

Now the remaining installation process is handled by your local HVAC contractor.

The hood needs to be raised per the AVI/Oven I&O manual directions by threaded rod, so the weight is now off the oven
The ductwork will need to be installed and connected to the AVI hood
If the exhaust fan is not already installed it will need to be installed and connected to the ductwork
If a fire suppression system is needed the local supplier will install the remaining parts of the system to the factory installed piping
All electrical connections are to be made by a local licensed contractor
The total system will need to be started and checked for correct operation

Drop ship option

If you choose the main hood canopy can be crated and shipped to your store. Your contractor will need to remove from the truck, uncrate, and ready the hood for hanging per the AVI/Oven I&O manual.


When your ovens and hanging panels are delivered by the XLT technician, they will install the brackets, hang down panels and fire suppression piping if ordered.

Now the remaining installation process is handled by your local HVAC contractor.

The ductwork will need to be installed and connected to the AVI hood
If the exhaust fan is not already installed it will need to be installed and connected to the ductwork
If a fire suppression system is needed the local supplier will install the remaining parts of the system to the factory installed piping
All electrical connections are to be made by a local licensed contractor
The total system will need to be started and checked for correct operation

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Real Life Test Results

XLT used sophisticated monitoring equipment to base line the electrical use of an HVAC system in a pizzeria located in the deep south of the US. After 30 days we removed the existing connected cap hood and replaced it with the AVI hood system. We again recorded the electrical use for another 30 days. Below we graphically represent the savings from the exhaust fan not running at higher speeds all the time. The second graph represents the reduction in energy used to keep the store at the 70⁰ degree set point while the outside air temperature averaged 97⁰ degrees. The AVI hood captures and contains the heat and does so at very low exhaust rate, that does not remove all the conditioned air. The HVAC systems ran less yet still kept the store at 70⁰degrees. The total monthly savings were close to $300.00 saved in electrical costs.

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WS-S-012 Rev, A 5/12/11