The present invention relates to a method of catalytic combustion of grease in an electric chimney. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of combustion of grease that gets accumulated in an electric chimney through a catalytic coating feature.
Background of the invention
An electric chimney or a kitchen chimney is a boon in India as Indian dishes requires a lot of frying and grilling using a lot of masala and oils thereby leading to collection of grime in the kitchen. The fumes and air is sucked by an electric chimney. The air is passed through filters that absorbs the heat and traps the grease particles thereby removing fumes and odor.
Kitchen Chimneys are known in a number of configurations. Those kitchen chimney configurations are generally provided with a suction device that may operate in two modes. The first operation mode is a suction mode, wherein fume-laden air is sucked in from the environment where the kitchen hood is located and is completely exhausted to the external world (the exterior) via an exhaust duct; the second operation mode is a filtering operation, wherein the flow of fume-laden air from the environment where the kitchen hood is located is filtered and re-injected into the environment. In both the modes described above the kitchen chimney gets accumulation of grease or burnt oil generated from the cooking.
Such a method is disclosed in US 3513109A. Said invention relates to a method of applying catalytic materials to a support, particularly supports having smooth surfaces of low surface area, by slurrying a finely divided form of the catalytic material in a solution of a metal ammine, applying the slurry to the support,

drying and calcining. In a preferred aspect, the catalytic material applied contains interspersants to stabilize the catalyst from crustal growth at high temperature.
Such a method is disclosed in DE3929521A1. Said invention relates to (A) A catalyst, consisting of a metal wire or strip surface coated with an oxidn. catalyst material, is claimed. The coating pref. consists of metal and/or metal oxide, formed as a thin film by vapour deposition, electrochemical deposition, dipping in a soln., gel or suspension of metal salt(s) or applying the metal salt(s), followed by drying and activation. (B) An air cleaning process involves direct heating of the catalyst by applying a voltage to achieve the requisite catalyst surface temperature for catalytic combustion of components in the air. The catalyst comprises a heating wire coated with a metal (and/or its oxide) selected from Li, Na, K, Ca, Cs, Al, Si, Ti, CI, Zr, Hf, Mg, Zn, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Y, La, Lu and Yb. The coating is 5 Angstroms to 10 microns thick. The catalyst surface temp, is 200-600 deg.C. USE/AD VANTAGE - The catalyst is useful in chimneys and vent pipes for air cleaning and as a replacement for or in addn. to heating wires in commercial electric heating units and fan heaters for combined air heating and cleaning. The catalyst can be directly heated in an energy efficient manner, is inexpensive and provides efficient air cleaning.
Such a method is disclosed in JP2003527951A. Said invention relates to The catalyst compositions and mixtures comprising a second material selected from the first material and the group consisting of clay and silicone polymer selected from the group consisting of the sorbent composition. A method for improving the adhesion of the first material and the metal surface, the inclusion of the mixture obtained as a result of adding the second material wherein the first

material prior to coating on the metal surface. Metal surface in a preferred embodiment is the outer surface of the motor vehicle radiator.
The systems and methods as described in the prior art poses the difficulty in cleaning the electric chimney that gets accumulated with grease and burnt oil. The electric chimney that is not adequately cleaned provides low performance. The heat auto-clean chimneys available in the market requires human intervention in cleaning the oil collector wherein the grease gets collected after the auto-clean function is performed and disposing the grease in an environment friendly way from the oil collector remains a challenge.
Objective of the Invention
The objective of the present invention is to design a method for cleaning of an electric chimney in a user friendly and environment friendly manner.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to design a method for cleaning of an electric chimney that does not require human intervention, provide better aesthetics and disposes harmful chemicals in controlled manner.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to remove VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) generated during cooking and accumulated inside the electric chimney.
The instant invention achieves the objective by employing method of catalytic combustion of grease by way of providing a catalytic coating feature that enables combustion of grease that gets accumulated in the chimney in a controlled manner.

Summary of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of catalytic combustion of grease in an electric chimney. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of combustion of grease that gets accumulated in an electric chimney through a catalytic coating feature.
The present invention relates to an apparatus for catalytic combustion of grease in an electric chimney, said apparatus comprising of: a motor assembly; a controller PCB; a stainless steel vane guard; a heating element; and a lamp.
The present invention also relates to a method for catalytic combustion of grease in an electric chimney, said method comprising the steps of: production of fumes by heating of vegetable oils; suction of fume laden air through said electric chimney; accumulation of grease on the metal housing of the motor assembly; and oxidation of grease at 200°C.
The present invention proposes a method of "Catalytic combustion of Grease" that comprises of conversion of grease into vapor and release of said vapor to the atmosphere in a controlled manner in the form of C02 and H20 (Oil + 02 —► C02 + H20), thereby preventing human intervention in cleaning of the oil collector and at the same time treatment of the burnt oil in an environmental friendly way that is then released to the outer world.
Generally during cooking, fumes are produced when vegetable oil (peanut oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, olive oil, blend oil) are heated using a heat source (gas or induction stove) that emits VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Said

VOC's are removed by way employing different techniques including Destruction; Oxidation and Catalytic Techniques.
The method of catalytic combustion of grease in an electric chimney comprises of the following steps:
1. An auto-clean kitchen chimney mainly consists of a motor assembly, controller PCB, stainless steel vane guard, a heating element and lamp;
2. During operation the kitchen chimney sucks in the fume laden air and prevents the spread of fume-laden air in the kitchen;
3. The grease content of the fume sucked by the chimney gets accumulated /on the metal housing of the motor assembly;
4. Using catalytic combustion technique the grease that is absorbed by the metal oxide supported catalyst painted on the metal housing is oxidized at approximately 200°Celsius and converted to C02 and water and the same is then released to the atmosphere in a controlled manner ( through a duct) [Oil + 02 -► C02 + H20]
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the auto-clean cycle runs for 11 minutes wherein in the first 10 minutes the auto-clean heating element heats the housing to a temperature of 180°C and an indication of the temperature is displayed on the user interface and in the last 1 minute the blower runs in the top speed in order to take the temperature of the housing back to normal.

Description of Figures
One or more embodiments are now described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals represent like elements and in which:
Figure 1 illustrates different ways to treat or remove VOCs.
Figure 2 illustrates working of "Catalytic Combustion Electric Auto-clean
chimney"
According to Figure 1, there are various techniques for the removal of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). Some of the techniques include destruction, bio-filtration, oxidation that is further performed by thermal oxidation or catalytic oxidation or RFR. Other techniques include recovery method by absorption, condensation, membrane separation and adsorption that is further carried out by zeolite based adsorption and activated carbon based adsorption.
The Figure 2 depicts the schematic working of the catalytic combustion in an Electric Chimney. According to the said scheme Kitchen fumes, water, grease, odour and spice are passed by SS Vane guard and are redirected to the motor assembly of said electric chimney whereby the catalytic combustion process is performed. The fumes that is free of grease and comprises of water, odour and other gases are released into the atmosphere through ducting mode. The fumes may also be recycled by passing through the charcoal filter and released back into the kitchen.
Figure 3 illustrates the catalytic enamel coated on the motor housing that possesses grease absorbing property. Said catalytic enamel uses mineral oxides of aluminium and manganese that supports oxidation of the grease when exposed to high temperature in addition to the grease absorbing property.

Figure 4 depicts the nichrome heating element. According to the present invention, the process of catalytic combustion requires the temperature of 180°C and said temperature is attained through nichrome heating element that consumes 300W power and comprises of 80% nickel and 20% chromium. The melting temperature of said nichrome heating element is 1400°C and said element is a very good conductor of heat.
Figure 5 describes the fan blade of the electric chimney. According to the present invention, the Fan Blade is coated with non-stick, Ti02 coating. The purpose of said coating on the fan blade is to ensure minimum deposition of grease on the blade so that the critical performance parameters such as the suction and noise level are within acceptable limits.
The figures depict embodiments of the disclosure for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described.

We Claim:

1.An apparatus for catalytic combustion of grease in an electric chimney,
said apparatus comprising of:
i. a motor assembly;
ii. a controller PCB;
iii. a stainless steel vane guard;
iv. a heating element; and
v. a lamp.
2. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the heating element is a nichrome heating element, said element comprising of 80% nickel and 20% chromium.
3. The apparatus as claimed in Claims 1 and 2, wherein the melting temperature of said nichrome heating element is 1400°C.
4. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the motor housing of the motor assembly is coated with catalytic enamel that further uses mineral oxides of aluminium and manganese.
5. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a fan blade of said electric chimney is coated with non-stick Ti02 (titanium oxide) coating.
6. A method for catalytic combustion of grease in an electric chimney, said method comprising the steps of:
i. production of fumes by heating of vegetable oils; ii. suction of fume laden air through said electric chimney;

iii. accumulation of grease on the metal housing of the motor
assembly; and iv. oxidation of grease at 200°C;
characterized in that the grease is converted into vapor and released into the environment in form of carbon dioxide and water.
7. The method as claimed in Claim 6, wherein VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) are oxidised and released in the environment in a controlled manner.
8. The method as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the VOC are removed by destruction, oxidation and catalytic technique.