In busy kitchen environments, the noise from a fan or ventilation system can impact both staff comfort and overall workflow. We have recently launched our Turboflow Max to cover the key factors in kitchens, whilst also focussing on better sound performance.

Understanding the Difference: Fluctuating vs. Constant

To grasp the real impact of the Turboflow Max, it’s beneficial to understand how noise perception works. Our previous Turboflow fan used contra-rotating technology, where two sets of fans rotate in opposite directions. This is effective for high pressure generation, although this design leads to fluctuating noise patterns.

This type of fluctuating noise is more distracting to the human ear in comparison to constant sound. As humans, our brains are wired to detect sudden changes in noise; however we are able to “tune out” steady sound over time. In a kitchen environment, where focus is paramount, inconsistent noise can contribute to disruption and elevated stress levels.

The Solution: Single-Stage, Consistent Sound

In contrast, our Turboflow Max uses an advanced single-stage technology that produces a consistent, steady sound, whilst still creating that high pressure. While decibel levels provide a measure of noise, they don’t fully capture the quality or characteristics of the sound.

On paper, the overall decibel level of the Turboflow Max may be higher than that of the Turboflow model. However, the sound it generates is much more predictable and, therefore, easier for the brain to process and ignore. So despite higher dBA readings on paper, is much less intrusive in real-world environments.

Why Reduced Low-Frequency Noise Matters

Another crucial aspect of the Turboflow Max is its ability to reduce low-frequency noise. This is the kind of deep, rumbling noise that is often more intrusive and carries through the space. The single impeller design results in smoother air flow, which cuts down on these low-frequency fluctuations. For a team working hard in the kitchen, this means less of a bass-heavy noise profile and more of a manageable, steady hum.

A Balanced Approach

With the Turboflow Max, Elta has focussed on balancing the demands of both performance and acoustics. The new single-stage design delivers higher pressures with a simpler, more efficient mechanism, making it particularly suited for commercial kitchens, especially where carbon filters are used. It’s designed to be lightweight, easier to maintain, and capable of higher pressures, all while offering a shorter casing length for easier installation in tight spaces.

Key Benefits at a Glance

•  Reduced Low-Frequency Noise: The smoother airflow reduces intrusive noise and creates a more constant sound, contributing to a more pleasant working environment.
• Engineered for Performance: Delivers higher pressures with a simpler, more efficient design.
• Easier Maintenance and Cleaning: With shorter casing lengths, the Turboflow Max is lightweight and compact, built for ease of maintenance, making it more reliable for commercial kitchens operating in demanding environments.
• Variable Speed Drive Controllable: Allows for precise adjustment of airflow, giving greater control over ventilation performance to suit specific kitchen demands.
• Shorter Casing Lenths: Easier to install in tight spaces, making it adaptable to a wide range of commercial kitchen setups.

Setting the Standard in Kitchen Ventilation

At Elta, delivering cutting-edge ventilation solutions that not only meet but exceed industry standards.

Earlier this year, we also introduced our new Qube fan range, with the Qube HT engineered to handle temperatures of up to 120°C, making it another ideal choice for high-temperature applications such as commercial kitchens.

As sustainability becomes a key consideration in the hospitality industry, fans like the Turboflow Max and Qube are designed with future-proof features that ensure both environmental and economic benefits. By focusing on engineering excellence and user experience, we ensure that our fans don’t just meet ventilation demands but improve overall working conditions, making kitchens more productive, efficient, and comfortable.

View the Turboflow Max product page here.

The challenge

The London sewerage network is undergoing a significant upgrade, with a substantial amount of infrastructure works taking place across London. The construction of the Thames Tideway Tunnel (TTT) is one such example, which requires access to the West Putney Storm Relief (CSO) and meant a worksite had to be located at the nearby Barn Elms Sports Centre.

As a result, the changing rooms had to be removed, but rather than see this as a negative, it was decided to use this as an opportunity to upgrade, ultimately making the facilities more sustainable and pleasant for occupants. When we (Mechanical Air Supplies) were tasked with providing a bespoke ventilation system, we knew that Elta’s Air Design range would be up to the task.

The solution

In response to the brief, Elta’s Air Design team supplied five bespoke PREMA air handling units (AHUs), which allowed the changing rooms to be more energy and cost-efficient, thanks to a number of distinct features. The PREMA unit has a heat/coolth recovery mode, operating as a heating system and as a cooling system while providing excellent air quality. This was crucial, as the changing rooms needed to be as comfortable as possible for the sports centre members, and temperature plays a big role in that.

The system is also cleverly automated and senses when the room is empty, allowing it to adjust itself to reduce its energy consumption with the KINARTICO Control System. This is sustainable, smart, and highly cost-effective, providing the ultimate balance between air quality and thermal comfort.

Size constraints posed a further challenge, and the decision was made to install the AHUs onto the roof of the changing rooms. This meant that Elta had to create a weatherproof version of the PREMA unit, which involved external changes such as the introduction of a new base frame. The design team also opted for a new material, changing from galvanised steel to water and corrosion resistant GreenCoat MICE BT.

The outcome

With a speedy and efficient turn-around time of just under eight weeks, the five bespoke AHUs were delivered to MAS, ready for external mounting. Weatherproofed and ready to provide optimal IAW and thermal comfort, the PREMA units were ideal for the Barn Elms Sports Centre changing rooms.

Challenge completed.

Pizza Hut has been around for a long time (45 years in the UK), so it’s no surprise that some of its restaurants are located in older buildings. But with dated buildings comes dated ventilation systems, and several sites were experiencing breakdowns and occasional temporary restaurant closures. Businesses in the leisure industry simply cannot afford for this to happen, never mind customers who have their minds set on doughy goodness!

Myself and the GFMS Services Limited team set about reviewing the ventilation systems across Pizza Hut sites that had a track record of extraction system failures. One particular restaurant that stood out was located at Royale Leisure Park, on Western Avenue in London. This is a busy site, receiving plenty of customers who’ve built up an appetite at nearby shops.

Food for thought

A busy restaurant means a busy kitchen, with deep fat fryers and ovens producing a tremendous amount of heat, fumes, and vapour. Ventilation is clearly very important, and the restaurant’s 15-year-old system was definitely in need of an upgrade.

The existing fan, which featured a forward curved impeller, needed to be replaced.  The design of the old ventilation system meant that it was operating at a lower pressure and high-volume flow, resulting in increased power consumption. This, coupled with numerous failures, was costing the site a significant amount of money.

Taking the heat

Enter the Elta QUBE Centrifugal Box Fan, chosen primarily for its high efficiency backward curve impeller. Thanks to its high-performance capabilities, it could easily cope with the demands of the busy kitchen, reducing energy costs by up to 10%.

The unit is also lightweight, slim, and waterproof, making it ideal for installations on roofs, as was the case with this project. Thankfully, the installation of the fan was completed from start to finish in just four and a half hours, minimising downtime and maximising pizza time.

Since introducing Elta’s QUBE Centrifugal Box Fan, Pizza Hut has experienced absolutely zero downtime. This has allowed it to keep its doors open to happy customers, saving thousands in energy bills and potential lost earnings from closure.

Marcus Sawkins, Project Manager at GFMS Services Limited

The £28 million student accommodation scheme called ‘The Gateway’, has provided 458 apartments and retail, restaurant and office spaces in Block A and an eight storey building, Block B, will accommodate 77 student apartments.

Elta, Senior Technical Sales Engineer, Toby Worrall said: “The design schedule for these contracts stressed the importance of a number of factors, including noise and optimised performance capabilities through the provision of DCV control.”

Elta Group’s Product Marketing Manager, Nygel Humphrey added: “Also important in the schedule was the ability of the ventilation system to provide speed control and fault monitoring for the customer’s Building Management System. It was clear that the DCV enabled Quietflow range was the optimum solution”.

The ‘Africa Mercy’ operates in hot and humid climates in Africa making it challenging to keep the medical spaces cool, this is particularly difficult in the CAT scanner room. Adding to this problem, in 2013 Mercy Ships installed a new CT scanner which produces a lot more heat than the older model. To adequately remove the heat build up and bring in cooled air, a more powerful fan was required.

Sales Engineers at Elta produced three viable options and presented them to Mercy Ships’ procurement manager, Steve Cook. Mr Cook and his engineering team decided on Elta’s Viper, inline centrifugal fan SCC350-1AC. After learning more about the charitable work Mercy Ships does throughout the world, as well as the time and services given up by the medical professionals, Elta decided to donate all of the equipment free of charge to help further support the charity’s operations. The ‘Africa Mercy’, operated by Mercy Ships is the world’s largest civilian hospital ship, providing free healthcare services to those living in developing countries, where the services of professional medical staff are needed most.

The ship is currently docked in Madagascar, one of the world’s poorest countries, with only two physicians and three hospital beds available for every 10,000 people. To many thousands of people, Mercy Ships represents the difference between life and death. The ‘Africa Mercy’ started life as a Danish rail ferry and was subsequently converted into a hospital ship with six operating theatres and recovery rooms.

The crew are all volunteers bringing their expertise as surgeons, doctors, nurses, dentists, engineers, caterers and cleaners. Not only do they volunteer, they also have to raise their own funds through sponsorship in order to serve. Commenting on the contribution from Elta, Steve Cook said “With this great donation we can ensure that the environment for the medical staff and patients will be more pleasant. It will also add to the longevity of this critical piece of medical equipment for the service it provides.”

The fan manufacturer supplied: six SRECU heat recovery units; three aluminium long cased SmokeVent fans; five Revolution long cased fans; two backward curved, inline units; two aluminium and one GRP long cased fans and one carbon filled ATEX fan all from the company’s factory in Kingswinford near Dudley in the West Midlands. Elta’s SRECU heat recovery units are designed to create healthy air quality and comfort within buildings by providing a constant supply of warm, fresh air.

Each unit incorporates a plate heat exchanger capable of recovering up to 65% of the heat from the air being expelled through the building’s ventilation system. This cuts down on heat loss and thereby reduces the cost of heating. The outgoing air is passed over aluminium plates within the heat exchanger.

This warms the plates which, in turn, transfer the heat to the fresh incoming air. The design of the heat exchanger keeps the incoming and outgoing air supplies separate, eliminating the possibility of any contamination of the fresh, incoming air by the expelled air. With low profile, robust casings of double skin, galvanised sheet steel and fire-resistant mineral wool infill for quiet performance, SRECU heat recovery units are directly driven by an AC external rotor motor. Efficient, easy to mount and maintain, they are designed and manufactured with procedures as defined in BS EN ISO 9001: 2008.

All the Elta units were delivered to site where they were installed by electrical contractor, N.G.Bailey, the engineering, IT and facilities services company. Main contractor for the overall project in North Hykeham was Clugston Construction Ltd. and lead civil works consultant was Arup. Run by the FCC Environment (formerly the Waste Recycling Group), the landmark EfW project came about as a result of the company securing a contract to dispose of Lincolnshire County Council’s residual waste over the next 25 years.

The facility is fed from a series of new waste transfer stations (WTS) strategically located throughout Lincolnshire in Grantham, Sleaford, Boston and Gainsborough. These stations have replaced landfill sites for disposal of local waste and are in addition to the similar station in Louth, in the Lincolnshire Wolds. Household waste is collected at these WTS, sorted and then sent to the EfW plant. There, the non-recyclable waste is stored within a large underground bunker before being used as fuel to power a hot water boiler.

The resulting steam drives a turbine capable of generating 11 megawatts of electricity. The facility was designed to treat 150,000 tonnes of residual household and commercial waste a year on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council and now exports the renewable electricity generated for sale to the National Grid. The amount of power created is sufficient to supply 10,000 to 15,000 homes. .

The new library is said to be the largest public library in the United Kingdom – one of the largest in the world – and the largest public cultural space in Europe. It is naturally viewed by Birmingham City Council as a flagship project for the city’s current redevelopment.

Everyday or emergency operation
Cofely District Energy were appointed by Birmingham City Council to undertake the construction of the energy centre which serves both the library and the adjacent Birmingham Repertory Theatre to which the library connects and with which it shares some facilities. As part of this energy centre project, Environmental Climate Systems won the contract to supply and install smoke ventilation systems, including fire rated ductwork and louvers, selecting smoke extract fans from Elta: two SmokeVent SLCS 560 and three larger SLCS 630 extraction units. The fans are robust and durable axial units of heavy-duty construction, part of a range that has been specifically developed to operate as the extract part of the main ventilation system or for emergency clearance of hazardous smoke or fume conditions. They are capable of running in either normal mode or in a once only smoke operation at 300°C for a duration of two hours, making them a cost effective means of providing both everyday ventilation and emergency smoke clearance from the same unit.

An exciting showcase for the city’s impressive collections
The new main central public library in Birmingham is home to a collection of more than one million books and is situated on the west side of the city centre at Centenary Square. It stands between Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Baskerville House, previously called the Civic Centre and formerly offices for parts of Birmingham City Council. It has more than 200 public access computers, an exhibition gallery, music rooms, a studio theatre and a recording studio. It replaces the former Birmingham Central Library.

Facilitating safe evacuation in an emergency
Elta’s SmokeVent SLCS fans have adjustable pitch aerofoil section impeller blades made from high quality die cast aluminium. These are positively locked by pinning to provide added security for operation in dense smoke. The highly efficient impellers make SmokeVent units a very economical way of moving large volumes of air at low to medium pressures. By providing rapid smoke extraction, cooling and improved control of the resulting smoke in the event of a fire, the safe evacuation of occupants is made much easier. Emergency control of any situation that develops is made possible for the fire services by ensuring that the extraction system is independent of external conditions.

A library to change the world
The futuristic building, designed by Francine Houben of architects Mecanoo, was recently opened by Malala Yousafzai – the teenager from Pakistan who championed women’s rights and survived a Taliban assassination attempt. On officially declaring the new library open and unveiling a commemorative plaque, she said: “Let us not forget that even one book, one pen, one teacher can change the world.”

The construction programme took over five years and, now open to the public, the library is forecast to attract some three million visitors a year.

Elta is part of the £90 million Elta Group, a family of businesses with operations in six countries on four continents which, together with a network of international distributors, provides quality fans and related air movement equipment to customers worldwide.

Karting tracks are notoriously difficult to ventilate. The conventional way is to use direct drive plate mounted axial flow fans but a large number of fans is required to keep the carbon monoxide (CO) levels generated by the karts to an acceptable level. In the case of Capital Karts, 15 800mm axial fans and the associated cabling, switch panels and isolators would have been necessary. Instead, Hydor employed HV1250 fans, designed to ventilate areas such as larger farm buildings in which significant quantities of air need to be moved at low pressure, using minimal amounts of energy.

This meant that only 6 fans were required, removing the polluted air at 70m³/s and drawing in fresh air from openings on the opposite side of the building to ensure a comfortable environment, even when the RiMO karts are travelling at speeds of over 45mph down the 80 metre main straight of the 1,050 metre long professionally designed race track. Hydor also built a bespoke control panel which allows the fans to be operated individually.

This can be done manually through switches located on the panel or automatically through sensors mounted in the roof area to provide a quick response as the hot CO generated by the engines naturally rises. In automated mode, the first fan is activated when the CO level rises above 30ppm (the maximum long term exposure limit), with the other 5 fans switching on one at a time at set intervals until the level drops below 30ppm. The time delay between the fans ensures that the surge on the electrical supply is minimised, reducing energy consumption. The panel also features a series of indicators, with a display which shows the CO level at all times, along with a green, amber and red light system indicating when CO levels are below 30ppm, between 30 and 200ppm and above 200ppm (the maximum short term exposure limit) respectively.

A further benefit of adopting the Hydor HV1250 3 phase fans was the reduced noise levels, with the 1.5kW motors of the 6 fans generating 63dBA rather than the 68 to 72dBA that would have resulted from the 15 1.1kW motors of the 960rpm axial flow fans. Alan Knight, Electrical Engineer and Customer Support at Hydor, comments –”We have seen how successful the HV belt drive fans are in ventilating large agricultural buildings and it was a case of taking that technology and applying it slightly differently to meet the specific needs of Capital Karts. It is all about moving large volumes of air in the most effective way possible and we had already employed it in other karting venues, as well as large warehouses.”

The fans were supplied by Elta to Mercedes Benz energy partner Ista Energy Solutions for siting and installation in order to destratify the air in the facilities. This will have the effect of reducing energy costs; greatly improving the overall working environment and making the plant more energy efficient. The fans were also ideally suited to the nature of the operations undertaken in the Mercedes Benz facility; a point made by Matthew Murphy, Head of CRC and Energy Efficiency at Ista – “In considering the options available to us, the Elta ZOO fans allowed us to use the destratification principle which proved a particular advantage in the dusty environment of the vehicle body repair and paint shop.”

‘One Angel Square’ has received several awards for its striking aesthetics and is the most sustainable large office space in Europe. The building has been designed to deliver a 50% reduction in energy consumption compared to The Co-operative’s current Manchester complex and an 80% reduction in carbon. This will lead to a reduction in operating costs of up to 30%.

Several years ago The Co-operative Group originally announced its plans to move from its existing headquarters at various sites around Miller Street and Corporation Street in Manchester to a highly sustainable office building. Planning permission was granted in 2010, and construction work began soon afterwards. Given the prime focus on sustainability, an important consideration in the specification of the fans was compliance with the regulations introduced by the Energy Related Products (ErP) Directive. With this directive, the European Union laid the groundwork for the reduction of energy throughout the entire supply chain of electrical goods. Its objective was to help fulfil the EU’s obligation under the Kyoto Protocol to increase the EU’s renewable energy sources to 20% by 2020 and increasing energy efficiency by 20%. The Directive, which covers all the principal fan types between 125W and 500kW input, sets out minimum efficiency levels for fans. Those fans that do not comply with the efficiency guidelines will ultimately not be marketable within Europe.

Low noise performance was also seen to be an essential requirement in selecting fans for the ground breaking new head office, with Elta chosen to supply quiet running units. The list of equipment provided included: 15 Revolution SLC axial fans; 4 ATEX fans; 4 Qube HT, the high temperature, multi discharge, double skinned, centrifugal fans; 1 Multiflow SMC fan and 2 Biflow conical bifurcated fans.

Elta’s Revolution SLC is a robust range of ErP compliant long cased axial fans, featuring high efficiency, adjustable pitch aerofoil section bladed impellers. The extensive range comprises ten standard sizes from 355mm to 1000mm, offering good performance combined with strength, durability and corrosion resistance.

The casing of the long lasting and robust, ATEX all metal fan, is constructed from a single sheet of steel, with motors and axial impellers mounted within the length of the unit casing. All parts are heavy gauge mild steel sheet, roll formed and welded, then hot dipped galvanised to BS 729 after fabrication. Where aluminium blades are selected, an anti-spark track is fitted around the impeller track. Alternative impellers of stainless steel or anti-static polypropylene are also available.

Elta’s QUBe fan is a multi-discharge double skinned centrifugal unit. It is supplied for straight through airflow with the outlet panel positioned directly opposite the inlet panel. The outlet panel can be easily changed on-site with the top or bottom panels to provide 90å¡ airflow if required. The inlet and outlet panels incorporate circular spigots with integral Ushaped ozone and UV stable EPDM rubber seals to prevent duct leakage.

As the units were all to be installed in the plant room at the top of the building all fans were supplied with IP66 inverters to allow the units to be connected to the building’s management system (BMS). The IP Code (Ingress Protection rating) classifies the degree of protection provided against the intrusion of dust, solid objects and liquids into mechanical casings with electrical enclosures.

Along with its operational mission statement, The Co-operative Group has also made its social and sustainability goals clear. Creating zero carbon emissions yet producing surplus energy, its landmark, ‘energy-plus’ head office is the focal point of the NOMA development in the north of Manchester city centre, a 20 acre regeneration scheme, costing an estimated £800 million. The ten year project is about creating a new neighbourhood to meet the needs of local businesses and community. In December 2012, the building achieved the highest ever recorded BREEAM score of 95.32%, a rating classed as ‘Outstanding’, making it one of the most sustainable large buildings in the world and surpassing its own pan-European sustainability targets.

Heating and ventilation can contribute significantly to a building’s environmental footprint and operating costs so attention has been paid to this in the design. The diagonal ‘slice’ of ‘One Angel Square’ creates an open atrium nine floors high, topped by a glass roof facing south to collect heat from the sun, maximising both daylight and passive solar gain. The exterior has a double skin fa̤ade with a cavity between its inner windows and the outer glass structure.

This is for both sustainability taking advantage of the thermal insulating properties within the design and aesthetically coordinated to support additional energy savings, whilst emphasising the curve of the three corners of the building. The double skin also provides a walkway between the inner and exterior panels for maintenance and solar shading.

The Co-operative Group is the UK’s largest mutual business, owned not by private shareholders but by over seven million consumers. It is the UK’s fifth biggest food retailer and a major financial services provider. Among its other businesses are the number one funeral services provider, the third largest pharmacy chain and one of Britain’s largest farming operations. As well as having clear financial and operational objectives, the Group has also set out its social and sustainability goals in its groundbreaking Ethical Plan, which specifies over 50 commitments in these areas. The Group operates 4,800 retail trading outlets, employs more than 100,000 people and has an annual turnover of more than £13bn.

The Co-operative Group head office accommodates 3,500 staff. Completion of the NOMA development around One Angel Square is expected by 2023.

Elta is part of the £90 million Elta Group, a family of businesses with operations in six countries on four continents which, together with a network of international distributors, provides quality fans and related air movement equipment to customers worldwide.