Superyacht Galley Ventilation Systems

Galley ventilation is one of the most technically demanding engineering systems on a superyacht. A correctly designed ventilation system removes cooking fumes, heat and odour from the galley at source, supplies fresh tempered air at the correct volume and pressure, and maintains positive pressure differentials that prevent cooking odours migrating into guest accommodation.

The Consequences of Inadequate Ventilation

An undersized galley ventilation system has cascading consequences. Elevated galley temperatures degrade food safety and reduce crew performance. Grease-laden air not captured at source deposits on structural surfaces, increasing fire risk. Odour migration into saloons and accommodation is one of the most frequently cited charter guest complaints and is difficult to remediate once the ventilation system is in service.

Ventilation System Components

• Supply air system: Tempered supply air must be delivered to the galley at a sufficient volume to replace extracted air and maintain a slight positive or neutral pressure balance.
• Extraction fans and ductwork: Marine-duty extract fans with grease-resistant impellers, sized to achieve 50–70 air changes per hour at full cooking load.
• Fire dampers: Thermally activated fire dampers in all ductwork penetrations through fire zone bulkheads are mandatory under SOLAS and flag-state commercial codes.
• Odour control: Activated carbon filter banks or UV-C photocatalytic oxidation systems installed in the extract ductwork reduce odour breakthrough to guest areas.
• Noise attenuation: Acoustic-lined duct sections and anti-vibration fan mountings achieve the low noise levels expected in guest and crew areas.

Design and Installation

We work with specialist marine HVAC engineers to model galley ventilation requirements using CFD analysis where appropriate. All systems are commissioned and balanced on completion of installation.