Air curtains – which are sometimes called air doors – are widely used in industrial and retail locations. These machines deliver a continuous stream of downward air over a doorway. In effect, the airstream prevents non-conditioned exterior air, as well as bugs, dust and fumes, from entering the protected space. Air curtains have many applications across a variety of industries.
In industrial spaces – like loading docks – air curtains are used to improve building efficiency. For example, as loading dock doors are open quite frequently, the airstream acts as an insulator. In cold months, cold exterior air is prevented from penetrating the facility, and in warmer months, warm air is prevented from entering. Additionally, air curtains are used in production facilities to separate two different spaces, and in large retail stores, air curtains are used to protect front doors which might stay open for long periods of time.
With air curtains, the entrance can remain open and sight-lines through the doors are improved, without compromising the efficiency of the building. Additionally, these can eliminate strong drafts at front entrances, improving worker comfort. Air curtains offer a more sanitary and more efficient solution compared to plastic strips.
How Do Air Curtains Work?
Air curtains typically are designed with large intake vents on the front of the device. Interior air enters into these intake vents, and then it enters a fan housed within the curtain. The fan essentially speeds up the air, which allows it to be pushed out evenly across a nozzle along the bottom length of the fan. Primarily, there are two types:
- Non-recirculating: This is the most common type, because it is more cost effective to install and offers great energy savings. The big difference is that non-recirculating fans do not capture the air that is projected downward. Instead, it moves freely back into the environment. To choose a non-recirculating air curtain, you would first measure the doorway and including height and width. Choose an air curtain that is nearly the length of the doorway, as well as one that delivers an airstream that will cover the height of the door.
- Recirculating: Recirculating systems are often installed in retail locations and they are much more expensive to install. Essentially, the system is a self-contained system that encompasses the entire door. The system works as air enters the curtain and is pushed downward. Yet, with these systems, there is a vent system at the floor length of the door that captures the air and recirculates it back up to the fan. It requires ducts at the floor and around the frame to complete the circulation cycle, and is thus, more costly. Because of this, these aren’t often installed aftermarket.
Additionally, there are non-sparking air curtains, as well, that are typically installed in industrial environments where flammable dusts and fumes may be present. These systems are designed to limit or prevent flammable sparks from being emitted from the device.
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