All posts by deelatWP

Air Curtains: How to Insulate Doors with Air Curtains

December 9, 2015

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.

Looking for industrial and commercial air curtains? Deelat.com is your source for the best prices on non-recirculating air curtains. Contractors, builders and constructions professionals buy industrial products every day on Deelat.com. Fast shipping, affordable prices, unbeatable selection – guaranteed.

Sun Tunnel: Buying a Solar Tube for Home Installations

December 3, 2015

Sun tunnels are known by many different names – solar tubes, sky light tubes, light tunnels, etc. – but all these terms mean the same thing. Essentially, a sun tunnel is a miniature sky light. It creates a light-opening in the roof of the home, so that natural light can travel through the tube and serve as an interior light source.

All sun tunnels have similar design. In general, sun tunnels have a dome or window that is attached to the roof of the home to capture sunlight, which is sealed properly. The sunlight then travels down a reflective tube – which may be made of plastic or aluminum and be rigid or flexible – ultimately delivering natural light into the home or office.

Choosing Sun Tunnels for the Home or Office

There are just a few considerations that need to be made when determining which sun tunnel is right for your home or office. First, and most importantly, you should determine the size of the sun tunnel.

There are a few different areas that you will need to size:

Sun window or dome: Determine what size is possible on the roof of your property.
Sun tunnel tubing: Choose a tunnel tubing that will reach from the roof to the interior ceiling.
Sun tunnel opening: Determine the possible opening size for the interior ceiling.

Secondly, you’ll also want to determine if you’ll need a rigid or flexible tube. In general, flexible tubes are ideal for cramped spaces where it’s impossible or difficult to reach the loft space above the ceiling. Solid tubes require loft access. The biggest difference is that rigid sun tunnels, in general, tend to limit the number of bounces of light, resulting in better sunlight transmission. But due to the higher cost of construction, rigid tunnels typically cost more.

How Effective Are Sun Tunnels?

The light results you receive from a sun tunnel are dependent on a number of factors. For example, the positioning of the sun tunnel, as well as the length of the tube, both factor into the finished light output. Typically, flexible and rigid tunnels also have an effect on the amount of light that is transmitted.

Positioning: Sun tunnels collect sunlight, and thus, tunnels installed on the most lighted areas of the roof, i.e. south-facing surfaces, receive the most light. Sun tunnels on south-facing surfaces tend to transmit more light. Yet, even if the tunnel isn’t placed on direct sunlight, it will still transmit a noticeable amount of light.
Tube Length: In general, longer tubes result in more lost light. The reason: Longer tubes require the light to be bounced more times to reach the diffuser in the ceiling below. As the light bounces, some of the energy is lost, resulting in dimmer outputs.
Rigid or Flexible: Finally, the type of tube that you use has an effect on light output. Flexible tubes tend to bounce light more, resulting in a greater loss of light. Rigid tubes, on the other hand, have smooth reflective surfaces, and as a result, the light is bounced more efficiently. This is particularly true over longer distances, in which case a long rigid tube would be the most effective option.

Overall, the average output of a 2-meter, non-south-facing tube would be about 100w for a rigid tube and 60 watts for a flexible tube. That’s about the same output as you’d receive from a standard lightbulb. For south-facing sun tunnels, the results can be about double.

Buy sun tunnels on Deelat.com. We offer a range of flexible sun tunnel kits and rigid sun tunnel kits. Plus, we’re your source for sun tunnel parts and accessories.

Condensate Pump Buyers’ Guide: Types and Applications

November 25, 2015

Condensate pumps are widely used in HVAC systems and commercial buildings to manage condensate (or moisture) produced by industrial refrigeration, soda machines, dehumidifiers, and air conditioning systems. In effect, the pump is responsible for pumping the excess condensate out of the system into a holding tank. Ultimately, the condensate in the holding tank is piped to a drain.

Typically, small-scale condensate pumps are electrically powered, and they may be constructed out of heavy-duty steel or cast-iron. Condensate pumps made of cast iron typically last longer, but they are much heavier and more difficult to install.

How to Select a Condensate Pump

When choosing a condensate pump, there are a number of questions to ask. First, you should determine local regulations on condensate disposal. In some locations, there are strict guidelines for disposal. The reason is that condensate is comprised of water created by steam, and as a result may be contaminated with dust, bacteria, or chemical traces from water treatment.

Plus, there are several considerations you should make about the actual pump, including:

Tank Capacity: Condensate pumps are equipped with tanks that hold processed condensate. It’s important to match the size of the tank to the volume of output. Sizes range from very small of 2-4 liters, up to 150 liters or more. In general, the size of the tank must be larger for larger-scale systems like an industrial HVAC or refrigeration system.
Water Flow Rate: As condensate is input, it must be pumped out, and this is the pump’s water flow rate. Smaller pumps tend to have limited flow rates, from about 20 to 40 liters per hour. Commercial condensate pumps, though, have flow rates of 150 liters per hour and above. A good general rule of thumb: Choose a pump that has a flow rate of at least double of the rate condensate will flow into the pump.
Voltage: You’ll need to first determine what voltage you can support with your existing electrical supply. In general, condensate pumps are available as 115 or 230 volts, with the 230V units providing additional pumping power. Additionally, there are some industrial-grade pumps that have voltage up to 460.

Buy condensate pumps on Deelat.com. We have some of the best prices of any industrial supplier online. Browse our selection of cast-iron condensate pumps, as well as our standard HVAC condensate pumps.

Belt Grinder: Types, Applications and How to Buy

November 23, 2015

A variety of grinders, which are machines that are used to smooth surfaces, remove material and deburr metals, are used in metal working. A belt grinder is one common type, and they are used for a wide variety of applications. For example, belt grinders are commonly used in knife making.

The biggest difference between belt grinders and other types of grinding machines: Belt grinders use a fast-moving coarse belt, similar to sand paper, to contour metals. Other types of grinding machines, though, typical use a metal blade or grinding bit to remove material.

Belt Grinders vs. Belt Sanders

There’s some common confusion about the difference between these two devices. They both work in a similar manner. The motor powers a fast-moving stationary belt, which the operator then engages the materials to make them smooth and add contour. But that’s where the similarities stop.

Of the differences, belt grinders are typically designed to be used with metal workpieces, whereas belt sanders are used primarily with wood. Additionally, the differences include:

Belt grinders tend to have faster belt speeds, from 70 to 135 feet per second. This is needed when working with metals.
Their motors have more horsepower.
And they’re designed to be used with flat or rubber platens.

Due to the grinders greater power output and faster belt speeds, these machines tend to have the ability to remove material from the workpiece and smooth metals. Using a belt sander with metals will result in damage to the machine and/or undesirable results.

Belt Grinder Applications

In metal working, belt grinders are used for a variety of tasks. There are three main tasks though:

Deburring: Metal burrs can form on the surface of workpieces. Belt grinders remove these burrs. Additionally, they are used for edge breaking and rounding metal materials.
Surface Finishing: Like belt sanders, grinders are used for sanding, smoothing or roughing the surface of a material. This can also include removal of tiny burrs, polishing and cleaning the material, removing mill marks and edges.
Removing Material: Belt grinders are commonly used to sand metals and remove material. For example, belt grinders are commonly used in knife making to shape metal blades. Typically, belt grinders are designed to remove tiny bits of material with each pass.

Considerations When Buying Belt Grinders

It’s important to match the belt grinder to the work that you will be doing. And to accomplish this, there are many considerations you will need to make. The two biggest include:

Belt size: Belts for grinders average from about 1.5 to 6 inches in width. Wider belts are used for larger work pieces, while narrower belts allow for more precision. If you want to use a range of belt sizes, choose a grinder that can accommodate more than one width.
Belt Speed: Typically, faster belt speeds are required for removing material more quickly. Slower speeds are best-suited for smoothing and deburring metals. Choose a belt grinder that has a selectable range of belt speeds.

Buy belt grinders at the best prices on Deelat.com. We offer a range of grinders including 2.2/2.8 kW and 3 kW options, and we guarantee fast shipping, best pricing and unbeatable customer service.

Hand Dryers and Blowers: What to Consider When Buying

November 19, 2015

Restaurants, entertainment venues, and retail locations all benefit from installing blowing hand dryers in their restrooms. For starters, hand blowers save money over the long-term. A restaurant might spend $1,000 per year on paper towels; an energy-efficient hand dryer, though, might cost just $100 per year in running costs.

Additionally, hand dryers with activation sensors are more hygienic; they require less maintenance, as there’s no need to restock them; and they’re much improved. Today’s hand dryers are designed to dry hands in 10-15 seconds. When purchasing restroom hand dryers, though, it can be difficult to gauge which styles dry hands the faster, use the least amount of energy, and blow at low volumes. Here are a few things contractors should consider when purchasing hand drying units for commercial restrooms:

High-Speed Dryers vs. Standard Dryers

High-speed dryers produce a stream of air that is more powerful, greatly decreasing the time needed to dry hands thoroughly. This increases the efficiency of the unit, because they run for much less time. For example, an 1800-watt high-speed dryer might produce an airstream of 60 meters/second and require 8-10 seconds to dry hands, while an 800-watt dryer produces an airstream of 6 meters/second and more than 60 seconds to dry the hands. The trade-off: Higher speed dryers are louder and usually more costly, but the performance is far superior.

Automatic Sensors

Today, the majority of restroom hand dryers are built with infrared sensors that activate the dryer. There are push-button dryers available, but these aren’t as common as they once were. The benefits of sensor-activated dryers: They’re more hygienic, because you don’t have to touch as surface to activate them, and are more energy efficient, because they stop running after set times.

Low-Energy Restroom Hand Dryers

Typically, hand dryers consume between 800 and 3,000 watts of electricity when in use. Yet, “low-energy” can be deceiving. As noted, low-energy dryers typically take longer to dry the hands properly, ultimately consuming an equal or greater amount of electricity. While high-speed dryers typically consume more electricity, they run for much shorter periods of time, resulting in energy savings over the long term. The benefits of low-energy dryers: They’re quieter. This is important in environments where noisy hand dryers can disrupt patrons, like theaters and quiet restaurants.

Single Jet vs. Multi-Jet Hand Dryers

There are traditionally two main styles of automatic hand dryers on the market: Single-stream and multi-stream. Multi-stream dryers have separate dryers for each hand, while single-stream dryers produce a single-stream of air for both hands. Multi-stream dryers are more costly, but they provide the best performance of any dryer on the market.

Shop for low-cost restroom hand drying units on Deelat.com. We offer a range of standard and high-speed dryers at the best prices, with fast shipping available.