Air Curtains

Ability offers a wide range of Air Curtains (or AC) for commercial and industrial applications that provide an invisible curtain of air to safeguard clear access in and out of the building whilst separating the internal from the external environment and preventing warm (or cooled) air escaping.

Air curtains work by separating two different temperature zones with an invisible curtain of air. They provide a fast-moving air stream to block air movement through the door whilst allowing the door to remain open.

By retaining the cooled air within a cold storage room, an air curtain dramatically reduces waste energy and gives unhindered access from area to area. With no doors or curtains to reduce visibility, user safety is improved for those moving around the building.

The benefits of Air Curtains

Doors can remain open

By creating an ‘invisible door’ using the fast-moving airstream people can pass easily from area to area without doors hindering progress.

Prevents heated or cooled air escaping

An effective air curtain separates two zones allowing different temperatures to be maintained without doors hindering access.

Reduces draughts and discomfort

Comfort levels for staff, customers and visitors close to the doorway are increased by air curtains reducing draughts through frequently opening doorways.

Energy saving

Costs of running heating and air conditioning systems can be reduced by up to a third with air curtains as they help to seal the building from the environment, making the building more energy efficient.

Reduced ingress of insects and pollutants

Insects, pollens and other airborne pollutants can be minimised with air curtains as they block much of these from entering the building.

Specifying and Installing Air Curtains

Ability air curtains are designed for permanent connection to the fixed wiring of the premises through an adjacent double-pole switch or conduit connection.

Placing an air curtain above or to the side of the entrance covering the full door width maximises performance by stopping heated air escaping in winter, or cooled air escaping in summertime.

Positioning the air curtain too far from the entrance will compromise performance with air leaking around the airstream.

Where extractor units are used within the building, ventilation should also be provided to equalise pressure differences for maximum air curtain effectiveness.

There is an increasing responsibility on the building owner/tenant to ensure the product used maximises carbon efficiency and minimises running costs. Ability air curtains are designed to meet these criteria. By careful installation of the air curtain to fit the open entrance width and height together with using the product’s thermostatic regulation to control its eco mode, energy can be saved. By controlling the operation of the air curtain automatically according to the surrounding temperatures, the ‘eco’ air curtain makes a significant running cost saving. In time, these savings would make an important contribution to the carbon savings from the building.