Commercial Air Curtains: The applicatios, the respective purposes of each one and the related “air blade” speed.
Opening doors applications: In cases where it is necessary the door to open for trucks, lifters or people going through, and due to constant movement is not possible to keep the door closed, the air curtain is the ideal alternative to protect the inner environment from dust, gases, insects, etc.
Clarification of the proper use of Air Curtains in Industrial sites: The lack of information for the accurate purpose of it might compromise its efficiency.
The ticket cost should not be the key decision criteria, provided that in some cases, the use of a standard commercial air curtain, the purpose of the application is not supported by the type of the equipment selected. So it is important to previously specify the purpose of the application in order to avoid issues with the government health agencies for example.
In a formal audit of such government authority, the non-adequate air curtain might compromise the work authorization, if an insect is found for example, impacting in infraction notices avoiding the company to keep its normal operations.
Please, see the general orientation in the table below:
| Application | Type | Air Speed (m/s) | Air Speed 12 (m/s) | Air Speed 15 (m/s) | Air Speed 19 (m/s) | Air Speed 22 (m/s) | Air Speed 25 (m/s) | Air Speed 30 (m/s) |
| Height (m) | Height (m) | Height (m) | Height (m) | Height (m) | Height (m) | Height (m) | ||
| Insects | Bees | 0,6 | 1,2 | 2 | 2,2 | 2,5 | 3,5 | 4,2 |
| Flies | 0,6 | 1,2 | 2 | 2,2 | 2,5 | 3,5 | 4,2 | |
| Mosquitoes | 0,8 | 1,7 | 2,5 | 2,9 | 3,2 | 4,5 | 5,4 | |
| Stilts | 1,8 | 2,2 | 3 | 3,5 | 4 | 5,6 | 6,8 | |
| Odors | Kitchen | 2,2 | 3 | 4 | 4,5 | 4,9 | 5,2 | 6,4 |
| Garbage area | 2,2 | 2,5 | 3,5 | 3,9 | 4,2 | 5 | 6,2 | |
| Docks | 2 | 2,8 | 3,8 | 4,2 | 4,5 | 5,2 | 6,5 |
- Check if the air speed is meeting the purpose criteria
See the simulation:
Lets consider that the application requirement is an air curtain to avoid insects and your door opening is 4.0 ms heigh.
If your option is by a standard comercial air curtain, with the respective air speed is from 9 to 12 m/s to , you can see in the figure bellow that the protection will only reach 0.6. to 2.2 meters heigh. With this, it is foreseeable to face issues, depending on the type of insect it is intended to avoid. The will be no protection for at least 1.8 meters heigh.
Air curtain, area without protection, “air blade” flow
With this choice of commercial air curtain , the purpose will not be met and an issue with health authorities is highly probable.
In order to meet the specific requirement for this application, it would be necessary na air curtain with 30 m/s of air speed, for a heigh to be covered from 4.2 to 6.8 meters heigh.
| Application | Type | Air Speed 9 (m/s) | Air Speed 12 (m/s) | Air Speed 15 (m/s) | Air Speed (m/s) | Air Speed 22 (m/s) | Air Speed 25 (m/s) | Air Speed 30 (m/s) |
| Height (m) | Height (m) | Height (m) | Height (m) | Height (m) | Height (m) | Height (m) | ||
| INSECTS | Bees | 0,6 | 1,2 | 2 | 2,2 | 2,5 | 3,5 | 4,2 |
| Flies | 0,6 | 1,2 | 2 | 2,2 | 2,5 | 3,5 | 4,2 | |
| Mosquitoes | 0,8 | 1,7 | 2,5 | 2,9 | 3,2 | 4,5 | 5,4 | |
| Stilts | 1,8 | 2,2 | 3 | 3,5 | 4 | 5,6 | 6,8 | |
| ODORS | 2,2 | 3 | 4 | 4,5 | 4,9 | 5,2 | 6,4 | |
| Dep/Garbage | 2,2 | 2,5 | 3,5 | 3,9 | 4,2 | 5 | 6,2 | |
| Docks | 2 | 2,8 | 3,8 | 4,2 | 4,5 | 5,2 | 6,5 |
It is advisable always to use an air curtain jointly with insects traps, which will provide additional barrier increasing the safety factor.
The accurate analysis of the application specifics. Some additional information might help with the proper design and dimensioning of the air curtain:
- Width and Heigh of the door opening or gateway.
- Door characteristics and use.If kept open, manual operated, articulated, revolving door, etc.
- What would be the purpose of the air curtain: (to avoid insects, smells, gases, dust, air conditioned, etc)
- Above the place where it is intended to install the air curtain, there must be a free spece of 300 square mm.
- Close to the installation, which is the power supply voltage ? (127, 220, 380 or 440V)
- The power supply is monophasic, biphasic, triphasic?
- In case of triphasic, is there a energy framework for turning the air curtain on ?
- Is there a different pressure level between the inner and outer environment? It can be checked by facing an air blow when the door is opened. If so, could the respective air speed be measured?
- In case the air curtain is installed in a cold chamber, which is the respective temperature?
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