The air curtain at the front door

Providing comfortable stay in the areas of the house at any time of the year - one of the main concerns of the owners.But efforts to insulation of walls, installation corresponding to the heating system may be in vain if the heat is free to escape through a window or door.This is especially true of those buildings, which, for whatever reasons, the doors are opened frequently or for a long time remain in the open position.

simple situation: the owners of the house opened a family business - a workshop, shop or office space.On the one hand, many customers - it's great, but at the same time, frequent opening of the door is able to quickly vystudit even well-heated room, and it is - a serious energy costs.Another option - a unique feature private workshop activities, equipped in a garage or in a special annex, requires constant or very frequent opening of the gate (door).To secure a suitable conditions for effective operation and performance in the winter will have to spend an exorbitant power and the means to maintain a normal temperature.But there is a solution - and in fact, and in another case, to help the air curtain at the front door.

What is air curtain

What is easier to understand the purpose of the air curtain, it is necessary to begin to understand how the cold air enters the house through the open door.This process is due to several reasons - the difference in temperature inside and outside the premises caused by this difference of different pressure levels.And plus to this very important reason - the movement of air masses in the street - the wind created by the eddy currents from passing transport, etc.

into fragments "A" shows the movement of flows of cold and warmer air through the doorway into the "quiet" conditions.Cold air is denser than ever, and his high blood pressure just pushes the lighter warm.This cold flow is always located close to the floor - all for sure, in their everyday practice felt like "cold drawn" along the ground from under the door is not completely closed.

By this it is usual exchange of added wind component (detail "B").It is of course vacillates depends on the wind direction and speed, stability or periodic outbursts, doorway dimensions and other parameters, but in general most of the application is the vector displacement of air masses is still present.

As a result, as a result of the addition of both factors, it turns the picture shown on the fragment of the "C" - "channel" cold air intake even further increases in area, occupying most of the doorway.In such circumstances, if the door has to keep the open and often open, with heating facilities can not cope any heating equipment, which will "hammer" idle.In addition, walk through the rooms constant strong drafts, dramatically increase the likelihood of colds, even if the people are dressed "in season."

What if file narrow enough, but dense directed air flow.So that its pressure is exceeded even theoretically possible value of the external and internal pressures ( «D» fragment).If you correctly calculate the parameters of the flow, it will become an obstacle to sharing shown above, fencing off the air masses inside and outside the premises.Several distorting its shape under the influence of external pressure on it, the stream still retains the desired "self-discipline" and is broken only by the achievement of the floor, divided into two areas.A certain part comes out, but still a considerable - is returned back into the room (the "E" moiety).

As this effect can be used?

• Picture "and" - winter time.Air gets the necessary heating, and the resulting curtain not only passes inside the cold mass and do not allow the heated escape outwardly, but also returning to the room "has reinforcements" heating system.
• , however, consider an air curtain is too "narrow", but as a kind of heater, it would be a big mistake.In the picture "b" shows her work in the warmer months.The situation is reversed - the cool indoor air does not go out (although the density in the case above), and the heated outdoor summer heat - can not penetrate into the room.Thus, the rooms maintain a comfortable temperature for the stay of people.
• But that's not all.Regardless of the time of year and the operating mode of such a veil performs another important function ( "in" the picture).The outdoor air is always weighed a lot of dust, particularly when located in close proximity to a busy motorway or railway line.For this reason, air can be refilled by exhaust gases.Naturally, in contact with all of these "bonuses" in the room, there the climate will suffer greatly.But the air curtain it is to cope with such a problem.This is true even of falling snow, light drizzle, and in the summer - the hordes of small annoying insects.
• And another application.With the help of these air curtains it is possible to zone the space created by the type of microclimate in them.For example, you can "isolate" a spacious hall at the entrance (where elevated temperature and especially do not need, and heating of the room will spend an inordinate amount of energy) of the internal residential or work premises, even without installing additional doors.

So, creating an air curtain helps to cope with a lot of problems.And all this can be achieved by setting a special device.

Despite the fact that in itself air curtains is a consumer of electricity, its use provides considerable benefit.So, the practice shows that properly selected and installed the device can save up to 30% of the energy spent on space heating in winter and air conditioning in the summer.And if the owner thinks more broadly, it can not fail to note that the absence of cold drafts will dramatically reduce the cost of medicines for the household or for payment of hospital sheets in his working staff.

Another important advantage - with such a rich range of features the device itself performs no useful place in the space of the room.

For clarity - the small animated movie on the principle of action of air curtains:

Video: how the heat air curtain

How does the air curtain

Normally, air curtains puts an electricaldevice assembled in a housing of elongated shape expressed.

In the upper part of the body has a grille (pos. 1), which is produced through the air intake from the premises.

located underneath the output slit window (nozzle) (Pos. 2), which can be fitted with movable shutters on the type of blinds.

Controls (Pos. 3) can be placed on the body, in an accessible for visual inspection and handling location.The control unit also may be external and positioned on the room wall at a convenient location.

veil on the body can be terminal block for connection to the power supply, but on the models of consumer class often has already switched cable with plug for connection to an outlet (Pos. 4).

Many modern models provided, moreover, also the remote control via IR remote (just as in a split system air conditioners).

main task of the air curtain - creating a powerful air stream.This means that the device becomes the master node blower.Typically, these devices - not the conventional vane and turbine types, the two species - a compact radial (item "a".) Or tangential elongated form (item "b".).

Pos."C" - a heat exchanger where the air stream receives a desired heating if necessary.The vast majority of models have electric heat exchanger, where the air gets heated by coils or heaters.However, there are stationary models of air curtains, which are connected to the existing water heating circuits.

Many modern curtains have built-in filters that simultaneously clean air is passed through the instrument of airborne dust.

Electronic circuits of modern curtains provide multi-layered protection against short-circuit, short-circuiting, overheating, modules have a thermostatic control of the heat exchanger heating level and fan speed.

Classification of air curtains

There are several gradations of classification curtains.

By location relative to the doorway:

• most classic version of thermal air curtains - a device with a horizontal installation above the door (gate, window, etc.)

• Sometimes, due to various reasons of technological or aesthetic installation of the air curtain may not be possible on top or irrational.For such situations, provided with vertical devices that are mounted "pillars" on one or even on both sides of the doorway.

Many models in this respect have increased flexibility - their design allows, taking into account the specifics of the room, set them both horizontally and vertically.

By installation type:

Most models have a metal housing, the implementation of which involves the installation of the device on the wall.However, if the inner design of the room facing any high demands in terms of design, it is possible to pick up the heat the air curtain, which is embedded in the ceiling or in the wall on the opening height.

the presence and type of heat exchanger:

All air curtains on this criterion can be divided into three groups:

• air curtains with electric heating.Usually classification marked series designations RS , RM or RT .

Advantages - maximal simplicity of the device and install the device, high levels of efficiency, the possibility of fine adjustment of the air flow heating temperature.

as heating elements in the older models used ordinary spiral, but now this approach almost universally rejected as open heaters "burned through" oxygen and quickly dry the air in the room.Currently used tubular heaters of the type familiar to all heaters, or more modern semiconductor PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient), which have the ability to self-heating and electricity consumption.

Disadvantages of electric heat exchanger - a significant power consumption (not counting to ensure the fan cost), and a certain "inertia" at startup - the heat exchanger will take some time to enter the operating mode.

• Air curtains with water heat exchanger (series RW ).

In such models, power is consumed only at ensuring the fan and the control group.It certainly makes the water curtains are much more economical in continuous operation.

The housing (externally or covertly) with openings to connect the device to an existing loop water heating system (in the picture indicated by arrows).

Disadvantages of such a variety of air curtains are obvious - a mass of difficulties during the installation process.It is necessary to provide in advance a branch from a common circuit, and this operation is rather problematic while maintaining the aesthetics of the interior.The heat exchanger has a small curtain tubular structure (like the radiator in the vehicle) is quickly clogged, if not provide a filtering device.In addition, the calorific power of such installation shall comply with the real possibilities of autonomous heating system, to connect the curtain did not affect the level of radiators heating in other rooms.

• Air curtains not equipped with a heat exchanger (standard designation - RV ).

Such devices are used in an environment, the additional heating of air not required.They are well protected from ingress of dust in the street premises, gas pollution, insects, leakage of conditioned air from outside.It is widely used in industrial practice - for zoning spacious rooms, protection against ingress of warm air in the freezer or storage, etc.

By power level (productivity) and, accordingly, destination:

• K series RS include mini-curtain with limited scope.Their performance is sufficient for effective "zaveshivaniya" only small openings such as windows of the reception of visitors, coming out in the cold hall, or customer service windows in the street stalls, vehicles and box office etc.Usually they are designed to not more openings and a half meters in height, 800 mm in width.

Air flow and pumping volume per minute - small.In everyday terms like curtains practical application do not receive.

• Air curtains series RM - the largest group of devices that are designed to be installed in most existing standard doorways, the height of about 2.5 to 3.5 meters.In particular, they are suitable for entrance doors or for the transition from the cold hallway in a residential home sector.

Such devices - most "running".Such a series of often equipped with convenient remote unit or the remote control.

• Powerful curtains series RT are used to protect high-openings, from 3.5 to 7 meters.This may be the garage gates, warehouse or industrial premises, entrances to the large shopping centers or building cultural and social destination.

Very often in this category include installation and powerful RW series connected to systems of the central heating or hot water supply systems of public buildings and industrial buildings.the cost of water curtains - much higher than electric models, comparable in performance and size.Clear.