Air Curtains for Commercial Entrances in Georgia

What is an air curtain?

An air curtain creates a fast, directed airflow across an open doorway so that indoor and outdoor air mix less. The unit does not replace a physical door - it works as an invisible air barrier.

Air curtains are often used in places where a door opens frequently or stays open for long periods:

• shops;
• shopping centres;
• restaurants;
• hotels;
• offices;
• clinics;
• warehouses;
• industrial buildings;
• service facilities.

A correctly selected air curtain is particularly important at entrances where there is a large difference between indoor and outdoor temperature.

How does an air curtain work?

An air curtain takes in air and discharges it at high velocity along the door opening. This stream creates an air barrier that reduces:

• cold air entering in winter;
• hot air entering in summer;
• loss of conditioned air;
• direct penetration of dust and street air;
• in some cases the entry of odours and insects.

The result depends on correct selection and installation of the unit. If the airflow does not cover the full height of the door, the curtain cannot work effectively.

How to select an air curtain

When choosing an air curtain the main task is to obtain an airflow that covers the whole door opening effectively.

1. How wide is the door?

The working width of the unit has to match the width of the opening. If the door is wider than the effective coverage of one unit, several air curtains may need to be placed side by side.

2. At what height is it installed?

Installation height is one of the most important parameters. The higher the door, the harder it is for the airflow to maintain sufficient velocity down to floor level. The specific figure must always be checked in the manufacturer's technical documentation.

3. How strong is the outdoor wind?

Outdoor wind can change the direction of the air curtain stream and reduce its effectiveness. This is particularly important at a door located on the corner of a building, in open and windy areas, at large entrances and at warehouse doors.

4. How often does the door open?

If the door opens rarely, the requirements differ from a retail facility where the entrance is active almost constantly. How often the door is used affects the required capacity, the operating mode, the control system and energy consumption.

5. Do we also need heating?

An air curtain can come in different configurations: without heating, with electric heating, with a water heat exchanger or with another heating configuration. The presence of heating does not change the main function of an air curtain - creating an air barrier.

Air curtain with or without heating?

The choice depends on the needs of the facility.

An air curtain should not be treated as the main heating system of a building. Its primary function is controlling air movement in the door opening.

Does an air curtain replace a door?

No. An air curtain does not replace a physical door. A closed door is always a far stronger barrier against direct air exchange. An air curtain is used during the periods when the door is open, opens frequently, or there is constant movement of people or goods. The best result is therefore often achieved by combining an air curtain with an automatic door.

Where are air curtains used?

In a shop or shopping centre

Here the main issue is frequent door opening. An air curtain helps maintain the indoor temperature, supports customer comfort and reduces direct penetration of outdoor air.

In a restaurant

At the main entrance of a restaurant both guest comfort and the efficient operation of heating and cooling systems matter. However, it cannot replace a different type of extract system for kitchen ventilation.

In a hotel

A hotel lobby is often a large and busy space. In winter, when the door opens frequently, a stream of cold air can enter the lobby directly. A correctly selected air curtain helps reduce this effect.

In a warehouse

Warehouse doors are often much larger than a standard commercial entrance. Here the height and width of the opening, wind, the real air velocity of the unit and the movement of goods are particularly important.

In an industrial facility

In an industrial space an air curtain can be used for partial air separation between internal zones or from the outdoor environment.

Why does the pressure balance of the building matter?

An air curtain works better when the ventilation system of the building is balanced. If more air leaves the building than enters it, negative pressure can build up inside and the tendency for outdoor air to enter through an open door increases.

For example, in a restaurant a powerful kitchen extract system may remove a large volume of air. If there is no corresponding supply air, simply adding an air curtain cannot fully solve the problem. This is a good example of why an air curtain should be assessed together with the whole HVAC system.

What are the most common mistakes when selecting an air curtain?

Selecting by door width only

Width matters, but height and air velocity are critical too.

Choosing the most powerful model

Excessive air velocity can create discomfort and noise at the entrance.

Focusing too much on heating capacity

The main function of an air curtain is creating an air barrier, not fully heating the room.

Ignoring installation height

If the specific model is not designed to work at the given height, effectiveness will be reduced.

Not considering wind and pressure

For large openings this is often the decisive factor.

Covering only part of the door

The air barrier has to cover the full width of the opening.

What information is needed to select an air curtain?

It helps to know in advance:

• the door width;
• the door height;
• the possible installation height of the air curtain;
• the type of facility;
• how often the door opens;
• whether the door is automatic or manually operated;
• how windy the entrance is;
• whether a heating function is required;
• what type of heating source is available;
• what electrical power is available;
• how the overall ventilation system of the building works.

With this data specific models can be compared much more accurately.

Air curtains at NB Group

NB Group supplies air curtains in Georgia for commercial, public and industrial entrances of various sizes.

When selecting a model it is possible to assess the width and height of the opening, the installation location, the required airflow, the need for heating, the intensity of door use and the working conditions of the facility.

The NB Group range includes models in various configurations, while the technical data of a specific product should be assessed according to the manufacturer's specifications. NB Group branches are located in Tbilisi and Batumi.