Can someone please explain to me how curtain heaters work, don’t they waste heat by allowing it to go out the door when opened? Do they consume a lot of energy?
Simplex heater above shop doors
- Thread starter u587162
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i would expect slight forward aiming to encourage inward flow off heat
but purely a guess??
will be no more no less efficient than any other electric heater and off course heat will be lost through an open door
but purely a guess??
will be no more no less efficient than any other electric heater and off course heat will be lost through an open door
They only work, because they prevent the rest of the general heat in the building, being lost out the door, when the door is open.
Some are actually plumbed in with hot water and just have a fan, the smaller electric ones have a total of 3kw internal elements, 3 phase jobbies can be 9kw or more.
The theory I believe is as they say it forms a curtain, in reality I think it's a large expense for little reward
The theory I believe is as they say it forms a curtain, in reality I think it's a large expense for little reward
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I dealt with a 50Kw water heated one, in a massive banking hall. It was choked up, and in winter the entire hall was freezing. Once sorted, the difference was immediate, throughout the room, it was the only heat source in the hall.
When set-up properly they are very effective, I did some work in an art store and the only heat source was curtain heating above the vehicle door. During commissioning about this time of year opening and closing the roller shutter didn't seem to make much difference when standing further inside but opening the shutter with the heating off the cold air instantly rushed in.
I think that was six 3KW heaters in an area plenty big enough to park and unload an artic truck.
I think that was six 3KW heaters in an area plenty big enough to park and unload an artic truck.
Slightly off topic, but following broadly the same principle (and interesting to me 
)...
On reentry, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket makes a "reentry burn".
This not only slows the rocket down and directs it towards its landing site, but is also a "supersonic retropropulsion burn" - the burning gases from the rocket are used to form a "heat shield".
Despite the huge temperature of the rocket exhaust (the rocket can be designed to sustain this), the plasma created by reentry is far hotter. The high temperature of the rocket exhaust actually protects the rocket from destruction from the enormously high reentry temperatures.
The phrase 'fighting fire with fire' is commonly used to describe the burn.
)...On reentry, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket makes a "reentry burn".
This not only slows the rocket down and directs it towards its landing site, but is also a "supersonic retropropulsion burn" - the burning gases from the rocket are used to form a "heat shield".
Despite the huge temperature of the rocket exhaust (the rocket can be designed to sustain this), the plasma created by reentry is far hotter. The high temperature of the rocket exhaust actually protects the rocket from destruction from the enormously high reentry temperatures.
The phrase 'fighting fire with fire' is commonly used to describe the burn.
Not sure anyone has actually explained how a certain heater actually works though.
a curtain heater works by providing a stream off warm air as you enter a door to both warm you and warm the cold air entering
it is not an intelligent specific magic heater its more aiming at a problem with whats available [a fairly standard resistance fan heater]adding a description to suggest the problem the heater is designed to solve in its present set up
it is not an intelligent specific magic heater its more aiming at a problem with whats available [a fairly standard resistance fan heater]adding a description to suggest the problem the heater is designed to solve in its present set up
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Is this question, keeping you awake?
As their name suggests, they provide a curtain, a curtain of airflow blowing down from the top of the top, separating the outdoor air, from the indoor air. Some of the smaller ones are electrically heated, but the larger ones are heated by hot water, from the boiler system. Both types use some sort of fan, to project the air down, to help seal the door. The 50Kw one I fixed, had two, 3ph motors, powering an axial fans. The fan was switched on and off, by thermostats, in two stages.
It really is that simple, the heated hot air circulates internally whereas the cold air entering circulates circulates down wards and out, any cold air trapped in the hot is quickly mixed.
I'm sure it's a simplistic interpretation but I do know it's not simply something to bung-up above the door and it works, there is setting up required.
There are some good diagrams here - https://www.airtecnics.com/technology/how-air-curtains-work
and here - https://berner.com/air-curtains-101/
I didn't realise there was a type, which included air intake, opposite the the air outlet. I can see those providing an even more effective curtain.
and here - https://berner.com/air-curtains-101/
I didn't realise there was a type, which included air intake, opposite the the air outlet. I can see those providing an even more effective curtain.
No me neither, I've worked with a number of curtains and never been aware of such but may never have encountered one.
Apparently they help to deter flying insects as well
www.biddle-air.co.uk
Air Curtains And Their Efficiency At Repelling Insects | Biddle
Read some of our publications and learn about our innovative, energy efficient climate control, heating, cooling and ventilation solutions.
www.biddle-air.co.uk
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