Frico Receives Grant for Researching a New Measurement Standard for Air Curtains

Air Curtains

An application from Frico has been granted support from Vinnova (Swedish governmental agency for innovation systems) for a research project aiming for a proposal on a new measurement standard for air curtains.

The goal is to describe how well an air curtain creates a protective air barrier under different conditions and with the result also create a comparative test method of the capacity for specific air curtain models with the purpose to push the product development in the right direction.

We know today that the infiltration through a premises walls, roof and through the entrance door is a large part of the buildings total energy loss. How to make a building as energy saving as possible is regulated in different building directives. However the regulations are not as clear when it gets to the energy loss created each time a door is opened or closed. One way to reduce the air leakage through entrances in shops, shopping centers and other commercial buildings with a large throughput of people is to install air curtains. There is today no measurement standard to quantify or compare the capacity between different air curtains and to state which characteristics in the air curtain that gives the most efficient protection.

The Need for a Mutual Standard

There is a risk in today’s energy saving discussions that air curtains can be legislated away as a result of lack of knowledge. Therefore it is important to present scientific evidence of that air curtains work and to what degree.

Through a manufacturer group, which has been started within Eurovent there is a possibility that, with enough submission of evidence, to influence current European building norms so that they are changed and clarified in terms of entrance design and installation of air curtains. This measurement standard is also important for the end user to simplify the investment decisions. Consultants that assist the end user with documentation, will benefit from the evidence and the help to prove the actual result of an air curtain installation.

A Unique Research Project

Earlier tests have been conducted in air curtains to examine the effectivity. The problem with these earlier tests are that they either has had to small of a selection of premises tested or a to specific test area such as air curtains capacity in cooling rooms.

What is unique with this research project is the possibility to create a CFD-tool which also is verified with real life testing. If the method is going to cover different, in reality existing variation of entrances, it will be very time consuming to develop a method with only laboratory tests.

With the help of CFD-simulations the different parameters can be studied separate and the method can be more representative. The CFD-simulations must thus be verified with practical testing to achieve enough scientific impact and thereby be accepted in the industry. The project will be carried out in cooperation with Technical Research Institute of Sweden (SP) and with grant from Vinnova (Swedish governmental agency for innovation systems).

A New Standard for the Future

One of the goals with the project is that the end user in an easy way should be able to compare different air curtains capacity and thereby, in terms of energy efficiency, make a better choice of product.

It will also become a sales pitch for the entire industry and in addition, hopefully, an acknowledgement of that the way Frico designs air curtains creates real energy savings. Furthermore it can also lead to demands of the market pushing the innovation and development to better and more energy efficient installations in buildings.