Air curtains for insect control

Flies, mosquitoes, wasps and other flying insects can become a hygiene issue in many buildings, particularly where food is produced, processed, sold or served. Bakeries, cafés, restaurants, supermarkets and food-production facilities with frequently opened doors can be especially affected.

Air curtains can help reduce the ingress of flying insects through open doorways. The directed air stream creates an air barrier between indoors and outdoors, making it more difficult for insects to enter while allowing people to pass through the entrance freely.

In addition, the air barrier can reduce air exchange through the open doorway and therefore help to reduce heating and cooling losses.

How air curtains help to keep flying insects out

The air stream generated by an air curtain makes it more difficult for flying insects to pass through an open doorway. The effectiveness depends in particular on the air velocity, the coverage of the door opening and the correct positioning and adjustment of the air curtain.

Air curtains can therefore be particularly useful at frequently opened entrances in bakeries, cafés, restaurants and other food-related businesses. They can also be used as part of a wider insect-control strategy.

Technical requirements according to American standard NSF/ANSI 37

NSF/ANSI 37 defines requirements for air curtains used for insect control in certain food-service applications. These include requirements relating to air velocity, coverage of the doorway and installation of the unit.

• Airflow width: 5 to 12 cm
• Minimum air velocity: 8.13 m/s (measured 0.9 m above the floor)
• Door opening coverage: The system should cover the entire width of the entrance, ideally being slightly wider.
• Adjustable outlet nozzle: An angle of 15°–20° to the vertical is optimal.

Teddington air curtains with the patented CONVERGO® pressure chamber nozzle system generate a precisely directed air stream with high discharge velocity. Depending on the air curtain model and configuration, discharge velocities of up to 19 m/s are possible. This makes the technology particularly suitable for applications where a high air velocity across the doorway is required for insect control.

If the building is air-conditioned, the air curtain can also reduce the ingress of warm outdoor air and the loss of conditioned indoor air through the open doorway. This can reduce the associated cooling demand.

In winter, the air curtain can reduce the ingress of cold outdoor air and help to limit draughts around the entrance.