AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains create an invisible barrier of high velocity air across an open doorway, blown from a linear discharge grille down to floor level, so the building stays draught free and less heat escapes through the door. The range comes in four widths from 1.0 to 2.5 m for mounting heights up to 3.5 m, with LTHW (hot water), electric or ambient (unheated) models.
Manufactured in Leicester by S & P Coil Products Limited, AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains are specified for entrances to commercial, public and industrial buildings, from shopping centres and offices to schools, libraries, museums and leisure centres. Each unit has individual EC fans, and enhanced hot water coils are available for low water temperature systems such as heat pumps, with outputs published at 50/40°C.
Ceiling or wall
Horizontal or vertical mounting
Exposed or recessed
Exposed, recessed in the ceiling or concealed above it
Hot water or electric
LTHW, 3 phase electric or ambient models
Made in Leicester
By S & P Coil Products Limited
5.4 to 28.4 kW
Hot water outputs from the 1000 unit at speed 1 to the 2500 unit at speed 3, at 80/60°C water and 20°C room air.
50/40°C data
Enhanced coils give 3.5 to 19.1 kW at 50/40°C water and 20°C room air, for heat pumps and condensing boilers.
Up to 3.5 m
Mounting height above the door, with units 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 m wide to cover the opening.
270 mm high
Every unit is 270 mm high, whether it is exposed, recessed in the ceiling or concealed above it.
What is an AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtain?
An AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtain is mounted inside the building, directly above an entrance (hung from the ceiling or fixed to the wall above the door). Its EC fans draw in room air, warm it over a hot water or electric heat exchanger (or leave it unheated on ambient models) and blow it out through a linear grille as a high velocity jet down to floor level. The jet separates the inside air from the outside air, so the entrance stays comfortable while the door is open.
AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains help prevent excessive heat loss through open doors, which reduces energy use, and also help keep insects and odours out. For the best results the unit is fitted as close as possible to the top of the door and is at least as wide as the doorway.
AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtain above an entrance at Fireground, Greater Manchester Fire Station Museum
What sizes do AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains come in?
AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains come in four widths. All units are 270 mm high. Exposed units are 530 mm deep; recessed and concealed units are 530 mm deep where air is drawn from the ceiling void, or 800 mm where it is drawn from the room below.
| Model | Nominal width | Dry weight, hot water (conventional / enhanced coil) | Dry weight, electric |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 1,000 mm | 40 / 41 kg | 38 kg |
| 1500 | 1,500 mm | 55 / 56 kg | 50 kg |
| 2000 | 2,000 mm | 80 / 82 kg | 73 kg |
| 2500 | 2,500 mm | 105 / 107 kg | 97 kg |
Choosing an air curtain for an entrance? Read our guides: Open Door, Cold Entrance: How Do You Stop Heat Escaping in Winter? and How Air Curtains Improve Comfort and Reduce Energy Loss in Commercial Spaces. You can also see the full SPC air curtain range, including iForce Industrial Air Curtains for industrial doorways.
Can air curtains work with heat pumps?
Yes. AIRDOR Forcefield hot water models are available with enhanced heat exchangers for low water temperature systems.
- Outputs published at 50/40°C water and 20°C room air: 3.5 kW (1000, speed 1) to 19.1 kW (2500, speed 3)
- Suits heat pumps and condensing boilers
- Same airflow range as the conventional coil, 0.18 to 1.07 m³/s
- Hot water connections in 22 mm copper
Which AIRDOR Forcefield model suits a building without hot water?
Electric models suit entrances where hot water is not available, and ambient models suit doorways that need air separation without added heat.
- Electric units run on a 400 V 3 phase supply
- 6.0 to 24.0 kW electric outputs over two heat settings
- Two stage output control on electric units
- Ambient units are supplied without a heat exchanger
Where are AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains used?
At entrances to commercial, public and industrial buildings where doors stay open or open often.
- Shopping centres, retail units and offices
- Schools, colleges and libraries
- Museums, visitor attractions and leisure centres
- Healthcare buildings and lobbies
Full outputs, airflow, water flow, pressure drop and noise data for every size and speed are in the AIRDOR Forcefield leaflet.
AIRDOR Forcefield mounting styles, controls and finishes
AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains are made in four mounting styles, so the unit can be on show or hidden in the ceiling.
- Visible horizontal: hung from the ceiling on threaded rods above the door, drawing air from the room
- Visible vertical: fixed to the wall above the door, with the inlet grille on top
- Recessed: fitted flush with a T-bar or plasterboard ceiling with the inlet and outlet grilles on view, drawing air from the ceiling void or the room below
- Concealed: hung above a plasterboard ceiling with spigots on the inlet and outlet, connected to ceiling grilles by others
Optional fixing brackets are available for horizontal and vertical units. Electric units should not be ducted.
Control requirements are specified at the time of order, and a wiring diagram for the chosen controls is supplied with each unit.
- Local controls: remote on/off and fan speed switching, or on/off and heat setting switching on electric units
- Door contact: an optional door contactor (by others) switches the air curtain with the door, with an off delay built into the unit
- SPC Delta Waterside Controller: varies the hot water flow through a 2 port valve and modulating actuator in response to the room temperature, so the fan speed and air jet stay constant; BACnet compatible, and one controller can run several units in a zone
- BMS: enable/disable via volt free contacts, with optional 0-10V valve control
- A general fault signal is available on all units
- Casing finished in pure white with a black outlet grille; other colours on request
- Hot water connections in 22 mm copper; isolating valves on the flow and return are recommended
- Access panel for cleaning and maintenance
- Supplied by SPC for installation by your M&E contractor and electrician
Installation, wiring and maintenance details are in IOM 83.
Project support from SPC: from survey to commissioning
SPC manufactures and supplies AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains for installation by your M&E contractor, with support from the first site visit to commissioning.
Site surveys
We visit site to check the entrance, mounting position and suitability of the unit.
Selection
We select the width, heat source, coil and mounting style to suit the doorway.
Technical support
Our technical team helps with controls, wiring and commissioning questions.
Area Sales Managers
Local Area Sales Managers support consultants and contractors across the UK.
Specifying AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains
Free tools to select units and add them to your BIM model.
Select units online
Size and configure AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains in SPC’s free online product configurator. Registration is free.
Download BIM objects
Download the AIRDOR Forcefield Revit object from bimstore, covering hot water, electric and ambient units.
AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains in UK projects
AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains are installed at entrances to buildings across the UK, including museums, shopping centres, schools and libraries. Recent projects include Fireground (Greater Manchester Fire Station Museum), The Ashley Centre, Epsom, Claverham Community College, Battle and Hanley Library, Stoke-on-Trent. See more on our Projects page.
AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains specification summary
| Feature | AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains |
|---|---|
| Models | 1000, 1500, 2000 and 2500 |
| Nominal widths | 1,000, 1,500, 2,000 and 2,500 mm |
| Height | 270 mm (all units) |
| Depth | Exposed: 530 mm. Recessed and concealed: 530 mm (air from ceiling void) or 800 mm (air from room below) |
| Mounting | Visible horizontal, visible vertical, recessed (T-bar or plasterboard) or concealed |
| Mounting height | Up to 3.5 m |
| Heat source | LTHW (hot water), electric or ambient (no heat exchanger) |
| Hot water output, conventional coil | 5.4 to 28.4 kW at 80/60°C water, 20°C room air (1000 speed 1 to 2500 speed 3) |
| Hot water output, enhanced coil | 3.5 to 19.1 kW at 50/40°C water, 20°C room air (1000 speed 1 to 2500 speed 3) |
| Electric output | 6.0 to 24.0 kW over two heat settings, 400 V 3 phase 50 Hz supply |
| Airflow | 0.18 to 1.07 m³/s |
| Fans | Individual EC fans, three speeds on hot water and ambient units |
| Fan electrical power | 28 to 468 W |
| Noise | 36 to 59 dBA, sound pressure level in free field 3 m from the unit |
| Hot water connections | 22 mm copper |
| Dry weight | 38 to 107 kg (see sizes table) |
| Finish | Pure white casing, black outlet grille; other colours on request |
| Controls | Remote switching and thermostatic control, door contact with off delay, SPC Delta Waterside Controller, BMS enable/disable or 0-10V valve control, general fault signal |
| BIM | Revit object on bimstore |
| Manufactured | Leicester, UK, by S & P Coil Products Limited (ISO 9001:2015) |
Discuss your air curtain project
Tell us about your entrance, whether it is a shop, office, school, library, museum, healthcare or industrial building, and we will help you choose the right AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtain. Call 0116 249 0044 or email spc@spc-hvac.co.uk.
Frequently Asked Questions
An air curtain blows a high velocity jet of air down across an open doorway. The jet separates the inside air from the outside air, so the entrance stays draught free and comfortable and less heated air escapes while the door is open. AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains can also warm the air with a hot water or electric heat exchanger, and help keep insects and odours out.
Yes. Air door, air screen, door heater and over door heater are other names for an air curtain. AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains are SPC’s commercial air curtains for entrances to commercial, public and industrial buildings.
Yes. LTHW (low temperature hot water) and LPHW (low pressure hot water) both describe air curtains heated from a building’s hot water system, such as a boiler or heat pump. AIRDOR Forcefield hot water models have outputs published at 80/60°C with the conventional coil and at 50/40°C with the enhanced coil.
AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains suit mounting heights up to 3.5 m. The outlet grille should be as close as possible to the top of the door, and the air curtain should be at least as wide as the doorway. For larger industrial doorways, see iForce Industrial Air Curtains.
Horizontal AIRDOR Forcefield units hang from the ceiling, or are recessed or concealed in it. Vertical units fix to the wall above the door and draw air in through the top, so they need space between the unit and the ceiling. Read Vertical vs Horizontal Air Curtains: Which is Right for You? for more.
Yes. AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains can be wired to a door contactor (by others), so the unit runs when the door opens. An off delay is built into the unit, so it keeps running for a short time after the door closes.
Air curtains reduce the heat lost through open doors, which reduces the energy needed to heat the building. On AIRDOR Forcefield hot water units, the SPC Delta Waterside Controller varies the hot water flow to match the heat needed while the fans keep the air jet at a constant speed. Read Do You Still Need an Air Curtain When the Weather Warms Up? for how air curtains help in warmer months.
Yes. The AIRDOR Forcefield Revit object is on bimstore, covering hot water, electric and ambient units.
Isolate the unit electrically, remove the access panel and clean the inside with a vacuum cleaner nozzle or a dry cloth, more often in dusty areas. Never clean the inside with water or spray. If a filter is fitted, remove and clean it. The fans have sealed for life bearings, so no lubrication is needed. Full details are in IOM 83.
