iForce Industrial Air Curtains blow a high momentum jet of air down across an open doorway, or across it from the side, to help stop heated air escaping and to warm the cold air that comes in. Designed for doorways up to 6 m high, the range comes in three widths (1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 m) for mounting horizontally above the door or vertically beside it, with LTHW (hot water), electric or ambient (unheated) models.
Manufactured in Leicester by S & P Coil Products Limited, iForce Industrial Air Curtains are specified for industrial and large commercial buildings, from warehouses, distribution centres and factories to workshops, vehicle bays and goods-in doors. Each unit has EC fans with 0-10V speed control, and the enhanced 3 row hot water coil suits condensing boilers and heat pumps, with outputs published at 45/35°C.
Above or beside
Horizontal over the door or vertical at the side
Hot water or electric
LTHW, 3 phase electric or ambient models
EC fans
0-10V speed control and BMS ready
Made in Leicester
By S & P Coil Products Limited
29.6 to 67.9 kW
Hot water output, IAC15 low speed to IAC25 high speed, at 80/70°C water and 18°C air (2 row coil).
45/35°C data
The enhanced 3 row coil gives 14.1 to 32.7 kW at 45/35°C water and 18°C air, for air source heat pumps.
Up to 6 m
Mounting height at high fan speed, from 3.0 m at low speed. On vertical units this is the reach across the door.
1.5 to 2.5 m
Unit widths. Fit horizontal units side by side for wider doors, or stack vertical units for taller ones.
What is an industrial air curtain?
An industrial air curtain is a high powered air barrier fitted inside a building, above or beside a large doorway. iForce Industrial Air Curtains use forward curved centrifugal fans driven by EC motors to blow a high momentum jet of air down to the floor, or across the door from the side. The jet helps stop conditioned air escaping through the top of the doorway and reduces the cold air coming in at the bottom. On heated models it also warms the air that does come in, which matters most where people work close to an open door.
Higher fan speeds give a stronger jet for taller or wider doors, so the fan speed of each iForce Industrial Air Curtain is matched to its mounting height. Horizontal units can be fitted side by side to cover a doorway of any width, and vertical units can be fitted on one or both sides of the door and stacked.
Without an air curtain, warm air escapes through the top of an open door and cold air comes in at the bottom
What sizes do iForce Industrial Air Curtains come in?
iForce Industrial Air Curtains come in three widths. The same sizes are used for horizontal and vertical mounting, and for ambient, electric and hot water models.
| Model | Nominal width | Approx. dry weight | Hot water connections |
|---|---|---|---|
| IAC15 | 1,500 mm | 125 kg | ¾” BSP |
| IAC20 | 2,000 mm | 155 kg | 1″ BSP |
| IAC25 | 2,500 mm | 200 kg | 1″ BSP |
Planning heating for a warehouse or a busy loading door? Read our guides: Cold Warehouse, Cold Workforce: How Do You Keep a Warehouse Warm? and Open Door, Cold Entrance: How Do You Stop Heat Escaping in Winter? You can also see the full SPC air curtain range, including AIRDOR Forcefield Air Curtains for commercial entrances with mounting heights up to 3.5 m.
Can industrial air curtains work with heat pumps?
Yes. iForce hot water models can be supplied with an enhanced 3 row coil for the lower water temperatures of condensing boilers and heat pumps.
- 14.1 kW (IAC15, low speed) to 32.7 kW (IAC25, high speed) at 45/35°C water and 18°C air
- 20.1 to 46.7 kW at 60/40°C water, typical of a condensing boiler
- The standard 2 row coil suits conventional boiler temperatures of around 80°C
- Heat output can be varied on the water side, so the air jet stays at full strength
Which iForce model suits a building without hot water?
Electric models suit doors where hot water is not available, and ambient models suit doors that need air separation without added heat.
- Electric heaters are two stage, 12 to 36 kW, on a 400 V 3 phase supply
- Manual and automatic reset safety cut-outs on electric heaters
- Ambient units have no heat exchanger and move 1.10 to 3.22 m³/s of air
- Ambient and hot water units run on a 230 V single phase supply
How do you size an industrial air curtain for a door?
iForce Industrial Air Curtains are selected on door height, door width and how much heat the area by the door needs.
- Door height sets the fan speed: low 3.0 to 4.5 m, medium 3.5 to 5.0 m, high 4.0 to 6.0 m
- Door width sets how many units: horizontal units fit side by side
- For very wide doors, vertical units can blow from both sides
- Heat needs set the model: ambient, electric or hot water
Full outputs, airflow, water flow, pressure drop, noise and electrical data for every size and speed are in the iForce Industrial Air Curtains brochure.
iForce mounting, controls and finishes
iForce Industrial Air Curtains can be mounted horizontally above the door or vertically at the side of it.
- Horizontal: hung from the structure on M10 suspension rods, or bolted to Unistrut type channels
- Side by side: horizontal units butt together to cover a doorway of any width
- Vertical: fixed to a mounting plate in the floor and to the wall, blowing across the door from one side or both
- Stacked: a second vertical unit can be stacked on the first with an additional mounting plate
Horizontal unit on suspension rods
Vertical unit on Unistrut channels
Control is chosen at the time of order, and a wiring diagram for the chosen controls is supplied with each unit. Control options can be combined.
- Manual: a wall mounted on/off switch, with an optional speed switch, which can be fitted in an IP rated box for harsh environments
- Door contact: the unit switches on when the door opens, with a delay relay in the unit so it runs on and does not cycle too often
- SPC Delta Waterside Controller: varies the hot water flow through a 2 port valve and modulating actuator as the area by the door reaches its setpoint, so the air jet is not weakened; BACnet compatible
- BMS: enable/disable the unit and send a 0-10V signal to the water valve
- Master/slave: where several units protect one door, the master unit controls the others
SPC Delta Waterside Controller with valve and actuator
- Casing and inlet grille in heavy gauge mild steel with a textured powder coat finish, white as standard; special paint finishes on request
- Linear outlet grille in extruded aluminium, powder coated
- Hot water coil of copper tubes expanded into aluminium fins, pressure tested to 22 bar, with ¾” BSP (IAC15) or 1″ BSP (IAC20 and IAC25) connections
- A range of hanging brackets and an optional vertical mounting plate
- Supplied by SPC for installation by your M&E contractor and electrician
Installation, wiring and maintenance details are in IOM 92.
Project support from SPC: from survey to commissioning
SPC manufactures and supplies iForce Industrial 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 doorway, mounting position and suitability of the unit.
Selection
We select the width, fan speed, heat source and mounting to suit the door.
Decarbonisation CPD
Our CIBSE approved CPD, Decarbonisation of Industrial and Commercial Heating Systems, can be delivered to your practice.
Area Sales Managers
Local Area Sales Managers support consultants and contractors across the UK.
Specifying iForce Industrial Air Curtains
Free tools to select units and add them to your BIM model.
Select units online
Size and configure iForce Industrial Air Curtains in SPC’s free online product configurator. Registration is free.
Download BIM objects
Download the iForce Industrial Air Curtains BIM object from bimstore, free for consultants and contractors.
Where iForce Industrial Air Curtains are used
iForce Industrial Air Curtains suit large doors that stay open or open often in industrial and large commercial buildings: loading bays, warehouses and distribution centres, factories and workshops, vehicle bays and depots, and goods-in doors at supermarkets and other large commercial buildings. The images show typical settings. See SPC’s industrial and commercial heating work on our Projects page.
Distribution centres and loading bays
Warehouses and storage
Factories and production areas
iForce Industrial Air Curtains specification summary
| Feature | iForce Industrial Air Curtains |
|---|---|
| Models | IAC15, IAC20 and IAC25 |
| Widths | 1,500, 2,000 and 2,500 mm |
| Mounting | Horizontal above the door (side by side for wider doors) or vertical at one or both sides (can be stacked) |
| Recommended mounting height | 3.0 to 4.5 m (low speed), 3.5 to 5.0 m (medium), 4.0 to 6.0 m (high) |
| Hot water output, standard 2 row coil | 29.6 to 67.9 kW at 80/70°C water, 18°C air |
| Hot water output, enhanced 3 row coil | 20.1 to 46.7 kW at 60/40°C; 14.1 to 32.7 kW at 45/35°C (18°C air) |
| Electric output | 12 to 36 kW, two stage, 400 V 3 phase 50 Hz |
| Airflow | 1.10 to 3.22 m³/s (ambient units) |
| Fans | Forward curved centrifugal fans with EC motors, continuously controllable by a 0-10V signal; sealed for life bearings |
| Electrical supply | 230 V single phase 50 Hz (ambient and hot water); 400 V 3 phase 50 Hz (electric) |
| Fan power | 250 to 2,250 W |
| Noise | 45 to 66 dBA, free field at 5 m from the unit |
| Hot water coil | Copper tubes expanded into aluminium fins, pressure tested to 22 bar; ¾” BSP (IAC15) or 1″ BSP (IAC20, IAC25) |
| Dry weight | 125 to 200 kg (see sizes table) |
| Casing and finish | Heavy gauge mild steel, textured powder coat, white as standard; extruded aluminium outlet grille; special paint finishes on request |
| Controls | Manual switching, door contact with run on delay, SPC Delta Waterside Controller (BACnet), BMS enable/disable and 0-10V valve control, master/slave |
| BIM | BIM object on bimstore |
| Manufactured | Leicester, UK, by S & P Coil Products Limited (ISO 9001:2015) |
Discuss your industrial air curtain project
Tell us about your doorway, whether it is a loading bay, warehouse, factory, workshop, vehicle bay or goods-in door, and we will help you choose the right iForce Industrial Air Curtain. Call 0116 249 0044 or email spc@spc-hvac.co.uk.
Frequently Asked Questions
An industrial air curtain blows a powerful jet of air across a large open doorway. The jet helps stop heated (or cooled) air escaping from the building and reduces the cold air coming in, so the area by the door stays more comfortable while the door is open for vehicles and goods. Heated iForce Industrial Air Curtains also warm the air that does come in.
iForce Industrial Air Curtains suit mounting heights up to 6 m at high fan speed, 5 m at medium speed and 4.5 m at low speed. They can be mounted higher, but some cold air will then come in at floor level. For a door wider than one unit, horizontal units are fitted side by side; for very wide doors, vertical units can blow from both sides.
Horizontal iForce units hang above the door and blow down to the floor. Vertical units stand at the side of the door, fixed to the floor and the wall, and blow across it, which suits doors with little space above them or very wide doors. Read Vertical vs Horizontal Air Curtains: Which is Right for You? for more.
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. iForce hot water models come with a standard 2 row coil for conventional boiler temperatures or an enhanced 3 row coil for condensing boilers and heat pumps, with outputs published at 80/70°C, 60/40°C and 45/35°C.
Turning the fan speed down to reduce heat output would weaken the air jet and let more cold air in. The SPC Delta Waterside Controller instead varies the hot water flow through a modulating valve as the area by the door reaches its setpoint, so the heat output matches the heat loss while the jet stays at full strength.
Yes. iForce Industrial Air Curtains can be wired to a mechanical or magnetic door contact, so the unit runs when the door opens. A delay relay in the unit keeps it running for a minimum period, so it does not switch on and off too often. Door control can be combined with BMS control.
Yes. Run as ambient (unheated) units, iForce Industrial Air Curtains still separate the inside and outside air at an open door, which helps keep conditioned air in. Read Do Industrial Air Curtains Work in Summer? for more.
Yes. The iForce Industrial Air Curtains BIM object is on bimstore.
Isolate the unit electrically first. Clean the casing with a dry cloth, keeping liquids away from the electrical box and fans, and use a vacuum or airline to clear debris from the coil fins and fans, more often in dusty environments. The fans have sealed for life bearings, so no lubrication is needed. Full details are in IOM 92.
