The progressive air-to-air heat pump is already proving to be an innovation for air curtains in shops, saving up to 75% energy. Thermoscreens and Mitsubishi Electric are offering an integrated overall system that equips the entrance areas of shops cost-effectively, conveniently and reliably. This mature overall solution also includes a control that makes use of Mitsubishi Electric circuit boards specially developed for this application.

The latest studies show that city-centre retail stores, and particularly the much-frequented outlets of retail chains, attract between 1,000 and 2,000 visitors day after day who enter and leave the shop via the open door. This places severe demands on the air conditioning and heating system. The task here is to prevent the exchange of conditioned room air with fresh air penetrating from outside.

The technology of the air curtain has proven extremely effective in this area. With a heated air jet in winter, they interrupt the flow in the entrance area, thus preventing the penetration of cold outside air, while in summer the heat hasn’t got a chance of overcoming the air jet barrier. Air curtains dramatically reduce the energy consumption of the heating and cooling system, as the salesroom heats up less fast in summer and does not chill in winter

Rapid investment payback

Given a wintery outdoor temperature of 6°C, the indoor temperature of a shop is to be kept at 20°C. The entrance is two metres wide and 2.5 metres high. Assuming the usual opening hours in the winter months, the shop is open 60 hours per week.

The oil heating bill for this shop without an air curtain would come to about 5,118 euros. If a PHV2000DXE air curtain were used in combination with a PUHZ-RP heat pump, the energy consumption could be reduced to only 430 euros.

Advantages at a glance: