Harsh Environment Air Curtain Trial at Dovecote Abattoir.

This abattoir air curtain trial at Dovecote Park explored how climate separation inside a busy cold store could reduce refrigeration energy consumption and improve operational efficiency.

The Overview

Dovecote Park is a leading UK food production business operating demanding chilled environments where temperature control, operational efficiency and hygiene standards are critical. At its Skellingthorpe facility, the team wanted to explore whether improved climate separation at a busy chiller entrance could reduce refrigeration energy consumption and improve overall cold room performance.

To support the trial, Thermoscreens installed a 2m stainless steel HE Air Curtain inside Chiller A. Designed specifically for harsh food production and abattoir environments, the unit features full stainless-steel construction and an IP66 rating suitable for intensive washdown and hygienic applications.

The objective was simple: measure the real-world commercial and operational impact of climate separation at the chiller entrance.

The Challenge

Cold room doorways are one of the largest sources of temperature loss and refrigeration inefficiency within food production environments. Frequent door openings, loading activity and constant traffic allow warmer ambient air to enter the chilled space, increasing refrigeration demand and compressor workload.

One of the biggest challenges during the trial was obtaining meaningful operational data to demonstrate a measurable return on investment. Thermoscreens worked closely with Adam Bowdrey and the Dovecote Park team to collect detailed power consumption, loading and temperature data throughout the testing period.

The installation itself also presented some operational limitations. The chiller entrance was positioned in the corner of the room adjacent to a large evaporator fan, while the mounting height was at the upper limit of the recommended installation range. Despite this, the trial still produced strong performance results, suggesting that even greater efficiencies may be achievable in more optimised applications.

The Solution

To accurately monitor the impact of the air curtain, Thermoscreens installed a power meter on the incomer to the chiller compressor. This allowed the team to directly monitor energy usage during and after loading periods and compare performance with the air curtain both operational and switched off.

The HE Air Curtain was installed internally at the chiller entrance to create climate separation between the chilled room and surrounding production environment. By reducing warm air ingress during door openings, the system helps maintain more stable room temperatures while reducing refrigeration load and compressor runtime.

Additional loading and temperature data supplied by Dovecote Park provided wider operational insight into the trial performance and room behaviour throughout the testing periods.

The Results

The trial produced clear reductions in refrigeration energy usage when the Thermoscreens HE Air Curtain was in operation.

Energy Consumption Results

• Between 17th September and 24th September, with the air curtain operational, the room recorded energy usage of 2,846kWh.
• Between 1st October and 8th October, with the air curtain switched off, energy usage increased to 3,346kWh.
• Between 8th October and 15th October, after the air curtain was turned back on, energy usage reduced again to 2,955kWh.

The data also suggested that the chilled room temperature remained more stable with the air curtain in operation, appearing to peak 1–2°C lower while cooling down more quickly following loading activity.

ROI & Cost Savings

Using an electricity cost of 21.5 pence per kWh, Thermoscreens estimated annual savings between:

• £4,371 per year under worst-case assumptions
• £5,590 per year under best-case assumptions

Based on the collected operational data, the projected return on investment for the air curtain installation was estimated at approximately 2 years.

Conclusion

The Dovecote Park trial demonstrated how climate separation can deliver measurable operational and commercial benefits within demanding chilled food environments.

Despite a less-than-ideal installation position, the Thermoscreens HE Air Curtain helped reduce refrigeration energy consumption, improve temperature stability and deliver a strong projected return on investment.

The findings from the trial support the growing role of air curtains in improving cold store efficiency, reducing refrigeration demand and supporting more stable environmental control within food production facilities.

Read the full case study here