Carrier Transicold has embarked on a 12-month demonstration programme with its innovative low noise refrigeration system, which helps reduce the sound associated with night-time deliveries in urban areas.
During 2009, a dedicated urban specification trailer fitted with Carriers Vector 1850 City refrigeration unit will be touring major high street retailers and logistics suppliers.
The system was first trialled in the United Kingdom in partnership with Sainsburys in 2008, and proved effective at reducing the average 73dB operating noise level recorded by trailer refrigeration units to less than 60dB. To achieve this target, Carrier Transicold took the innovative Vector 1850 and produced a unique, low noise unit with the reefers diesel engine underslung on the chassis in a specially insulated cabinet to offer well-measured and quantifiable improvements.
The demonstration programme highlights Carrier Transicolds commitment to helping its customers continue operating within current and future legislations, whilst finding ways to further reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
Scott Dargan, Carrier Transicold UK Operations Director, explains: Every day thousands of vehicles deliver chilled and frozen food to retail stores around the country, many of which are in residential areas governed by stringent delivery by-laws limiting off peak deliveries. With the trend moving toward tougher legislation on noise pollution and emissions, operators must find ways of addressing these issues if they want to deliver goods during the night or in the early hours of the morning when the roads are at their least congested and quietest.
The Vector 1850 City refrigeration unit is ideally suited for this underslung application because its compressor is indirectly driven by an aircraft-rated electrical generator, rather than a traditional diesel engine drive layout, meaning this along with the other refrigeration components and micro-electronics remain in the host unit at the front of the trailer where they are better protected from the elements.
The Vector City trailer refrigeration unit is one of the quietest trailer refrigeration units currently available in Europe. With average operating sound levels of 57.7 decibels, the unit is quieter than the normal conversation level of 60-decibels resulting in its receiving the John Connell award for Technical Innovation from the Noise Abatement Society.
This new design helps solve an age-old industry problem, generates increased fuel efficiencies for operators whilst helping to improve the quality of the lives of local residents, Dargan adds. We felt that the best way to let our customers experience the benefits of this new technology was to build a demonstration unit and let fleets see the benefits for themselves.
Add a Comment
No messages on this article yet