Having set new standards of economy and performance in trailer temperature control with the introduction of the SLX range, the market leader has announced its intention to shake up the refrigerated truck business as well.
While keeping the best and proven features of the current range, the all-new T-Series uses innovative technologies to deliver the kind of performance, reliability and ease of use that operators have wished for but not experienced from any brand.
“Truck operators want bullet-proof, whisper-quiet equipment that has the cooling capacity needed to cope with multiple drops,” explains Laurent Debias, Thermo King’s marketing director. “We’ve listened carefully to users both of our equipment and other brands, sharing our thoughts as the design developed. The result is a range of equipment which we believe will meet and even exceed expectations in these extremely tough applications.”
Quiet operation: Low-noise equipment is so critical in distribution operations that some designs sacrifice refrigeration capacity to achieve it. Clearly this is not an acceptable solution given the extreme quality standards demanded of temperature controlled operators.
The T-Series has achieved dramatic noise level reductions without any loss of cooling performance. Two versions are available, the standard models reducing noise by almost 30% and the Whisper™ version by over 50% when compared to previous models. This order of magnitude is not only a significant engineering achievement but is clearly audible and will be welcomed by drivers and all who live close to delivery routes.
Fuel efficiency: Tests suggest operators will experience reductions of up to 15% in their fuel bills. With fuel contributing about 50% of equipment life cost, that saving alone equates to a significant reduction in total cost of ownership.
Carbon emissions: 15% less fuel consumed means 15% less CO2 produced. A typical unit application can use 3000 litres of diesel in a year, emitting over 8 tonnes of CO2. A 15% saving would mean a reduction in CO2 of 1.2 tonnes per refrigeration unit, per annum.
Cooling capacity in high ambients: Every time a delivery is made, the truck doors are opened, cool air flows out of the load space and warm, moist air replaces it. The refrigeration unit must have the cooling capacity, no matter what the outside temperature, to recover before the next drop. The T-Series employs extra-large evaporator and condenser coils, married to the proven range of reciprocating compressors, to keep on cooling right up to extreme desert conditions of 55°C. It is these same improvements in refrigeration system design that also provide better operating efficiency or more cooling watts per litre of fuel consumed.
Ease of use: Good design means simple to use. This was the guiding principle behind the all-new TSR-2 in-cab controller. Customers told us that their drivers spoke many different languages and were not refrigeration specialists. Current control systems were too complex and mistakes could easily be made which would jeopardise a load. Using intuitive ergonomics, Thermo King has developed a delightfully simple controller where for example, a red up-arrow means hotter, and a blue down-arrow means… colder. Real life testing shows that the design works, resulting in fewer errors and better use of the equipment.
Service access: Not only have the designers come up with a look which reflects the innovative nature of this range, but they have included wide-opening panels to permit easy access to major components for servicing. Impact and corrosion resistant Geloy® is chosen for the exterior panels to keep appearance up and repair costs down. This recyclable material has made it possible for designers to achieve a highly aerodynamic form for good looks and vehicle fuel economy.
Thermo King’s confidence in the range is such that every model will come with a 24 month warranty as standard.
The new range is planned for in full production by July with the first models being the T-600R, T-800R, T-1000R and T-1200R for single temperature applications. The T-800R, T-1000R and T-1200R will also be available as Spectrum versions for multi temperature applications.
For more information on Thermo King’s products and services please visit www.thermoking.com
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