Thermo King celebrated its 75th anniversary the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) as the company showcased its latest solutions to help fleet operators and owner operators comply with industry regulations while optimizing fuel efficiency.
Among the new solutions Thermo King showcased at MATS were the TriPac Evolution and Truck T-80 Series, which the company says help customers achieve their business goals while improving energy and operational efficiency and meeting regulatory compliance.
New Thermo King Solutions Showcased at MATS 2013 include:
T-80 Series truck temperature control platform ─ The new T-80 Series truck temperature control platform is an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board (CARB)-compliant addition to the industry-leading truck T-Series range that lowers fuel costs by up to 20 percent and maintenance costs while providing class-leading reliability.
The T-80 incorporates an EPA/CARB-compliant engine, QuickTemp Control and enhanced drive belt systems which reduce run time and simplify maintenance to save fuel and reduce operating costs. SmartPower electric standby reduces operating costs by up to 75 percent.
Thermo King says the T-80 Series platform builds on the preexisting T-series design, and features QuickTemp Control, which is standard on all models, except T-580R, and is exclusive to Thermo King truck refrigeration units.
The Thermo King Precedent is the company’s new trailer temperature control platform. Doug Lenz, Thermo King’s director of product development says the Precedent was built from the ground up to deliver double-digit fuel savings, best-in-class performance and lower life cycle costs while providing regulatory compliance and peace of mind for refrigerated trailer fleets. The Precedent features a completely new platform for the trailer market designed to be fully compliant with the new EPA Tier IV final regulations. These units provide the industry’s most sustainable solutions and a complete range of options for any customer:
The Precedent S-600 is a greater-than-25 horsepower single temperature unit which is considered Ultra-Low-Emission In-Use Performance Standard (ULETRU) by CARB
The Precedent C-600 is a less-than-25 horsepower single-temperature unit with an allowed useful life in California of seven years
Lenz says the new TriPac Evolution Auxiliary Power Unit is the first and only auxiliary power unit (APU) manufacturer to receive CARB certification for the diesel particulate filter on its 2013 less-than-25 horsepower TriPac™ Evolution auxiliary power unit engine. Thermo King is also among the first transport APU manufacturers to receive EPA and CARB certification for its less-than-25 horsepower TriPac™ auxiliary power unit engine.
According to Lenz, the TriPac Evolution APU delivers unrivaled performance, lowers overall truck fuel consumption, reduces emissions and provides driver comfort. This solution, which can be ordered in May for shipment in July of 2013, meets Tier IV EPA final regulations requirements while leveraging new patented technology to drive unit performance, efficiency and user productivity.
“The TriPac Evolution is the industry’s only solution featuring software that can be customized to enhance the customer’s operating profile,” Lenz adds. “Thermo King developed this feature in response to customer feedback. This APU also features an extended maintenance interval of 1,500 hours, an updated flash-loadable control system and improved service access for easier maintenance. The TriPac Evolution offers virtually unlimited heating and cooling power. The Evolution features a new control system to accurately diagnose issues if needed.”
Thermo King also unveiled its CargoLink Wireless Fuel Sensor which is an enhancement to the existing CargoLink wireless system which can be used to manage door position, provides improved fuel level monitoring, minimizes installation time, and eliminates wire failure. The sensor, which is scheduled to be available in June 2013, features the industry’s only enclosure designed to IP69K standards to survive harsh use. The sensor also features a signal range of 500 feet, the industry’s longest.
The fuel sensor provides greater accuracy than conventional float based systems for better fuel monitoring. This solution addresses fuel loss events through smart monitoring, which enables the system to distinguish between normal usage and fuel loss.
When used with Thermo King TracKing telematics, the CargoLink Wireless Fuel Sensor provides fast reporting on fuel loss events, even when the refrigeration unit is off. Because the system is wireless, it can be quickly installed. The sensor can be replaced or upgraded without removing the fuel tank. Future sensors are planned for the CargoLink platform.
Also showcased were the new Thermo King PrimAir Trailer Air Management Solutions. These systems used advanced thermodynamic modeling to optimize TRU performance by providing even temperature distribution within the trailer. PrimAir chutes feature industry-leading material strength to minimize damage during loading. Return air bulkheads (RABH) provide the highest efficiency of any one-piece RABH in the industry.
New TracKing Preventative Maintenance Compliance Tool – Fleets can use a new preventative maintenance compliance tool on the Thermo King TracKing wireless asset management system to monitor refrigeration unit maintenance schedules. This solution allows fleets under the Thermo King Thermo Gard Assurance maintenance program to better manage fleet utilization and effectively expedite service to ensure maximum asset up-time.