Refrigerated trucks carry many foods and essential produce all over the country. From delivery to shops, restaurants, schools and hospitals, they play a huge role in the economy and help drive it too, keeping all of society well-stocked with fresh supplies.
Have you ever wondered how a truck freezer works? How is a vehicle able to maintain a cold, precise temperature while running on a hot engine? To fully appreciate the merging of engineering and science that makes this possible, as transport refrigeration experts ourselves, we’ll uncover the secret behind transport refrigeration.
Here is How Truck Refrigeration Works
Truck freezers are designed to transport perishable goods at a specific temperature to keep them fresh. Most people think that refrigeration works by simply creating cold air in order to keep anything cool inside a truck. However, cold temperatures cannot be created from anything. In transport refrigeration, these refrigerators serve as self-contained units sealed from any outside heat which are also able to regulate the temperature inside.
In simpler terms, refrigerated truck carriers are sealed to prevent heat from entering, yet a refrigeration system is also in place to prevent the temperature from changing – especially when doors are opened. How is this possible? The whole compartment is insulated in a polymer material which helps in stabilizing the environment. So, even if the transport refrigeration system suddenly stops working, it won’t affect the items inside for quite some time.
The Components of Refrigeration Truck Carriers
So, we understand that the truck refrigeration system follows a highly technical procedure for it to work perfectly. It is a closed system that ensures no heat from the outside can get in, so it maintains the predetermined temperature (or optimum range) required to keep the items inside in crisp condition.
To keep the cargo compartments refrigerated, there are three mechanisms that work together: the condenser, compressor, and evaporator. Let’s get to know them one by one.
Compressor
The compressor of the truck freezer is the heart of the system. It is tasked to pump a coolant around the system and ensure that the temperature is consistently regulated. It takes low-pressure refrigerant gas from the evaporator and then compresses it into a hot high-pressure gas, before pushing it to the condenser for the cooling system to start all over again. Since the pressure inside liquifies the gas, the liquid refrigerant gives off heat to the body of the compressor, as well as its surrounding air.
Condenser
The condenser receives the liquid from the compressor. Inside the condenser is a coil that houses a series of tubes and fins – where the air passes. The liquid received by the condenser is still warm, so the heat is transferred within the condenser. This heat from the liquid then flows to the walls of the tubing and then outside to the attached fins. In short, this works the same way as a common radiator.
Evaporator
After being held in a high-pressure state, the gas is now transported to the evaporator where the air from the outside is forced through the compressed gas. As a result, the gas cools down and returns to its previous state while discarding the heat energy back outside. This means that the gas returns to the condenser and the cycle begins once again. Through this process, the truck freezer can maintain and regulate its desired temperature.
The Importance of Refrigerated Truck Repairs
These transport refrigeration components all work in sync to remove the heat from the inside of the vehicle, so any items being transported are kept at the perfect temperature. The result is the delivery of fresh produce that arrives in the same state it was dispatched.
While it may sound straightforward, it’s still a meticulous system that requires regular maintenance to avoid any spoilage and damage to the products being transferred. Therefore, it is incredibly important that you have a good service provider who ensures that your freezer truck is engineered for top performance and is reliable enough to withstand harsh climate conditions, which can affect the internal mechanisms and components.
For the best-refrigerated truck installation, maintenance, repairs, and fleets of vehicles ready-to-drive, we have a range of excellent packages available. Contact us to find out more.