By Frederick Kiel, Staff Reporter
This story appears in the April 2 print edition of Transport Topics. Click here to subscribe today.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The two major manufacturers of cooling units for refrigerated trailers said that they have devised new technology that will meet federal emissions mandates for small diesel engines that take effect Jan. 1, 2013.
Environmental Protection Agency Tier IV final emissions standards for nonroad diesel engines with less than 50 horsepower drop the maximum level of nitrogen oxides emissions to 4.7 grams per brake horsepower-hour, down from the interim level of 7.5 grams. The particulate matter emissions level will drop to 0.03 gram from 0.3 gram.
All new reefer units sold starting in 2013 must meet the standards.
Carrier Transicold described its solution at the Mid-America Trucking Show here. Thermo King said it will disclose details of its solution in August.
“We’re showing you the next leap forward, products that will do more work while consuming less fuel,” David Kiefer, Carrier Transicold’s director of marketing and product management, said at a presentation at MATS. “The technology has resulted in products with an efficiency beyond anything we’ve ever achieved.”
He said that Carrier Transicold will introduce a new 2.2-liter engine for 2013 “that will use significantly less power than our present ones, 18% to 20% less power, but will deliver a better performance.”
It will go into limited production late this year and full production at the beginning of 2013, Kiefer said.
“It will improve fuel efficiency by at least 5% to 20%, compared to today’s engines, and bring a 20% reduction to greenhouse gases,” Kiefer said. “It reduces both NOx and particulate matter below the EPA requirements.”
The new engine will be used on both of Carrier Transicold’s trailer refrigeration platforms, the Vector hybrid diesel-electric and the X2 series of belt-driven units, Kiefer said.
Doug Lenz, Thermo King’s director of product management and marketing, said that the company already has developed reefer cooling units with an engine that will meet 2013 EPA standards. Lenz said the engine for trailer cooling units will provide even better cooling than existing models.
“We wanted to take opportunity to redesign entire system,” Lenz said. “We haven’t unveiled our solution, but I can tell you that it won’t have a diesel particulate filter, nor will it use selective catalytic reduction. It probably will use exhaust gas recirculation.”
Thermo King plans to show the new system in August, Lenz said, and it will go into limited production this year and full production in 2013.
