Refrigerated Truck

[Samarjit Sen]

Could some one tell me if Sanden, Japan are making compressors suitable for a refrigerated van transporting Ice Cream. Today one of my prospective clients contacted me and said that all their 6 Refrigerated Trucks are not functioning and not maintaining the temperature of - 25 Deg. C. They are equipped with Sanden S9103 model compressor.

I would also like to know if some one can provide with the name of a good manufacturer of Evaporators suitable for the Refrigerated trucks.

Thank you.

[suny]

Dear Mr. Samarjit

The Bitzer transporter series compressors are very good. I am using two of those in my freezer trucks to distribute ice cream. Furthermore why do you want a room temperature of -25° C for ice cream during transportation?

I have installed Bitzer water cooled condensing units & Glycol Freezer Plates which hold a temperature of -40° C and an evaporator. We load the ice cream at -25° C in the evening, & it works overnight with AC. In the morning the room temperature is about -35° C. During transport the Bitzer transporter compressor coupled to the drive engine of the truck works to maintain the room temperature at -20° C. Sometime during cool weather the Bitzer transporter compressor does not work at all.

So why don’t you change into this system. It is very convenient & you incur very little fuel cost to drive the transporter compressor. Far East Refrigeration (Pte) Ltd. manufactures Eden Brand Evaporators.

Suny

[Samarjit Sen]

Dear Suny,

Thank you for your information. Other than Bitzer,Bock and Dorin are also manufacturing the compressors for transport refrigeration. Generally I have seen that the refrigerated trucks attain a temperature of - 22 Deg. C. My client is interested in - 25 Deg. C. This is good as it will provide better results.

I am interested in the Evaporators for transport. Heatcraft is not making for this application. I am awaiting the reply from Guntener. However I shall appreciate if you could provide me the web site address of the Eden Brand Evaporators.

[bruisermac]

where are you located? sounds like you need to step up to a larger system. ice cream requires "deep frozen" of -25c for best results...the most important factor is the quality of insulation of the truck or van body. that is something most customers dont fully understand when sizing their equipment. pimp out the space first then slightly oversize ur system. this will reduce mechanical wear and tear significantly over time as the unit works less to achieve desireable temp.

[Samarjit Sen]

Hello bruisermac,

I am located in India and have been in this feild for over 44 years. We have carried out a large number of Ice Cream hardening Chambers and Storage Rooms. Ice Cream Storage should be at a minimum of - 28 oC and the Hardening at - 35oC. These are the room temperatures. The trucks carrying the ice cream are generally at - 22 oC.

Oversizing any system is wrong. While designing a refrigeration plant, you have to ensure the the plant is suitable to maintain the desired conditions and at same time the capital expense and the recurring expenses are as less as possible. Further by oversizing you are increasing the power consumption.

[gwapa]

Dear Samarjit
All depend of the Ice Cream Product you manufacture also of the quality control of our country.

My experience is that a temperature higher that -25°C most type of ICE Cream start to lost quality. Biside most country do not accept higher temperature in case you wish to export.

In other hand the ICE crem distribution system is divided mostly two kind. Short routes intercities and long routes interstates or between countries for exportation.

A short routes system can be disigned acording with our friend Suny .We call this system Eutectic Cel or Cold Cell. It work very good .And it is cheaper

In long routes you require a Refrigerated trailer . It can use a power Generation set to keep the refrigeration sysmen running.

In all cases I recomend the ice cream be kept at -25°C or lower
regards

[Samarjit Sen]

Dear gwapa,

I fully agree with you. The lower the temperature of ice cream the better it is. I have worked for a number of Ice Cream manufacturing units in our country, wherein we have provided Hardening Chambers and Cold Stores. I have seen that the Ice Cream being loaded on to the refrigerated trucks/containers are coming out of a cold store at -28 to -30oC chamber while the temperature of the refrigerated truck/container is -18 to -22oc at the most. This does not make any sense to me. I think that the reefer trucks/containers should have at least -25oC. I feel that the reason is undersized equipments.

[suny]

Dear Samarjit & gwapa

I agree with gwapa. The above post I made was for short route distribution system. The other system operates for three day distribution system. It is a 5 ton Leyland truck which is equipped with a Bitzer type V open drive compressor, 3 phase generator with a soft starter. Freezer body front & top panels are with 6” insulation & rest with 4” insulation. There are three eutectic plates on either side and in front. Moreover there is a small DX Evaporator unit to circulate frozen air. This enables to bring down the temperature very quickly.

During distribution the system is set to cut in at -25 Deg C and cut out at -35 deg C, therefore the temperature is maintained between the above ranges. They normally operate the generator for less than 5 hrs on the final day. When the truck is stationed in factory premises, the compressor operates with the AC current.

Suny

[Samarjit Sen]

Dear Suny,

In all the Ice cream units that we have worked I have never seen a temperature as low as what you stated. This trucks were with either Carrier or Thermoking. Maybe the design conditions are based on the European or USA conditions, whereas in India it is pretty hot and due to which it may not be able to maintain the required conditions.

Can you give me an idea as to what would be the approximate cost of the refrigeration system as per your design in India currency.