When it comes to covering the “last mile” of the trip from a producer to a retailer, trucking is the transport method of choice by an overwhelming margin. Tens of thousands of tons of goods move from farms, warehouses, and manufacturing facilities to customers every day. A significant amount of that freight involves cargo that must remain refrigerated to stay fresh. Fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat products all require special trucks to ensure they can arrive safely at their destination. For operators of refrigerated trucking fleets, maintaining the right temperature is always a challenge. By and large, though, the built-in air conditioning systems do their jobs just fine. That is, at least until it’s time to load or unload product.
The Problem: Temperatures Spike During Load Operations
When a driver unlocks the rear hatch and opens the door to the refrigerated compartment, the physics of thermodynamics immediately begin to come into play. Hot air from the outside will begin to flow into the trailer, displacing the cold air. If left open long enough, the temperature will climb steadily towards the ambient outdoor level. When a truck must make multiple deliveries from the same load of cargo, this temperature spike can have the potential to impact product quality when left unchecked. Even when the change is not so severe, it will still result in an additional load on the truck’s air conditioning equipment.
Ultimately, that strain both increases wear and tear on critical equipment while also affecting fuel consumption. Both represent very real costs for any transport logistics company. Combined with the risk of possible product spoilage resulting in losses for both supplier and purchaser, and it’s clear that some kind of solution is a necessity. Among the most common are strip curtains — plastic strips which hang down from the back of the truck, acting as a physical barrier to slow the movement of air between inside and outside the compartment.
Strip curtains are not an ineffective solution, but they do come with several drawbacks. First and foremost, the plastic strips become dirty and clouded quickly; cleaning them is not an easy task and adds one more item to the truck’s maintenance list. As one might imagine, dirt and grime hanging on plastic sheets near food products is not ideal. Strip curtains also obstruct the view to the outside for those working inside the truck. Passing through the curtain onto the loading ramp can be a safety risk in such conditions, especially during busy operations. These concerns merit the consideration of another option altogether.
The Solution: How Air Curtains Make a Difference
Slim profile air curtains, installed at the top of the entrance to the refrigerated compartment of the truck, are the ideal solution. The operating principles are remarkably simple: using an electric motor, the curtain sucks in air from outside the truck. This air is then forced through a special array of tubes which creates “laminar flow,” or a sheet of air that moves with a uniform speed and direction. This flowing sheet of air is strong enough to create a barrier between the top and bottom of the compartment while remaining pleasantly gentle to those passing through while loading.
Activated once the doors roll up, the air curtain will continue operating throughout the entire load/unload operation. The air barrier it creates seals off the interior, allowing only a very small amount of warm exterior air to enter. Likewise, the loss of cold air is kept to a minimum. Fluctuations in temperature become easier for equipment to handle and control without overly taxing the refrigeration systems. Alongside keeping cold air in, air curtains will also keep small flying insects out — an essential attribute for better hygiene inside the truck.
This hardware is easy to install for most refrigerated trucks and typically requires little maintenance, owing to their simple mode of operation. Cleaning is easy as well — a regular dusting using compressed air will keep the flow strong. Thanks to their long hours of dependable operation, refrigerated truckers can realize savings by investing in air curtains.
Determining How to Outfit Your Trucks with This Technology
Making the switch to this technology can yield savings, improvements in convenience, and even safer daily operations. With that in mind, what do you need to consider to take the next steps in investigating this option? Choosing a reliable supplier should be your first step.
At Air Door Distributors, we bring years of experience to the table along with an in-depth understanding of air curtains and how to make them work best across all kinds of industries. For trucks, the sizing of air curtains is especially important. Our trained and professional staff can aid you in working through the options available and how they will fit into your budget. To find out more about how we can assist you in achieving improved conditions in refrigerated trucks, contact us today.
