There’s plenty of news centered on CDL trucking jobs and trends, but news about refrigerated truck design is not so common. So, we were pleased to see a story on refrigerated truck design come up.

What will the refrigerated trailer of the future be made of? Chances are it will be economical, strong and feature an aluminum sheet-and-post design, says a Truckinginfo.com article on the subject.

The thicker the walls and the amount of foam inside, the greater the vehicle’s ability to help the unit maintain a desired temperature.

But, thicker walls also add tare weight and reduce payload capacity. “I see more use of non-metallic materials,” says Charlie Fetz, recently retired research and development engineer at Great Dane Trailer and author of a Future Truck paper on temperature controlled trailers for ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council. “Aluminum serves as a great material, but it conducts heat. If inside the wall cavity, the aluminum posts contribute to heat conduction. However, manufacturers minimize that with careful design.”

One way to improve efficiency is through aerospace-like composites like those from Wabash National.

The material gives the 53-foot trailer up to 25 percent improvement in thermal performance. In addition, it is up to 20 percent lighter compared to conventional designs. Interior puncture resistance is 25 percent better.

“The composite includes a mixture of fiberglass, carbon fiber and resin,” says Larry Adkins, applications engineer for Wabash. “Carbon provides strength. It’s used only in areas where strength is needed, and some areas don’t have any. The center of a trailer needs carbon,” which supports the load like a bridge span. Another advantage: “Composites are more corrosion resistant (than metals). Chemicals have no effect on the materials.”

The first trailer prototype units beyond the initial vehicle produced later this year

Five “launch partners” begin testing in normal fleet operations, Adkins says. “First, we get some miles on them. Miles show what can’t be done in labs. Then, we alter the design if we have to.”

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