The new Vector 8500 single-temperature hybrid trailer refrigeration unit from Carrier Transicold offers more power in a lighter-weight design.
The unit introduces the first fully hermetic electric scroll compressor used in a North American trailer refrigeration unit, Carrier said. Used in Carrier Transicold’s refrigerated marine container systems, the scroll compressor has 70% fewer moving parts and is 200 lbs. lighter than a traditional reciprocating compressor.
The Vector 8500 unit incorporates Carrier Transicold’s ecoForward technologies, which boost performance while providing compliance with 2013 Tier 4 emissions requirements from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“The expression ‘work smarter not harder,’ truly applies to our systems with ecoForward technologies,” said Bertrand Gueguen, president, Global Truck/Trailer, Carrier Transicold. “Innovative improvements in efficiency allow individual components, such as the engine, to use less energy while producing greater results – all in a system configuration that remains familiar to owners of prior Vector equipment.”
The Vector platform’s E-Drive all-electric refrigeration technology means refrigeration and heating operations are 100% electric, powered over the road by an onboard generator driven by the unit’s diesel engine, the company explained. Additionally, electric standby capability is built-in, allowing haulers to tap into electric power supplies to run the system when parked, providing quiet, emissions-free refrigeration performance that can reduce operating costs by up to 70% compared to diesel operations, while conserving fuel for the highway.
“While Carrier Transicold’s legacy Vector units are highly efficient, the new ultra-efficient Vector 8500 achieves 5 to 30% more BTUs of cooling per gallon of fuel at AHRI rating conditions,” said David Kiefer, director of marketing and product management. “Vector systems provide the dual benefits of reduced maintenance requirements and higher system reliability because overall they are less complex than conventional mechanical systems or competitive partially-electric systems,” Kiefer said.
The unit includes a 2.2L engine and an electronic control module that communicates with Carrier’s APX control system to optimize performance.
Carrier Transicold said the Vector 8500 weighs 210 lbs. less than its predecessor and is between 3 and 15% lighter than competitive models. It also offers up to 4% higher cooling capacity (60,000 BTU at 35 degrees F and 24,000 BTU at -20 degrees F), consumes up to 26% less fuel and reduces engine runtime by 14%.
