New “smart remote evaporators” drive operational efficiencies of the new Vector 8600MT hybrid refrigeration unit from Carrier Transicold.
The 8600MT is a multi-temperature trailer refrigeration unit.
“The innovative engineering that went into the Vector 8600MT unit and its new smart remote evaporators provides our food distribution and supermarket customers with significant benefits,” said David Appel, president, Carrier Transicold & Refrigeration Systems. “These improvements will help customers in the key areas of reducing fuel consumption and maintenance costs, environmental compliance, quiet operation, lower total cost of ownership, and trailer configuration flexibility.”
The Vector 8600MT shares key attributes of its recently introduced single-temperature sibling, the Vector 8500 unit. Both provide significantly reduced weight, improved fuel economy and greater refrigeration capacity, Carrier Transicold said.
Both new Vector models use a fully hermetic electric scroll compressor. The scroll compressor has 70% fewer moving parts and is 200 lbs. lighter than a traditional reciprocating compressor, contributing to the host unit’s overall 10% weight reduction compared to its predecessor.
With the Vector 8600MT, one or two remote evaporators can be added to the host system, enabling a total of up to three refrigerated compartments within a single trailer, each maintained at a different temperature set point.
“We call our new remotes smart evaporators because they each have an integral control module that communicates with the main APX control system,” said Bertrand Gueguen, president, Global Truck/Trailer, Carrier Transicold. “It’s part of Carrier Transicold’s unique distributed electronics strategy. This means simpler wiring and streamlined installation, which ultimately results in higher reliability. The advanced design of the new smart remote evaporators also includes electronic expansion valves for better capacity and recovery after door openings, more precise temperature control, and lower fuel consumption.”
The smart remote evaporators automatically adjust to varying conditions to ensure optimized cooling capacities and more efficient fuel use, the company said.
The Vector platform’s signature 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. Electric standby capability is built in, allowing haulers to tap into electric power supplies to run the system when parked.
The Vector 8600MT unit incorporates Carrier Transicold’s performance-boosting ecoForward technologies. Compared to the unit it succeeds, the Vector 8600MT unit provides up to 4% higher cooling capacity at 60,000 Btu at 35 deg. F and 24,000 Btu at -20 deg. F, while using up to 20% less engine power.
