NASHVILLE. Aperia Technologies introduced a new “self-powered” bolt-on tire inflation device called the Halo Tire Inflator here at the 2014 Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) annual meeting; a device that is designed for use on medium- and heavy-duty truck drive axles, bus axles, and trailer axles.
Josh Carter, CEO and co-founder of Aperia, noted during a press conference that his firm tested the Halo device via fleet evaluations that spanned two years and 8 million miles of on-road testing across the U.S. and Canada in all weather conditions. He added that the Halo can also be used on truck and trailer axles equipped with wide-base tires or with traditional “dual tire” set ups.
“The Halo uses the ‘reciprocating’ energy of wheel motion for power so there is no internal compressor on this device,” Carter said, noting that an individual Halo unit weighs about 5.5 lbs. and sells for $299 or $600 per axle.
He pointed to research conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) indicates that maintaining proper tire pressure results in a 1% to 2% gain in fuel efficiency increase and that by eliminating tire under-inflation, the average fleet can save more than $2,200 annually for each tractor-trailer. That’s why Carter believes the Halo can deliver “payback” to fleets in about one year.
Aperia’s Halo device bolts on to the wheel hub in about 5 to 10 minutes and is designed to last for about 500,000 miles of operation. Carter noted that the Halo operates on a similar principle to a self-winding watch, using the wheel's rotational motion to pump and maintain optimal tire pressure.
He added that the Halo comes with “pre-set” air pressure levels desired by the fleets and also allows for air to be “vented off” in case tire pressure gets too high.
