Refrigerated road transport uses a refrigeration unit in the cargo area of a truck to protect sensitive cargo. The truck’s storage area must be well insulated, and the refrigeration unit is usually located behind the driver’s cab or on top of the unit. The cost is higher due to special equipment and maintenance expenses.
Refrigerated road transport is the practice of using a refrigeration unit in the cargo area of a truck to protect cargo that may be sensitive to temperatures above a certain level. Units with refrigeration can be semi-trailer combinations or straight trucks. Since refrigerated truck units are cooled in the same way, other factors often determine which type of truck is used to transport the goods.
For refrigerated transport to work, the truck’s storage area must first be well insulated from outside air. For this, steel, plastic or other non-porous materials can be used to keep cool air inside the cargo area. This also takes some of the stress off the refrigeration unit, saving energy and reducing the overall cost of operating the unit during transport.
The location of the refrigeration unit on most refrigerated truck units is immediately behind the driver’s cab or on top of the unit. For semi-trailers, the unit is usually located behind the cab. While there may be some exceptions to this, semifinals generally prefer to have the units in this location as this allows for greater trailer height. Generally, the top is the preferred choice for the refrigeration unit for straight trucks, as it is troublesome to place it anywhere else.
Many different types of products may require the use of refrigerated trucks. The most common need for refrigerated road transport is when transporting agricultural products that tend to spoil or decompose easily, such as fruits or vegetables. Of course, frozen foods also require refrigeration, and generally the same units that can be used for refrigerating can also be used for freezing. Some types of photo processing equipment may also require that they be kept within a certain temperature range, the maximum of which would likely be exceeded by traditional trucks.
Generally, refrigeration units are built to withstand the rigors of commercial shipping so that all normal methods of loading and unloading are possible. This includes the use of forklifts and pallet trucks. Some refrigeration units have grooved floors so that airflow is not impeded by freight sitting on the floor. Therefore, some loading equipment with smaller wheels may be ineffective as these wheels can get stuck in these grooves. These grooves are usually less than two inches (approximately five cm) wide.
The cost of refrigerated road transport is generally higher than traditional road transport, but this is mainly due to the special equipment and the additional expenses associated with maintaining and servicing this equipment. Also, fewer refrigeration units are available at any one time and less supply means higher prices.
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