Whether you’re a start-up or an existing individual
refrigerated van conversion business, van refrigeration unit is a must-have to transport perishable cargoes of any kind. A van refrigeration system keeps your perishables at the correct temperature, maintains the products quality and offers valuable benefits. A reliable van unit will help make more profit and improve your refrigerated transportation business in the long run.
Therefore, it’s critically important to choose a suitable refrigeration unit that will best suits your purposes.
While, Chiller unit or Freezer Unit?
Booking a
transport refrigeration system is not always as simple as it may seem. There are issues such as cooling capacity, van size, required temperature and driving type to take into consideration.
Guchen Thermo is going into more detail about top 4 factors which will determine your purchasing decisions. If you are planning to buy a refrigeration system for your van business, but have no idea how to select, our comprehensive guideline will narrow down your choice and help you make the best decision.
1.What specific temperature do your goods to be shipped at?
Optimal transport temperature is probably the most important factor to start off with. Different goods needs different temperature. Depending on the type of item you transport, specific safe temperature standard needs to be kept through the cold chain.
Refrigerated vans are designed with a wide transport temperature range to safely store your products. Different van refrigeration units have the capability of maintaining different temperatures. Its setting temperature should be controlled at a safe temperature range in accordance with products being transported.
Guchen Thermo’s recommendation for different cargoes refrigerated transport:
◆ Van freezer units: specifically designed for transporting frozen (-10℃ to -20℃) and deep freeze goods (-25℃ to -30℃). The coldest temperature range of a van freezer system could reach as low as -30℃.
| Van Freezer Unit |
| Deep freeze goods |
Frozen goods |
| (-25℃ to -30℃) |
(-10℃ to -20℃) |
| Items |
Transport Temp. |
Items |
Transport Temp. |
| Ice cream |
-25℃ |
Frozen meat
(poultry, pork, beef)
|
-10℃ |
| Seafood
(shrimp)
|
-25℃ or below |
Frozen bakery
(cakes, bread)
|
-14℃ |
| |
|
Organ |
-18℃ |
| |
|
Butter, cheese |
-14℃ |
| |
|
Animal innards |
-12℃ |
| |
|
Blood plasma |
-20℃ |
◆ Van chiller units: Chiller van is commonly used to carry and transport goods at chilled temperatures. A van chiller system would be the most recommended choice if you only transport temperature sensitive items like pharmaceutical, fruit, vegetable and fresh meat. In general, the temperature of a modern van chiller unit can range from
-5℃ to 30℃. This range comprises the standard temperature required by almost all fresh produce cargoes during transportation.
| Van Chiller Unit |
| Items |
Chilled Temp. |
|
Pharmaceutical
(vaccines, Blood)
|
2℃-8℃ |
| Fresh Flowers |
5℃-7℃ |
| Drinks |
0℃-8℃ |
| Fruits and Vegetables |
4℃-6℃ |
| Fresh Meat |
3℃ |
| Smoked Meat, Sausage |
0℃-4℃ |
| Milks, Eggs |
6℃ |
| Chocolate |
-1℃ |
| Canned food |
-5℃ |
Conclusion:
◆ For any goods transportation at frozen temperatures, please buy van freezer units (temperature range -30℃ to +30℃);
◆For the delivery of perishable produce at chilled temperatures, please select van chiller systems (temperature range -5℃ to +30℃).
2.Multi-temperature Zone Refrigerated Vans or Single-temperature Zone?
Is it necessary to separate your products effectively?
Do you transport fresh fruit and vegetable alongside raw meat in one van?
Do you want to individually configure your refrigerated vans with flexible wide temperature range to perfectly operate in any conditions?
Do you want to ensure meat, dairy, poultry and fish no cross-contamination during refrigerated transportation?
Benefits:
◆ keeping cargoes separate is able to minimize bacterial contamination risk when transporting fresh fruit alongside raw meat. Multi-temp refrigerate vans can keep your produce safely contained throughout refrigerated transportation.
◆ with multiple temperature refrigeration system, your van can be insulated to a multi-temperature compartments with both simple chilling specification and more demanding frozen/deep-freeze specification. It makes your vans capable of holding multiple temperatures in one vehicle.
◆ a multi-compartment refrigerated van is recommended for transporting dairy, fish, meat and other products. From food transportation to distribution of pharmaceutical products, it is able to obtain each temperature.
Conclusion:
If your refrigerated vans are delivery catering goods, food, medicine and pharmaceuticals or any other items that need to be stored at differing temperatures, then multi-temperature van refrigeration unit is recommended.
3.Are Your Van Powered by Battery or Diesel Engine?
Electric refrigeration unit runs off the vehicle’s 12v battery with maximum performance at minimum cost and minimum energy consumption. The advantages of electric refrigeration units are low price, simple structure and easy maintenance.
Zero emission fridge vans are becoming increasing popular for transport fleets to reduce costs and emission. As a surge in retail demand and direct sales in food service and hospitality sectors, inquiries on
electric van refrigeration units have seen a steady increase in 2021.
Direct drive refrigeration unit is a non-independent system. It does not have a power unit and needs to rely on van engine to drive the
transport refrigeration compressor to work.
The condenser is generally installed on the van roof. The cooling capacity of direct drive van refrigeration unit is small, and it is generally used in small refrigerated vehicles such as MPV, VAN, and light trucks with a cargo compartment volume of 2-25 cubic meters.
Since it has no power source, when the refrigerated vehicle engine stops, the direct drive refrigeration unit loses power support and stops working too. Refrigerated vans with non-independent units are generally used for short-distance refrigerated transportation such as urban distribution.
4.Overnight Storage
Some refrigerated vans provide with a complete overnight standby facility. It is achieved by fitting with an electric standby which utilizes an external power source (AC220V) to maintain the correct temperature. It is specialized designed for those who are looking to keep their cargoes stored overnight.
Benefits:
Electric standby units are mostly widely bought by food producers, wholesaler or courier companies.
◆ it can be used for both overnight storage and pre-cooling your van prior to loading, to ensure a seamless transition from loading to unloading.
◆ it is used when the engine is turned off or your van is not in use, therefore it reduces energy consumption, saves money and energy cost, more environmentally friendly.
◆ with the add-on of electric standby, you will not have to worry about an unexpectedly schedules change or a delay delivery.
Will your product be stored overnight?
