Understanding The Refrigerated Trailer- Purpose, Design, and Functions

Refrigerated-Trailer

The companies involved in the trucking business use different types of transport vehicles and trailers for transportation of various goods and materials. Most commonly, the big retail stores and markets hire a company for transportation of perishable food products and other similar temperature sensitive goods. For such transportation, the companies use special type of trailer which is known as refrigerated trailer. Both, the refrigerated truck and the refrigerated trailer, are basically road or transportation vehicles which are generally used for one purpose: Transport of products that are considered as perishable. These trucks and trailers can be seen on the roads all over Australia, and can be easily recognized because the trailer behind the truck is a closed type trailer. The main reason why so many companies use refrigerated trailers, is the fact that these road vehicles are specifically designed and are capable to transport various goods and materials over long distances, while keeping the goods inside the trailer in good and healthy condition.

In order to keep the goods in good condition until they reach the final destination, the refrigerated trailer needs to be well insulated from the outside environment. For this reason, the manufacturing companies use special materials when making the refrigerated trailers. A typical refrigerated trailer that can be seen nowadays on the roads, is designed with steel or aluminum made walls. The steel and aluminum are described as good heat insulators. Other trailers may be designed with walls made of hard plastic or other non porous materials for keeping the products inside in perfect condition. A good insulation material is of high importance, because this material has the capability to reflect the sun rays and also to save energy. As a result of this, the truck is capable to transport the products in the scheduled time with low operating costs.

Inside the refrigerated trailer, the desired temperature is achieved with special cooling systems. In the past, ice was used for keeping cool temperature inside the trailer. The modern refrigerated trailers come with modern cooling systems which are specifically designed to maintain a constant temperature during the whole transportation process. Usually, the refrigerated trucks are equipped with special cryogenic systems and innovative air circulation systems. The standard cryogenic systems use specific refrigerants which are known as cryogenic refrigerants, such as: nitrogen in liquid form, and carbon dioxide in liquid or solid form. These specific refrigerants are most commonly used when temperature sensitive products need to be transported over long distances. Designed with several parts and with simple structure, the cryogenic systems are easy to service and maintain, and that’s why they are most commonly used by the transport companies.

As mentioned above, a truck with refrigerated trailer is used for transportation of perishable food products from the manufacturing facilities directly to the big markets where they are sold to the general public. Generally, the products that need to be transported from one place to another, are processed food products that need to remain in semi-frozen condition until they reach the market shelves. Food products like ice cream, dairy products, frozen yogurts, and raw meats are transported to the big markets via trucks with refrigerated trailers.

In addition to food products, the refrigerated trailer is also used for transportation of other goods that also need to be kept at constant temperature during the transport process. Many types of drugs or medications need to be transported in specific temperature conditions that can only be managed and achieved in a refrigerated trailer. Furthermore, live organs meant for transplantation are also transported from one hospital to another with a special vehicle that has a refrigerated trailer. The refrigerated trailers are even used for transportation of valuable artifacts which need to be treated in special conditions. The trailers can control the level of humidity and temperature, thus keeping the archeological artifacts from deterioration.

In overall, the transportation costs when a refrigerated trailer is used are much higher when compared with the costs of the standard transportation. That’s because this trailer comes with special cooling equipment that use specific cooling refrigerants which increase the final costs. However, this cost is nothing when compared with the value that customers get by using and eating food products in perfect healthy condition.