Based on internal testing, Carrier Transicold said its Vector trailer refrigeration units are North America’s quietest diesel-powered trailer refrigeration units.
The Vector 6500 single-temperature unit was tested by Carrier Transicold in accordance with ARI Standard 1120 paired against a competitive unit of comparable capacity equipped with a factory-installed sound-reduction package. When running in high-speed cooling mode, the Vector unit’s sound output measured six decibels quieter than the competitor, stated Carrier.
“Putting this into perspective, it would take four Vector units running in high-speed cooling mode to produce the sound volume of a single conventional competitive unit equipped with a noise abatement package,” said Dave Kiefer, Carrier Transicold’s director of marketing & product management. “In the high-speed heating test, the Vector unit was even more impressive,” he added, explaining that, unlike conventional units, Vector units heat with electric resistance strips that do not require use of the compressor. In the high-speed heat mode, the Vector unit measured 10 decibels quieter than the competitor, he pointed out, with a sound output that is “low enough to be comparable to the decibel range of normal conversation.”
According to Kiefer, contributing to the Vector unit’s low sound output is its all-electric refrigeration system, which, he said, unlike conventional systems, doesn’t have the numerous mechanical components that contribute to engine and compressor noise. Vector units also take advantage of noise-reducing V-Force condenser fans with vortex-suppression technology. With doors designed for acoustic abatement, both the Vector 6500 and its multi-temperature sibling, the Vector 6600MT, include a bottom panel that helps further contain engine sound.
“Hauling operations that are seeking the quietest choice in high-capacity trailer refrigeration systems should consider the Vector units,” Kiefer said. “Although conventional trailer refrigeration systems, including Carrier’s X2 series, have been designed over the years to perform more quietly, the issue of noise is more relevant than ever.”
He pointed out that less noise from the reefer unit improves conditions for drivers in sleeper cabs, and also helps as refrigerated trailers travel through residential neighborhoods going to and from supermarkets, in neighborhoods located around refrigerated distribution centers, or where multiple refrigerated trailers congregate.
“When parked during loading and unloading, Vector units can be plugged into an outlet and powered electrically, enabling them to deliver full-capacity cooling without using the diesel engine,” Kiefer said. “This standby operation drops the sound output by another three decibels in cooling mode. In heating mode, when the compressor operation is not required, the unit is virtually silent.”
He added that when in standby operation, the Vector units eliminate engine emissions from the refrigeration unit, conserving fuel, and reducing operating costs by 40 to 70%, depending on the price of fuel and electricity.
