Integrated Technology Based on Thermal Storage to Reduce Trucks Idling for Overnight Heating or Cooling

Intercity tractor-trailers and other vehicles with diesel engines idle a significant portion of the time. Idling also produces airborne emissions and noise; a number of cities and states have banned or restricted idling to reduce pollution and noise. Reducing idling truck idling is thus an important environmental issue. In the freight transportation industry, a large part of the idling time is due to off-road heating and air conditioning. The heating ventilating and air conditioning systems (HVAC systems) in use today on internal combustion vehicles do not lend themselves to efficient application in vehicles having long idling period, especially in the trucks market.

An integrated climate control system has been developed over the past seven years. Applying a high-efficiency thermal storage technology (based on phase change of specific materials), the Climate Control System has been implemented in long haul trucks to reduce idling (for “off road and off engine” heating and cooling). Comprehensive performance analysis and testing of the high-performance heat pump have highlighted many benefits of using the technology (improved fuel economy by reducing vehicle idle and allowing for engine longer shut-off conditions).

This article presents the system and shows the results (in terms of reduction in energy consumption and emissions) of the implementation with monitored on-road data in operating truck applications.