Super Therm® Insulates Reefers
Land Line Magazine – The Business Magazine for Professional Truckers
Industrial Coatings Alliance Group Inc. is an international consultant, distributor, application and maintenance company of roof coatings and roofing systems. Headquartered in Roswell, GA, ICAG is a charter member of the EPA’s Energy Star Roof Coatings Program and is a leader in researching and implementing energy conservation roofing programs for various prominent business owners. With more than 5 million square feet of roofing surface coated, as well as more than 30,000 over-the-road trucking trailers, ICAG is recognized as a leader in roofing solutions.
While most roofing systems are merely a means of keeping the weather out, ICAG’s coating and roofing systems will provide superior insulating qualities, structural protection and aesthetics that will significantly lower utility cost, provide maintenance savings and enhance the aesthetics of the facilities and/or vehicle. Research indicates that energy savings alone provide an extremely favourable payback period making the application a viable financial option.
Industrial Coatings Alliance Group has recently tested its proprietary insulation coating with one of the nations largest private refrigerated carriers. ICAG is pleased to announce that Super Therm®, its proprietary coating, when applied to the top of a refrigerated trailer, can reduce the units fuel consumption approximately 30% versus a multi-temp refrigerated unit with traditional aluminium roofs.
Super Therm® is a roof coating that contains four unique ceramics. The ceramic makeup of Super Therm® gives it an insulation equivalent to 6-8 inches of fiberglass batt insulation but for 20 years. Super Therm® is a non-conductive ceramic coating that blocks 99.5 percent of long-wave energy, 92.5 percent of short-wave energy and 99.9 percent infrared heat energy.
The test began in July 2002. Super Therm® roof coating was applied to five multi-temp reefers in Tolleson, AZ. This facility was chosen due to the extreme amount of radiant heat that refrigerated units were exposed to daily, on mostly a year-round basis.
The “Control Group” consisted of five multi-temp trailers with traditional aluminium roofs. A third group of trailers, five multi-temp trailers coated with the trailer manufacturer’s proprietary heat- resistant composite roof, was included in the test as well. All 15 units were 2001 model year and manufactured to identical build specifications, with the exception of the addition of the heat-resistant composite roof by the manufacturer.
The primary area of focus for this test was on fuel economy; would the Super Therm® coated reefers burn less fuel than the control group and even the group with the heat-resistant composite roofing system. In addition, would the difference in fuel consumed justify the cost of the product?
After gathering and analyzing test results for the months of July and October, ICAG is pleased to announce that Super Therm® not only met, but also exceeded the expectations of the private refrigerated carrier.
In July, the Super Therm® coated units burned 30% less fuel than the “control” units and 20% less than the manufacturers heat-resistant composite units. On an annual basis, this resulted in decreased fuel consumption of 1,039 gallons and 463 gallons respectively. At $1.10 per gallon, the cost savings were $1,143 and $509 per unit.
If in Australia (1039 gallons) 3,908 litres x $1.55 per litre = $6,057 per annum x 20 years = $121,130 total fuel savings!
In October, the Super Therm® units burned 27% less fuel than the “control” units and 22% less fuel than the manufacturers’ heat-resistant composite roofing system units. On an annualized basis, this resulted in decreased fuel consumption of 599 gallons and 435 gallons respectively. At $1.10 per gallon, the cost savings were $659 and $479 per unit. Per our test, we can expect that savings would be highest in the summer months, lowest in the winter months and average in fall and spring months.
If in Australia (599 gallons) 2,264 litres x $1.55 per litre = $3,509 per annum x 20 years = $70,180 total fuel savings!
With product cost and installation cost considered, a payback could be expected of less than one year. These savings estimates do not include maintenance savings which would likely result from the refrigeration unit running less hours, or running a higher percent of hours in low speed versus high. This would, in theory, also extend the life of the refrigeration unit. In addition, savings associated with a decrease in labor that would result from fuelling the reefers less often is not included in the cost savings > Read More PDF >
