Carrier Transicold introduced its ComfortPro auxiliary power unit (APU) at the Mid-America Trucking Show. A new agreement between Carrier, a United Technologies Corp business unit, and Teleflex Inc makes Carrier Transicold the exclusive worldwide distributor of the ComfortPro APU.
The ComfortPro APU can reduce engine idling time 90 percent, according to Tom Cunningham of Carrier Transicold. It can also save truck operators thousands of dollars annually in fuel costs, while also reducing emissions, engine wear, and associated maintenance costs. It also provides cab climate control — both heating and cooling. It can provide 120-volt AC power, 40 amps of truck battery charging, truck engine warming, and start/stop operation.
The ComfortPro all-electric architecture shares the same Deltek hybrid diesel-electric technology found in Carrier's Vector 1800MT trailer refrigeration unit. Its 4,000-watt generator is driven by a Kubota diesel engine — the same engine used in other Carrier transport refrigeration systems. Cab cooling is provided by a sealed electric-powered compressor located in the cab.
The APU is housed in a weather-tight case that mounts on the truck frame rail. Oil can be changed and filters for oil, air, and fuel can be serviced in less than five minutes, Carrier says.