New test chamber gives Celsius the edge in developing refrigerated vans

Specialist refrigerated vehicle converter Celsius is scaling up testing of the next generation of super-efficient refrigeration systems at a new purpose-built testing chamber.

The Lancashire-based vehicle converter has invested heavily in research and development since winning Government funding to trial new refrigeration solutions for the transition to electric fridge vans.

The new chamber allows Celsius engineers and product developers to compare the performance of refrigeration units and insulation systems in a whole range of fridge vans.

The test chamber is fitted out with the innovative new recycled insulation material which Celsius uses to line its super-efficient fridge vans. A battery of sensors and calibration equipment collects a wide range of performance data under precision temperature-controlled conditions. This data is then analysed to optimise the combination of components used in the fridge conversion.

Since it was commissioned earlier this year, the test chamber has provided several valuable insights into how different chiller units perform in a variety of vehicles and the impact of new insulation technologies.

The chilled transport and distribution sector is increasingly focused on efficiency ahead of the transition to electric vehicles, which perform better with lighter and more energy-efficient refrigeration and insulation systems.

Celsius has been at the forefront of electric fridge van development since 2018, when the Barnoldswick-based converter’s sister company CoolVan produced its first working prototype electric fridge van.

Since then, Celsius has worked with the University of Warwick and Europe’s leading refrigeration specialists to develop super-efficient chiller units and lighter, more sustainable insulation solutions which deliver significant efficiency gains with diesel vans and are especially well suited for electric van conversions.

Celsius Conversions manager Sam Hargreaves said: “The new test chamber has been a game-changer for us. Obviously we don’t want to disclose all of the findings the data has revealed, but it’s helping us pinpoint easy wins and focus on incremental gains to make our refrigeration and insulation systems as energy efficient as possible.

“The testing equipment is so sensitive that we can tell when someone has opened a door, how long it’s been left open and how much energy is required to bring the temperature back to optimum operating levels.”

Celsius’ new insulation system scooped the Refrigerated Panel Van of the Year Award at the Temperature Controlled Storage and Distribution Show in recognition of its ground-breaking new vehicle insulation system. 

Celsius’ newly patented lining system has been completely redesigned from the ground up to eliminate the use of GRP and wood, instead utilising 100 per cent recycled plastic materials that are also fully recyclable at the end of its life.  

Each conversion uses up to 9,000 recycled plastic bottles and the precision-engineered insulation panels are lighter and offer superior thermal performance.

The company is currently using the test chamber to evaluate lightweight insulation systems installed in electric fridge van prototypes based on the next generation of more affordable electric vans.

Celsius is the new specialist conversion division of CoolVan: one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of bespoke chilled and frozen transport vehicles.