Christian Salvesen’s Temperature Controlled Business Unit has launched a series of trials into alternative fuels, aimed at reducing the company’s carbon footprint and, according to managing director Paul Mohan, potentially reducing its current business fuel costs.
The trials will involve the comparison of performance and benefits between Liquefied Natural Gas and bio-diesel, as well as investigating the potential of Cryogenic technology to reduce the environmental impact of the temperature control systems necessary to comply with current food safety requirements.
An initial trial of LNG is underway at the Easton depot in Lincolnshire, with a DAF 85 44 tonne artic using a dual fuel engine conversion, enabling LNG and diesel to be used simultaneously.
The project will run for four weeks in the first instance, followed by analysis of actual emission reductions, potential cost savings and evaluation of any health & safety risks. If the trial is successful the company will convert one of its fleet vehicles to dual fuel specifications for an extended trial period.
Salvesen is also trialling bio-diesel at the TCBU Bedworth depot, using current DAF 44 tone artics. These are powered by a standard DAF engine, initially using a 50 per cent bio-diesel to fossil fuel blend, reducing to five per cent bio-diesel to fossil fuel blend over the course of the six month trial period. At the end of the trial, emissions as well as fuel performance and effect on engine components will be evaluated.
In a further trial the unit will be analysing the potential benefits of introducing cryogenic systems into its temperature controlled vehicles which could reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as noise pollution.
With cryogenic units, cool air is generated by moving liquid carbon dioxide through a sealed coil and circulated in the cargo space, using the vehicle’s electrical system to power airflow. Fully used carbon dioxide is boiled off, which means that the cargo space no longer needs to be evacuated before the driver enters – a safety requirement of all other systems – and so cargo can be unloaded more quickly.
Christian Salvesen trials green fuel alternatives
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