1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140 
WHAT IS ATP?
Page 27
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
II ATP (Association de Transports Perishables) is the recognised world-wide standard for insulated bodywork and transport refrigeration. ATP-approved bodies or trailers are legally required for international transport of perishable foodstuffs, but not for transport within the UK.
ATP-certification guarantees a minimum level of thermal efficiency, known as the K-factor. ATP class-A bodies have "normal" insulation and a heat transfer coefficient or K-factor below 0.7111/1. Class C bodies have "heavy" insulation and a K factor below 0.4 WPC.
• The ATP test certificate covers the body and the refrigeration unit and is valid for six years. After that the body must be retested because its thermal efficiency can deteriorate in service, especially if the panels are damaged and water has got into the insulation.
ATP Class C is virtually standard on UK reefer specifications but less common on rigid bodywork where there are more variations and the cost of testing is proportionately higher. ATP certificates can be awarded singly or for Type-Approved production runs.
Bodybuilders might test several bodies: for example, one extremely thermally-efficient body with a low K-coefficient and one vehicle which has as many features as possible that raise the K-factor yet still remains within either the Class A or Class C limits.