Cool tests by York
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FEARS that French ATP perishable goods transport testing may be inadequate for thin wall refrigerated lorries are being allayed by York Trailer.
There are serious doubts among British manufacturers and customers about the French method of ATP testing procedures and the slimmer side walls' thermal efficiency where thinner insulation is believed to lead to greater local heat leakage.
To allay concern on both counts, York Trailer has successfully submitted one of its French-built slim-wall Thermoven semi-trailers, already certified in France, for ATP Class C testing at the Harben test centre in Wallasey, Merseyside.
The trailer was fitted with its Thermoking SNWD50 refrigerated unit to British ATP test requirements, as opposed to the French method without the unit and the aperture blanked off.
Against the maximum permissable heat gain of 0.4 Watts/sqm degrees C for class the Harben test result fielded a figure of 0.39.
Tested in France the same trailer is said to be capable of a test figure of 0.337. To this, says York, must be added a factor of 0.05 for the absent freezer unit which makes it slightly lower than the Harben test result.
Slimwall Thermovens now have high density polyurethane prepolymer in the side panel walls instead of Klegecell expanded pvc because the French manufacturer, Le Captaine, believes its insulated performance and rigidity at low thicknesses is better than pvc foam.
With UK certification completed York has applied for series authorisation. Vehicles manufactured to a similar standard will be automatically issued with ATP class C certification.
This required a visit by a De. partment of Transport inspectoi to the St Lo plant, and, accord ing to York there appears to Ix no reason why that authorise tion should not be granted.
Production of Thermovens expected to be at York': Northallerton plant, beginninc with the thick walled version.