Cold Link Africa Jul/Aug 2016 Vol 1 No 6 | Seite 17

NEWS
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN

Last step towards

vehicle thermal test chamber
C

By John Ackermann

onstruction of the thermal test

the less the energy usage to maintain

chamber at the South African

the temperature in a refrigerated vehicle

Bureau of Standards (SABS)

body. The energy could be consumed

in Groenkloof, Pretoria is planned to

by a diesel engine or electric motor to

commence before the end of July 2016.

drive the compressor of the refrigeration

The chamber — to test the thermal

unit. With less energy, the consumption

performance of refrigerated road

of diesel or kWh of the electric motor is

vehicles — is part of the three‑year GIZ

reduced and operating costs lowered.

programme to reduce carbon emissions

Less energy usage will also lower the

from refrigerated transport in South

carbon emissions from the diesel engine or

Africa.

the generation of electric power.

Contracts have been awarded for

A full test to determine the k-factor of a

the insulated structure, the ammonia

refrigerated vehicle should take three to

refrigeration plant, the instrumentation

four days.

and the training of the chamber

Layout of a typical European thermal test chamber built to comply with the requirements
of the ATP treaty for the carriage of perishable products.

operators. Without any unexpected

Easy access

delays, the chamber will accept vehicles

With doors at both ends, the SABS chamber

for testing late October 2016.

will offer easy drive through access and

motor of the refrigeration unit to operate

Science and Technology (DST), SABS, the

minimise the shunting or manoeuvring of

during the test. A specification, SANS 1744

Department of Transport, Southern African

vehicles into the chamber.

detailing the method of testing the thermal

Refrigerated Distribution Association

performance of insulated vehicles, has

(SARDA), Retail Motor Industry (RMI),
South African Vehicle And Body Builders'

The SABS chamber has been designed
to accept maximum height and
maximum length road vehicles for testing

The chamber will also be equipped

the thermal efficiency performance —

to do what is referred to in the ATP treaty

been drafted and is to be submitted to the

commonly referred to in Europe as the

(formally translated from French as the

project committee for approval before

Association (SAVABA), Road Freight

k-factor of an insulated vehicle body, for

Agreement on the International Carriage

circulating for public comment.

Association (RFA) and industry role

example, a refrigerated trailer or rigid,

of Perishable Foodstuffs and on the

a road tanker or an ISO reefer marine

Special Equipment to be used for such

between GIZ, the Department of

test chamber in Pretoria — which at one

Carriage) as an in‑service test, and will

Trade and Industry, the Department of

stage was considered impossible — is

require the diesel engine or the electric

Environmental Affairs, Department of

hailed as a major achievement.

container on a skeletal.
In layman terms, the lower the k-factor,

After three years of collaborations

players, the start of construction of the

CLA

IIR helps members
publish PhD theses
T

he International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) now
offers members referencing and open access for
doctoral theses that are dedicated to refrigeration.
Now, the publication of doctoral dissertations in the
Fridoc database can be initiated by the author or their
supervisor, provided they are IIR members.
Dissertations presented for a Master’s or a Bachelor’s

degree may be included, subject to the content being
of broad interest and high quality.
The submittal package should include a one-page
document containing the author’s name and contact
information, the title of the dissertation, the name of the
educational institution that granted the degree, the
dissertation in pdf format, and a signed agreement by

the author for the dissertation to be included in Fridoc.
The agreement indicates no copyright conflict. The
submittal package should be sent to the IIR head office
by email at [e-mail] with the subject ‘Publication
PhD thesis’.
With this service, the IIR hopes to add to the
dissemination of scientific progress in refrigeration. CLA

COLD LINK AFRICA • July | August 2016

www.coldlinkafrica.co.za

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