International Truck and Engine Co. announced its idle reduction strategy for the future Wednesday, Nov. 2, at the annual Society of Automotive Engineers Commercial Vehicle Congress and Exhibition in Chicago. The announcement was made during a technical session on idling reduction.
The technical session at the SAE meeting was organized and moderated by Paul Abelson, Land Line’s senior technical editor.
Abelson reported that one of the hottest topics among OEM and component suppliers is what kind of idle reduction strategies will be used to meet the demands of the future.
“The engineering community is working hard to lower equipment costs and make them more practical,” Abelson said. “Systems integration is one of the keys to efficiency and rather than offering just accessories in the data book, I believe International is doing the right thing by integrating systems.”
Robert A. Weber, chief engineer of the International Truck Heavy Product Center, presented the multi-faceted strategy that involves a premium cab insulation package, a fuel-fired coolant heater and electric air conditioning. The International system integrates all controls for ease of operation. Modular components make installation easier. APUs and 110-volt shore power modules are optional, as are various battery configurations including deep cycle batteries.
Competitive Class 8 trucks’ sleepers’ have cab insulation R-Values ranging from 2.5 to 3.1. The new International insulation package has an R-Value of about 6.0. That doubling of insulation effectiveness reduces power demand on HVAC units, allowing smaller units to have better performance. The insulation package includes an Arctic sleeper curtain, sleeper window insulation and improved cab floor insulation.
The 17,000-BTU fuel fired heater lets an operator choose between engine pre-heat and cab heat using the existing HVAC system. Energy to pump fuel to the heater and run its integrated water pump comes from two deep cycle batteries. They easily handle an average power draw of 400 watts.
The air conditioner outlet is integrated into a new footlocker cabinet. The unit has an adjustable thermostat as part of its integrated controls, located in the sleeper. The air conditioner itself easily fits into the passenger-side luggage compartment. When connected to shore power the unit, it can run on 110-volt AC current.
Customers can order components to configure the system to provide heat only, air conditioning only, or both together. Energy to power the components can come from the on-board deep cycle batteries, shore power or an auxiliary power unit.
International calculates that payback on the added cost will be between 12 and 18 months, depending on climate and configuration. The heater and insulation package are both scheduled to launch in March 2006. The air conditioner and APU will be introduced in May.
