Research indicates major opportunity to improve air quality by tackling auxiliary engines

New analysis by Dearman, the clean cold technology company, has indicated
that zero-­emission transport refrigeration systems could cut overall engine
pollution from refrigerated vehicles by up to 93% and have a major impact on
air quality.

Refrigeration systems on trucks are typically powered by an auxiliary diesel engine.
Poorly regulated, these small secondary engines can emit up to six times the NOx
and 29 times the particulate matter of a truck’s Euro6 propulsion engine.
The findings of Dearman’s research indicate that equipping a Euro6-­standard 17-­
tonne rigid body truck with a zero-­emission refrigeration system, as opposed to a
diesel-­powered unit, would cut the vehicle’s overall engine emissions of particulate
matter by 93%, and reduce NOx emissions by 73%.

Replacing the UK’s fleet of diesel powered transport refrigeration units with zero-­
emission alternatives could save the same amount of particulate matter as taking
approximately 5.5 million diesel cars off the road.

A study released last year found that pollution from transport refrigeration could cost
European Union countries €22 billion over the next decade, as the EU refrigerated
road vehicle fleet grows to almost 1.2 million by 2025. If nothing is done, the
environmental and health impacts of emissions of CO2, HFCs, NOx and PM will
impose an annual burden of more than €2.5 billion in 2025.

Toby Peters, Chief Executive of Dearman said: “Air pollution accounts for 400,000
premature deaths in Europe each year, so reducing emissions wherever possible
has to be a priority. Companies have already invested billions into R&D to make
truck and car engines significantly cleaner. But auxiliary engines, including transport
refrigeration units, are lagging behind. By increasingly moving over to zero-­emission
alternatives, there is an opportunity to have a major environmental impact without
forcing companies to change the way they operate. It could be a small change that
makes a big difference.”


Dearman technology has the potential to be of significant benefit to operators of
temperature-­controlled vehicles, and the environments in which they operate. The
Dearman zero-­emission refrigeration system is a like-­for-­like replacement that can
be cheaper to run than a diesel system and can meet the high operational standards
that the industry requires – while being both clean and quiet.

The Dearman transport refrigeration system is powered by the expansion of liquid
nitrogen. Unlike conventional transport refrigeration units, many of which are able to
use subsidised diesel in operation, the Dearman system emits no NOx, no PM, or
other pollutants associated with combustion. The system also offers real CO2
savings over its lifetime and will enable operators to address a large proportion of
their fleet’s emissions without having to change the way their fleets function.

The Dearman transport refrigeration system is undergoing final closed-­road testing
ahead of commercial deployment in field trials.