For fleets across several industries, nitrogen is a critical resource used in their daily operations. Cylinders of nitrogen are used for temperature control in trucks, ensuring safe transport of sensitive products, such as food, beverage, pharmaceuticals, and more.

How does this process work and why do fleets use nitrogen compared to alternatives? In this article, we take a look.

Fleets use cryogenic cooling.

The process through which nitrogen is used to cool trucks is called cryogenic cooling. During this process, nitrogen is stored at extremely low temperatures – think -320°F – and transported in insulated tanks, where it can be released into the cooling system of the truck’s cargo area. As the nitrogen evaporates, it absorbs a significant amount of heat from the environment, keeping the cargo area at the correct temperature for transporting those sensitive goods.

Why is this method chosen?

There are a lot of advantages to cryogenic cooling with nitrogen that make it attractive to companies. These include:

• Efficiency – nitrogen cools a truck’s cargo space quickly and effectively, which is critical when transporting perishable goods.
• Precision – nitrogen cooling systems allow for very precise temperature control, at a wide range of possible temperatures, making it ideal for goods that require that specificity.
• Simple maintenance – nitrogen cooling systems typically are less complicated than traditional refrigeration systems, requiring less maintenance, and posing less risk of mechanical failure.
• Noise reduction – nitrogen cooling systems operate almost silently, making them better for urban and nighttime deliveries, where sound is a concern.
• Fuel cost reduction – cooling with nitrogen does not use a vehicle’s engine to operate, meaning it doesn’t use up diesel fuel.
• Truckload optimization – because nitrogen cooling systems are smaller than traditional refrigeration systems, fleets can potentially load more product per trip.

Nitrogen cooling systems are also far more sustainable.

Another huge benefit of nitrogen cooling for fleets is the sustainability and reduced emissions. These days, companies must factor sustainability into their operations. Being able to pair sustainability with cost reduction is, therefore, a huge advantage for a fleet.

Unlike using a diesel counterpart, nitrogen cooling systems produce no direct emissions. In some cases, switching a refrigerated truck from diesel to nitrogen can reduce the vehicles overall emissions by 93%.

Are there disadvantages?

With so many advantages, nitrogen cooling systems may sound too good to be true. There are considerations in the ‘con’ column, too. These include:

• A high upfront cost to switch to nitrogen cooling systems for a fleet’s existing trucks.
• The hassle of ongoing nitrogen tank refills and storage, compared to just refilling on fuel.
• Limited operating range – the cooling system is only operational as long as the nitrogen supply in the truck is stocked. Depending on the cooling requirements and cargo volume, liquid nitrogen may need to be refilled more frequently than diesel or electric refrigeration systems.
• Handling risks – if drivers and workers aren’t trained properly, including frostbite, other injuries, oxygen displacement, and more.

While switching to nitrogen can offer huge benefits, it’s not a switch to make without consideration of these factors.

In conclusion…

Nitrogen cooling systems are quickly becoming a go-to solution for fleets that need to transport perishable goods. They have advantages and disadvantages, but their potential to reduce fuel costs and fuel emissions is a huge pull for fleet management.