EcoolTec reefer with dual-circuit system uses both R1270 HC and R744 CO2 refrigerants

Britain’s biggest supermarket chain has adopted cutting-edge transport refrigeration technology with the addition of two trucks to the Tesco fleet equipped with propylene (R1270) and CO2 (R744) refrigeration units from German  manufacturer EcoolTec

Tesco becomes the first in the UK to embrace EcoolTec’s all-electric TM182 units, which stand out in the heavy commercial transportation sector for their ability to provide near-zero-emission refrigeration.

A low-charge propylene circuit – sealed for operational safety and installed on the roof of the trailers – is connected to a secondary CO2 refrigeration circuit serving the system’s evaporators.

Power on the move comes from EcoolTec’s G30 truck engine alternator, a battery, or a separate generator with a mains plug option serving the unit when back at base.

‘Natural’ refrigerants, such as carbon dioxide (R744) and hydrocarbons (in this case R1270) have low global warming potential and are growing in popularity due to the potential environmental and health risks posed by synthetic fluorinated refrigerants.

Strict, wide-ranging European F-Gas Regulations are driving more research and development into alternatives.

The collaboration between EcoolTec and British transport refrigeration specialist Gray & Adams resulted in the design of new 18-tonne trucks featuring a multi-temperature box body capable of simultaneously transporting chilled and frozen products between Tesco’s distribution centre in Peterborough and its stores.

“The fact that a major international retail group like Tesco has decided in favour of the EcoolTec technology is a great vote of confidence for us,” said EcoolTec CEO Henning Altebäumer.

“In Gray & Adams, we have found a perfect body builder in the UK that has the necessary expertise and is open to innovation.”

The EcoolTec TM182 is said to require 60-80 per cent less energy than conventional diesel-powered systems of the same capacity. This efficiency contributes to substantial emission savings, with the unit claimed to produce 98 per cent fewer emissions than diesel-powered refrigeration systems when running on battery power thanks to the alternator drive. 

Additionally, the unit’s refrigerants, CO2 and propylene, have minimal climate impact in the event of a leak, unlike HFCs R452A and R410A commonly used in transport refrigeration that have been linked to the formation of environmentally harmful substances such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Tesco fleet engineering manager Cliff Smith said: “As we look to decarbonise our transport, using lower-impact refrigeration will play an important role in our efforts to become net zero by 2035.

“With these two new innovative Gray & Adams and EcoolTec trucks, in addition to our electric HGVs, electric home delivery vans, and solar-powered refrigeration units, we are leading the way in electric haulage innovation, helping to tackle road transport emissions.”

Tesco has invested significantly in decarbonising its refrigeration systems, focusing on R744-based technologies and electrifying its online delivery fleet.

In addition to refrigerated transport, the company has implemented transcritical R744 systems in approximately one-third of its stores and transitioned distribution centres to ammonia-based systems in partnership with Star Refrigeration.

The introduction of EcoolTec’s TM182 unit represents a further milestone in Tesco’s sustainability journey, showcasing the company’s proactive approach to embracing the updated F-Gas Regulations now in effect in the EU, imposing immediate restrictions on the use of common F-Gas refrigerants that will be completely prohibited by 2050 at the latest.

While transport refrigeration systems currently remain unaffected by an early ban on synthetic refrigerants, unlike many stationary systems, fleet operators are already grappling with the prospect of increased operating expenses and the limited supply of traditional refrigerants.