The Different Types Of Refrigerated Vans Available

The Different Types Of Refrigerated Vans Available
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With a number of refrigerator vans on the roads today, have you ever wondered about the differences between them all? Here at BHRV, we are experts in refrigerator vans, we have supplied new, used and converted vans for a number of years and have a vast amount of experience. Our team have used our knowledge and expertise to put together a list of the different van types you can get on the market today. With a range of vans available, some of them have different specifications, this is because of the different goods that need to be transported using refrigerated vans, here is our guide to the different choices you have available to you. 

Transit Custom No Background - BHRV Refrigerated Vans

Insulated Vans 

The main concept of a refrigerated van is that it not only keeps your goods cold but it also keeps warm air out, working with a refrigeration system to ensure that a consistent temperature is maintained throughout the van, insulated vans don’t offer this. They are not built with a fitted refrigeration system, but they are capable of keeping goods and products cool for as long as possible, suited better to shorter journeys. 

Insulated vans are best suited to distributing long shelf life products or non-perishables, this is because without a refrigeration unit you cannot guarantee that a consistently cold temperature will be reached. Built using 50-millimetres of styrofoam or polystyrene, the vans are built in a way that prevents a thermal bridge from forming, this is done by cutting off all possible access for warm air to move into the van. Once the rear doors of the van have been closed and sealed, the cold air will remain in place for as long as it can, but it won’t be as effective as a van with a refrigeration system. 

Conversion Chiller Vans

These types of vans are basically insulated vans with a refrigeration component attached, turning them into conversion chiller vans. This in essence means, the van keeps the warm air out, whilst dragging more cold air in, keeping products and goods colder for longer. Having a conversion chiller van means you are able to transport non-perishable goods, but only ones that do not require a sub-zero temperature, so it is most readily used for fruit, vegetables and shelf-life products. 

A few examples we can give you of companies that would choose a conversion chiller van are florists, pharmaceutical companies and those who are needing to transports goods that don’t need to be below zero but need to be chilled. Perfect for chilled beverages and sandwich companies. 

Semi-Freezer Vans 

Semi-freezer vans are a little more advanced than both the chiller van and conversion vans that are on the market today. With a 75-millimetre thick wall cavity, they are more advanced, this means they can offer a higher refrigeration capacity. These vans are built in order to transport and distribute frozen goods, and any other products and goods that need to stay below freezing. More often than not these vans are also fitted with a quick-defrost system in place, this removes the need to have a defrost heater. 

With the main storage compartment reaching between -10c and -15c, this type of van is perfect for transporting frozen food, quickly and efficiently. 

Full-Freezer Van 

When it comes to refrigerator vans, these are the creme de la creme. Perfect for any goods that need to be kept frozen, these vans offer the best freezing systems. Sharing many of the specifications of the semi-freezer van, the full freezer vans are built with thick, heat resistant doors and walls. This enables for a constant freezing temperature to be reached, once that temperature has been reached it won’t falter. Having thicker doors and walls means that the interior temperature won’t be affected by direct sunlight on the outside or by changes in external temperatures. 

These vans are perfect for transporting frozen food, and any other goods you may be distributing that need to consistently stay below freezing. 

Peugeot Partner Chiller L2 (spring) (1) - BHRV Refrigerated Vans

Contact BHRV Today 

If you have enjoyed reading about the different types of refrigerator vans on the market today, and have any questions or queries, be sure to reach out to our team today. We have offered services in new vans, used vans and conversion for a number of years and are experts in our field. All you need to do is get in touch with us today. BHRV are always more than happy to help you in any way we can. Read our FAQs to find out more about our refrigerated vans.

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