Research and Development
Celsius has always invested heavily in research and development and is at the forefront of sustainable innovation in the refrigerated transport sector.
Celsius was one of the first converters in the UK to produce a fully operational electric fridge van and is currently trialling more efficient insulation products and refrigeration systems.
Following further significant investment in research and development capacity, Celsius is now the only UK converter to have its own temperature-controlled testing chamber in-house.
This chamber enables Celsius’ product development team to extensively test new products and refine the design of bespoke insulation packages to minimise heat loss and maximise efficiency.
We use advanced thermal imaging technology to heat-map every new vehicle we convert and fine-tune the design of the insulation installation accordingly. We then employ the latest CAD-CAM packages to design insulation panels to extremely tight tolerances.
An innovative new approach to refrigerated vehicle insulation
Our innovative approach to refrigerated vehicle insulation was developed via a UK Government-funded research and design project in which we developed a lightweight insulation solution for a zero-emissions fridge van.
Working in partnership with engineers from the University of Warwick, control systems specialists from Siemens and a leading refrigeration engineering company, Celsius’ sister company CoolVan produced a zero-emissions electric fridge van for the delivery of fresh food into city centre hospitality venues in low emissions zones.
At the heart of this project was the requirement to push new boundaries to minimise demands on the battery to power both the vehicle and the refrigeration unit by using super-efficient insulation.
The insulation needed to be lighter, more thermally efficient and sustainably sourced, which prompted the search for a recycled – and recyclable – product. After a global search to find the perfect solution, we arrived at the optimum combination of materials to create Polycore – a recycled insulation product made from plastic bottles.
Every fridge van insulated with Polycore contains up to 8,000 recycled plastic bottles and the insulation is fully recyclable at the end of life.
The process
In order to develop insulation systems for all the popular makes and models of van and commercialise production, Celsius built a state-of-the-art temperature-controlled test chamber. This facility enables the team to maximize thermal efficiency and provides an ideal environment for in-house testing of new insulation solutions and different refrigeration units across various vehicle manufacturers.
Celsius then developed a streamlined manufacturing and installation process which employs Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD-CAM) to machine Polycore insulation panels for a precision-fitted system for each make and model of vehicle we convert.
The Polycore panels are bonded to a durable lining – also made from recycled materials – then plastic-welded together to form a sealed layer of insulation inside the payload compartment. This system is at least as resilient as a traditional custom-built solution, but lighter and more thermally efficient.
Insulated door pods
To compliment the Polycore insulation system, we also secured exclusive rights to use an innovative new door insulation product which dramatically reduces the loss of heat through traditional thermal bridges in the van door mechanism.
Produced by a specialist supplier in Italy, our patented door insulation system further improves heat efficiency and economy.
The Polycore insulation system is perfectly suited to both diesel and electric refrigerated vehicles, providing a sustainable, future-proof solution for temperature-controlled fleet operators and logistics companies looking to reduce their emissions on the road to net zero.
The road to Net Zero
In recent years, Celsius has invested heavily in technology and skills in readiness for the road to Net Zero. We believe that building lighter, more efficient conversions and making greater use of recycled materials is the way forward.
As our pioneering work with Warwick University’s Warwick Manufacturing Group testifies, we also believe our innovative approach to refrigerated vehicle conversions puts us in pole position to work with temperature-controlled distribution and logistics companies who are ready to transition to electric vehicles.
Get in touch with our team
Celsius are experts at designing and installing bespoke conversions for specific operational demands. Speak to our friendly team for more details.