The shipping industry transports millions of tons of cargo every day. Some of the cargo they are responsible for shipping requires transportation trucks with specialized trailers. These can include refrigerated trucks, chemical trailers, petroleum tanks, and many others.
These specialized transportation vehicles are essential for shipping various materials and cargo to different places around the country. Let’s take a look at 3 types of specialized transport trailers.
1. Car carrier trailers
Everyone has seen car carrier trucks on the road at some point. These vehicles are also known as transporter lorries in the UK, and usually consist of trailers or semi-trailers that are specially fitted with large racks that are used to hold and transport many vehicles at a time. They have built-in ramps with hydraulic systems to assist with loading and off-loading vehicles.
3 Types of Specialized Transport Trailers
These car carrier trailers can be open or enclosed, depending on the number of cars being transported. Enclosed car carriers can carry between 2 and 7 vehicles at a time, while open car carriers can support up to 10 vehicles at a time.
Enclosed carriers tend to cost more than open carriers, so they are normally used by car manufacturers that are transporting high-value cars.
2. Bulk liquid transport trailers
Bulk liquid transport trailers are another common sight on roads around the world. These trucks have trailers that are fitted with large tanks that hold different types of liquids. They vary in size, shape, and features depending on the nature of the liquid they are transporting.
Most bulk liquid tanks are made from stainless steel or aluminium. They also come in insulated and non-insulated varieties. Insulated bulk liquid tanks are useful for transporting liquids that are sensitive to temperature. These tanks often feature steam coils that protect liquids from cold outdoor temperatures.
Other trucks include piping that uses antifreeze from the truck’s radiator and circulates it around the trailer tank to keep the liquid being transported from freezing over.
These trailers often feature pumps and compressors for loading and unloading liquids from the tank. Liquids flow through these pumps as they are being unloaded, so they may not be suitable for transporting corrosive liquids.
3. Refrigerated trailers
Transportation trucks with refrigerated trailers are commonly used in the food industry. These trucks feature well-sealed trailers that offer refrigeration capabilities for keeping items and produce cold for extended periods.
The trailers on these trucks are closed systems, meaning that they do not heat in or out from the inside of the trailer. These trailers are fitted with special reefer units that drive an internal compressor. This compressor takes in refrigerant gases and compresses them until they are liquid.
This process releases heat to the compressor body and exchanges it with the surrounding air. The heat from this warm liquid is then dissipated through a condenser’s tubing and external fins.
This cool refrigerant is then released into an evaporator, which turns it into a gas. This gas absorbs heat from the surroundings and cools down the inside of the trailer.