New Thermo King Technology
Cleans the Air

MINNEAPOLIS (Sept. 28, 2005) - Over the past several decades, there has been increasing concern about the quality of the air we breathe, both outdoors and inside. Government bodies from the federal level down to local municipalities have enacted Clean Air regulations, ranging from vehicle exhaust limitations to smoking bans. With increased public awareness and government requirements, there has been a tremendous growth in the development and marketing of air purification systems and devices.

While very explicit standards exist for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in public buildings, regulations for air quality in public vehicles are somewhat unclear and generally deal with the introduction of fresh air into the cabin through the HVAC system. On tour buses, commuter lines and over-the-road routes, where passengers may be confined to the cabin for long periods of time, some fresh air exchange is necessary. Regulations usually require a certain volume of fresh air per passenger or that a percentage of the total volume come from fresh air. Transit and City Bus applications typically do not have to use fresh air because of the frequent door openings. Additionally, the air from a congested city environment is usually quite polluted, and the deliberate introduction of this air into the bus is not practical.

The bus riding public, like the rest of the population, is increasingly aware of air quality issues and is seeking healthier and more comfortable environments. The automobile industry has acted on consumer demands by offering a variety of standard and optional air-purification systems on a wide variety of vehicles while the bus industry is just beginning to address the public's concerns.

So, what can be done to make the ride healthier and more comfortable for Transit users? Thermo King has introduced EnviroFresh Ô , a product to deal with the most frequent complaint from the riding public: odors. "Bad smelling buses can be found everywhere and you can only clean them so often," says Steve Johnson, Thermo King director, bus product management, "so why not treat the buses continuously while they are in service?" This unique concept is applied through the HVAC system and actually neutralizes the microbes that cause odors without using caustic chemicals as is sometimes done during bus cleaning.

Odor buildup can also have a residual affect, with microbes settling on the HVAC filter, the HVAC coil and in the ducts. Control comes in the form of service, changing the filter and washing the coil. The new technologies being introduced in the market are designed specifically to reduce the frequency of these activities.

Other technologies, such as UV light technology, ionizers and anti-microbial filters are now available in the automotive and commercial building industries and are finding their way on to buses. All can offer additional protection for drivers and passengers by preventing the growth and the subsequent spreading of mold, bacteria, viral agents and some deadly diseases like anthrax and smallpox. "Independent laboratory tests found our EnviroFresh product to be 100 percent effective against staph and strep growth," says Johnson.

For more information, contact your local Thermo King representative, call 952-887-2313 or visit www.thermoking.com.

Thermo King Corporation, a unit of Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited, was founded in 1938 and manufactures transport temperature control systems for a variety of mobile applications, including trailers, truck bodies, buses, shipboard containers and railway cars. The company operates 10 manufacturing facilities and 17 parts distribution centers worldwide. Sales and service is provided by a global dealer network of 865 independently owned companies in 75 countries.