Why an APU Is Right For You - And Why Thermo King's TriPac Is The Right APU

MINNEAPOLIS (March 23, 2006) - Is purchasing an APU (Auxiliary Power Unit), like Thermo King's TriPac Auxiliary Heating/Cooling Temperature Management System, the right move for you? This is a question many in the trucking industry are asking themselves these days, and there are some compelling reasons why it makes sense to make the investment.

Why should you purchase an APU?

With the high cost of fuel, fleets and owner-operators can no longer afford to run their engines to heat, cool and provide power to cabs or to keep the engine block warm. Long-haul trucks in this country waste millions of gallons of fuel each year while idling, and the high cost of fuel makes this a money-losing proposition for any company, large or small.

Besides wasting expensive fuel, idling also increases the amount of wear-and-tear on engines and the frequency and cost of maintenance and repairs. Why shorten the life of your engine and absorb these costs while your load is going nowhere?

Another emerging concern related to idling is the growing number of states and municipalities that are enacting anti-idling laws and restrictions. Eleven states and the District of Columbia have statewide idling laws, ten others have regional and/or municipal regulations in place and new laws are being added with increasing frequency. Enforcement is becoming stricter as well, resulting in increased fines for those who violate these laws.

Driver comfort is another reason to consider purchasing an APU. Providing reliable, quiet sleeper compartment air conditioning, heat and electric power makes drivers more productive, more comfortable and reduces driver turnover, which is a costly problem facing the industry today.

Why Thermo King's TriPac is the right choice

TriPac offers industry-leading performance while lowering your overall cost of operation, making it the clear choice among APU systems. TriPac provides cost savings by reducing unnecessary fuel consumption; extending truck engine maintenance intervals and reducing wear on the truck engine. TriPac also allows you to comply with anti-idle laws while the driver rests in comfort. Plus, Thermo King backs its equipment and customers with a highly trained, worldwide service organization. This assures you the support of factory-authorized service facilities and a stock of factory parts and factory-trained mechanics.

TriPac is differentiated by the unique use of a fuel-fired heater and Thermo King's Cycle Sentry start/stop technology to achieve maximum fuel efficiency. In cool climates, the TriPac engine will only operate if battery charging or engine block heating is required. If not, only the fuel-fired heater will operate to warm the cab while consuming minimal fuel. When battery charging and block heat are necessary, TriPac can automatically start to address and satisfy the needs and then, shut down to save fuel. The result of this approach is a system that runs substantially less engine hours than competitive models, which saves fuel, reduces maintenance and extends engine life. The available tractor integration option allows the system to start up automatically when the truck engine is turned off, ensuring a charged truck battery and warm engine block when it comes time to restart the engine.

And, as an added benefit, TriPac now offers an industry-leading 1000-hour maintenance interval, allowing maintenance to be performed at the same time as maintenance on the tractor, saving time and eliminating additional downtime for APU maintenance.

Because of the modular component design, TriPac can be installed in a variety of truck models and configurations. The engine assembly, or "APU", is mounted on the truck frame rails, the air-conditioning evaporator and fuel-fired heater are installed under the sleeper bunk, the condenser is installed on the rear cab wall and the control panel is mounted on an interior wall of the sleeper. Ducting for the heat and air-conditioning is also flexible; it can be routed directly to the cab or integrated with existing air distribution ducting.

The TriPac system is comprised of an integrated combination of components that provide an exceptionally efficient method for providing sleeper cab heating and air-conditioning, truck battery charging, accessory power and truck engine block heating. A Thermo King two-cylinder diesel engine powers an air conditioning compressor and a 12-volt alternator, both of which are the belt driven "automotive" style. These components power the air-conditioning system, keep the truck batteries charged and provide tractor engine heat. The truck engine block is heated by incorporating the engine coolant systems between TriPac and the truck engine. This approach to engine block heat is very effective because the engines warm each other while running, to ensure easy starting in all climates. The system even incorporates engine coolant temperature sensing via an arctic option.

Cab heating is provided via a fuel-fired heater that is exceptionally efficient and compact. Accessory power is delivered to the cab by providing 12 VDC. If 120 VAC is required, an optional 12-VDC to 120-VAC inverter can be provided. These components are all incorporated via a programmable microprocessor. The TriPac control panel is backlit and mounts in the sleeper compartment for easy operation.

TriPac's programmable microprocessor and control board further enhance its efficiency and effectiveness while delivering a "user friendly" package. The programmable features allow the dealer to set control parameters and optimize the operation of the TriPac system for customers, such as adjusting the limits for battery charging.

See how TriPac can save you thousands of dollars a year - take the TriPac Challenge!

To show you how much TriPac can save you, Thermo King has created a payback calculator, which helps calculate potential savings when you install a TriPac. See how much TriPac can save you by consulting with your local Thermo King dealer. More information on TriPac is available online at www.thermoking.com.

Thermo King Corporation, a business unit of diversified industrial firm 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. For more information, access the Thermo King web site at www.thermoking.com.