Celsineo, the modular refrigeration unit from Krone and Liebherr, will also be able to operate emission-free in the future: Krone, Trailer Dynamics and Liebherr are working on the integration of the electrically driven axle, the Battery Pack and the purely electrically driven Celsineo refrigeration unit. Liebherr systems engineer Anton Tonchev has been involved in this integration from the very beginning.
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ith Celsineo, Krone and Liebherr have revolutionised the refrigerated trailer - now they are taking the next step and want to combine the modular cooling system with an electrified trailer from Trailer Dynamics and Krone to make the overall system more climate-friendly and even more efficient. “The battery capacity installed in the eTrailer can supply all the power-consuming components that are installed on the trailer or, in some cases, in the vehicle,” explains Anton Tonchev, systems engineer in the commercial vehicles division at Liebherr-Transportation Systems. “In addition to supplying the cooling unit, the energy carried in the battery is also used to support the tractor’s power. This saves between 20 and 40 per cent fuel.”
Relieving the strain on the overall system
The combined team of the three companies consider the truck, the trailer and the refrigeration unit as a complete system. Tonchev explains: “I can regulate the operating status of the refrigeration unit so that the refrigeration unit uses the available energy resources in an optimised way. The 30 percent increase in the efficiency of the cooling unit is not the end of the story. If we also include weather and climate data, this could enable greater efficiency. Depending on whether it is cold or warm on a long trip, I could adjust the control strategy of the refrigeration unit accordingly. That offers a lot of potential for an even greater reduction in energy consumption.”
Anton Tonchev has been involved in the Celsineo activities since the beginning. “Being able to participate in the development of such a product from scratch is a special experience,” he explains. “We started from scratch, and that offered a great chance for all of us to contribute our full creativity.” Celsineo is a unique modular refrigeration system for semi-trailers that has already become a real success since it went on sale in 2021. The system combines three refrigeration modules, each of which has a self-sufficient and hermetic refrigeration circuit, can be controlled individually and offers the necessary power as required with high efficiency. With the integration of an electric drive train, especially the traction battery with a capacity of up to 600 kWh, the vision of an emission-free refrigerated trailer is now becoming a reality. An uptime of 36 hours without emissions is quite possible. Another advantage can be seen in the acoustics: “The diesel or generator drive behind the cab is no longer noticeable to the driver - because it simply no longer exists. So, the driver can relax much better during his breaks”, says Tonchev.
Supply to the refrigeration unit has priority
The specialists from Krone, Trailer Dynamics and Liebherr worked closely together in the development and continuation of the system: “You can’t just connect this solution to the eTrailer, all sides have to link up well,” explains Tonchev. Among other things, there was the technical challenge of adapting the existing system so that it could still be integrated into the electrical systems of the eTrailer via plug-and-play. And the systems’ power supply had to be matched to each other, to enable a long service life. “We worked together for a long time to optimise the interfaces.” Powering the cooling unit from the battery it carries and the recuperation-capable drive train is a priority to protect the sensitive goods on board.
ANTON TONCHEV
Dr Anton Tonchev has been responsible for Electric Systems in the Commercial Vehicles Division at Liebherr in Vienna since July 2021. The mechatronics engineer with a doctorate has worked, among other things, as a scientific project staff member at the Graz University of Technology and for the companies AVL List, REFU Elektronik and TUV Austria. From 2014 to 2019, he was responsible for Powertrain, an Electrical Network at Liebherr.
A major fascination for Tonchev is the fact that the eTrailer offers enough energy for its own powertrain as well as for the support of the tractor unit. He himself has also worked a lot in the past on the development and technology of battery systems. “This now helps me understand very well how the systems can work together.” Tonchev studied mechatronics in Vienna and earned his doctorate in Graz. He started his career as a software developer, worked on a scientific project at TU Graz on a wheel suspension and brake test bench and developed a highly dynamic battery, vehicle and powertrain simulation of hybrid vehicles before joining Liebherr in 2010. The new cooling unit project was launched there in 2014. The team had to break new ground in many respects: “At first we thought it couldn’t work. But then you move forward step by step and realise that it does work. We were able to secure a lot through simulations and many validation tests, among other things.”
Batteries will become even smaller
Parallel to this, the technological possibilities have developed significantly: “In the past, many players in transport and logistics agreed that a battery drive would not be profitable for commercial vehicles because it was too expensive. In the meantime, much more has become possible.” Tonchev also observes the progress in other drive alternatives such as fuel cells: “From which source the electricity which comes in the future is secondary for the Celsineo refrigeration unit, if the interfaces are properly coordinated.” The weight of the battery storage unit remains a major challenge: “Here, too, we are far from the end of the road - in the future we will certainly be able to minimise the dimensions and weight of the battery.”
Liebherr und Krone machen mit Celsineo Kühltrailer zuverlässiger, flexibler und effizienter. Jetzt wird das modulare Konzept weiterentwickelt zu einem Kühlsystem mit elektrisch angetriebener Achse.
Over the years with Celsineo and during the close cooperation with Krone, Anton Tonchev has gained a lot of valuable experience: “No one can take that away from you, and it is also a solid basis for further projects. We now know what works really well. With every step we take together, our expertise, knowledge and strength grow.”
