An isothermal booth is an integral part of transport for transportation of various perishable products, frozen semi-finished products, and goods from the pharmaceutical industry by truck or light-duty vehicles. Also in such vans transport flower products.
Van design
Modern models, which are equipped with modern trucks, have fairly thick walls. They perfectly retain the desired temperature. A thick galvanized steel profile is used as inner lining. This profile is quite tough and of high quality, it does not oxidize and perfectly withstands chemical attack. However, in addition to the profile, plastic or stainless steel can be used as a casing.
Frameless Wagon
In Europe, an isothermal booth is made using a special, frameless technology. A special, pre-bent profile is used. It has a lighter weight in comparison with the usual profile by more than 30%. Although the weight of the van is quite light, all the connections are quite strong. As fasteners, galvanized metal is used. As a mounting base, solid metal skids are used, which are fixed to the car frame along the entire length.
Insulated sandwich panel booth
These vans are mostly used with additional refrigeration equipment. Polyurethane foam is used here as an insulating material. It is pumped under pressure between the inner and outer panels. This allows you to repeatedly increase the characteristics of the booth, and also provides high strength and reliability of the entire structure.
Using special formulas, you can calculate the thickness of the body wall so that the temperature is maintained throughout the trip. This preservation is especially important for the transport of drugs and perishable food. Here you need to maintain it, close to zero degrees. An isothermal booth is a thermos that reliably maintains temperature.
Such bodies are produced under the popular brands of cargo chassis. These are Mercedes, Gazelle, Kamaz, MAZ, GAZ and other cars. But most of these vans are created under the Gazelle.
Production stages
The manufacture of isothermal booths that could keep the temperature well is carried out at various enterprises using international standards and European technologies. Also apply high-quality heat-insulating materials.
To make a good booth that can confidently maintain the set temperature, you must first check the sandwich panels for quality. This is done in production using ultrasonic technology. So it turns out to find defects and voids in this material. At the factory, multiple calculations are still performed in laboratories.
Wagon floor
In addition to wall cladding, special attention is paid to the floor of the body. Often it has to be wooden. Further on the technology, the floor will be covered with a special additional material, and then covered with a galvanized steel sheet. The sheet will perfectly fit to the floor and thereby protect it from water and other negative influences.
Roof
For the construction of the roof, galvanized sheet is also excellent . It is firmly riveted to the walls of the body, so that there is not a single hole.
Doorway
In order to seal this part of the van as much as possible, a special rubber sealant made according to a special formula is used. This rubber is a polyurethane rubber. The material perfectly retains its flexibility characteristics and is not afraid of sudden changes in temperature.
To completely isolate the van, use a special tape sealant and silicone. So the isothermal booth is sealed, put on the Gazelle.
Do-it-yourself van
Without European technology and materials, you can also make something similar. Let's try to insulate the car body.
Today, there are many companies that offer insulation services. As materials, extruded polystyrene foam in plates is offered. It is perfect for interior cladding.
Since this material has a straight edge, this allows you to ensure the most tight fit of the sheets to each other during laying. Slabs measuring 2500 mm in length and 600 mm in width. The insulation process will minimize temperature leaks, and in the future, such an isothermal booth, assembled with your own hands, can work as a refrigerator.
Selection of insulation materials
In order for the work to go with maximum efficiency, it is worth carefully choosing the right insulation. You can try the product from the company "Stirof".
For industrial products that have average temperatures, inside can use IBF 250A. The average thickness should be selected no more than 4 cm. If the van is made of solid metal, then the requirements are more serious. Thicker material is needed here. The thickness should be at least 50 mm.
DIY van
Our country is a country of unique opportunities. Our people do not use European developments and do not ask for help and advice from specialists. It is worth considering such developments in order to understand whether it is possible to make this product with your own hands or not.
Often, to make an isothermal booth, foam was used. It was fixed completely by hand, and then draped over with a galvanized sheet. The design also provides for special pipes. With the help of these pipes, the cold leaves the van body faster.
Owners are very unhappy with this fact, because even with a constantly working refrigerator in the van there is no stable cold air.
The disadvantages of such a system
It is difficult to keep the temperature lower than -10 degrees. Condensation is constantly forming in the body, which leads to the destruction of metal surfaces. It is necessary to constantly repair isothermal booths and paint them from the inside. Doorway made of ferrous metal alloys will not last long. It would be more correct to use stainless steel.
Such a booth can only lead to damaged nerves, cargo, wasted money.
As needed
It should be done as they do in Europe or in our country, but according to their technologies. You can look at the insulated booths (photo can be seen below) to see the difference.
For greater efficiency, plastic is used in the sheets, and the space between the sheets is filled with liquid polyurethane foam. In our country, it is much cheaper and easier to buy a finished van that is already insulated with sandwich panels.
However, here everything is not easy. If you order insulation directly from a car dealer - this is one thing. If the private manufacturer, which has nothing to do with cars, engages in the warming process, it’s completely different. It can be quite difficult to determine if everything is done correctly.
Two options
As already mentioned, you can insulate the van with a special plate. Since the frame is quite dense, and the body dimensions of the same Gazelle are standard, you will not have to cut the insulation. To prevent the so-called cold bridges, the joints between the plates should be filled with sealant. As a material for the inner lining, you can use laminated plywood, various types of plastic or stainless steel. The selection and use of them for the most part depends on what you have to carry in this makeshift isothermal van.
Work on the second option is much simpler. But the prices of materials are slightly higher. So, polyurethane foam will be used as an insulating element. It can be bought at any stores. Inside the van should be evenly coated with this material. That's all. From above, anything is suitable for plating.
That's all it takes to make an isothermal van (or thermal booth).