Numerical transient simulation of the insulating performance of a refrigerated truck body.

The thermal load of a refrigerated truck is affected by both the external environment and the operating conditions. In order to predict the effects of the loads on the trend of the cooling demand, the insulated box thermal capacity has to be included into the model, in addition to its average conductivity. The paper uses a validated unsteady numerical simulation of a refrigerated truck insulated body to simulate a short distance delivery missions under different reference climates. The results allow to critically discuss the impact of the cooling unit sizing on the overall performance in terms of food security and energetic efficiency.