Modine Manufacturing Company introduces new fuel cell product that reduces emissions, sustains the environment, and lowers operating costs for truck drivers. This fuel cell eliminates idling that occurs at truck rest stops, by providing drivers with an environmentally-friendly power source. In addition, CO2 is used as the refrigerant in the cooling system. ... 
... "This new advanced idle reduction system (idle-off) incorporates high efficiency, zero emissions fuel cells, and uses carbon dioxide (CO2), an environmentally-friendly refrigerant, in the cooling. This new idle-off system can be used for both cooling and heating the sleeper cabin in a heavy-duty truck, creating multiple benefits for truck drivers and fleets. More than half a million heavy-duty diesel trucks are on the road in the United States today. To comply with hours of service laws, long haul truck drivers must have an off duty period of 10 hours after driving 14 hours. If the driver desires to heat or cool the sleeping compartment during that time, the truck must be idled to provide a comfortable environment within the sleeper cab. The Department of Energy estimates that currently more than one billion gallons of fuel are consumed each year while trucks idle in these conditions.
The new CO2 air-conditioning and heating system was designed internally by Modine at its research and development facility in Racine, Wisconsin. CO2 is an environmentally friendly refrigerant with zero Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) and zero net Global Warming Potential (GWP) as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Kyoto Protocol, which is an amendment assigning mandatory targets for nations around the world for the reduction of greenhouse gases. The unique properties of CO2 make it advantageous for both cooling and heating a vehicle. Using a CO2 heat pump to heat the cabin in cold weather conditions is more energy efficient than using other conventional heating products. Modine sourced the fuel cell power pack from General Hydrogen Corporation. The fuel cell power pack uses hydrogen gas as the fuel with the only byproduct being water. It was specifically designed for a truck auxiliary power unit application to produce electrical energy continuously for more than 10 hours. The thermal management system was designed and built by Modine's fuel cell products group. " ...
Truck Fuel Cell Reduces Emissions: Modine: Via Modine Manufacturing: Modine Introduces New Green Technology, with Fuel Cells and CO2, to Help Truckers Cut Emissions and Save Money ...
Idle reduction references ...
Department of Energy: Auxiliary Power Units: "Auxiliary power units (APUs) are portable, truck-mounted systems that can provide climate control and power for trucks without idling. These systems generally consist of a small internal combustion engine (usually diesel) equipped with a generator and heat recovery system to provide electricity and heat. "
Truck Stop Electrification: "TSE eliminates or greatly reduces prolonged idling by long haul trucks by providing electrical "shore" power for cab heating and air conditioning, by powering in-cab equipment such as TVs or engine block heaters, and powering trailer refrigeration units (reefers) carried by about 18% of long haul trucks. "
Idle reduction benefits ...
Benefits: Idle Reduction Benefits: "Reducing the idling time of heavy-duty trucks reduces petroleum consumption, fuel costs, engine wear and maintenance costs, diesel emissions, and noise. Argonne National Lab estimates that, based on the approximately 460,000 long-haul trucks currently operating in the United States, idle reduction technologies could reduce diesel fuel use by 838 million gallons per year. That wasted diesel fuel translates to $1.4 billion that could be saved by drivers using idle reduction technologies. "
Investments are being made to reduce truck idling, such as ...
The Climate Trust Fights Global Warming: Truckers Get a Cleaner, Healthier, and Quiet Night's Rest: "The Climate Trust has awarded funding to Shurepower, LLC to support the launch of a truck stop electrification network at truck stops in Oregon and Washington. The project will clean the air, reduce unnecessary fuel consumption, save truckers money, and help stop global warming. Each night, thousands of truckers idle their diesel engines during government mandated rest periods to power heating, air conditioning, and appliances for their sleeper cabs. Unfortunately, engines running at idling speed also cause undue wear on machinery, emit harmful local and global air pollutants, and increase noise levels for drivers and neighboring communities. "
Modine is an innovator in green technology ...
Modine displays CO2 air-conditioning system at SAE Automotive Alternative Refrigerant Systems Symposium: "Modine installed the air-conditioning system on a BMW 328i car. The design goals were to demonstrate a fully functioning CO2 vehicular air-conditioning system with equal or better performance than the existing R-134a system, a lofty goal as the BMW is known to have a very high performance R-134a system, said Steve Memory, Manager of Heat-Transfer Research at Modine. R-134a is an interim substitute replacing CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) refrigerants, which are implicated in the destruction of the ozone layer. Modine's new heat exchangers had to be direct, drop-in replacements for the existing components, having the same size and volume. "
