Climate change is a real problem and Italtower has decided to contribute to containing it with its technical efforts: our engineers are in fact working on the development of a new range of lighting towers powered by sustainable sources. These include the Astrid Hybrid, a new diesel-electric hybrid model that we are proud to present in this article.
ASTRID: RELIABILITY AT THE ORIGIN
The new Astrid Hybrid, a lighting tower with a diesel-electric hybrid motor, is based on Astrid, Italtower's historic model and a symbol of its reliability and ability to offer effective solutions. Astrid is an easily transportable lighting tower with guaranteed safety. It is because of its great ductility and success on the market that Italtower chose to use it as the design basis for the development of its new hybrid-powered model. The philosophy adopted, in fact, is to build on one's own certainties and technical knowledge, taking the best from existing models to develop new proposals capable of combining the demands of new technology and greater sustainability that nowadays affects any sector. Thus, Astrid Hybrid lends itself to being an innovative, yet highly reliable light tower, able to reassure those who might have fears about new technologies and innovative choices.
ASTRID HYBRID: TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Astrid Hybrid has the following technical features and equipment: EU-approved trolley for road transport; 8.5 m hydraulic elevation pole; 1500 rpm 2-cylinder engine and fulfils the Stage V emission standard; 120 l tank with 1 l/h consumption and up to 480 hours of autonomy; an output power of 3.5 kW and an auxiliary power of 2 kVA when the engine is running.
ASTRID HYBRID: THE BATTERIES
Astrid Hybrid mounts 4 crystal batteries with 3100 expected cycles and a life expectancy of 8 to 11 years. The choice of battery type stems from the specific need to serve an international market that includes customers located in very cold areas. In fact, crystal batteries provide far greater resistance to extreme temperatures than the more common lithium-ion batteries. Given the uses to which the lighting tower lends itself, therefore, the crystal battery was the most logical choice.
ASTRID HYBRID: REDUCED EMISSIONS
Thanks to its hybrid configuration, the Astrid Hybrid guarantees low CO2 emissions, halving this figure compared to conventional fuel-powered models. So not only are CO2 emissions reduced, but fuel costs are also reduced. The Astrid Hybrid lighting tower has a special feature: The inverter that Astrid Hybrid mounts is able to establish a hierarchy between its 3 power possibilities, giving priority to the battery, then moving on to mains power, if available, and ending with the diesel engine only if the other 2 sources are not available. Astrid Hybrid is therefore able to favour the two most sustainable fuels available.