Dometic’s cooling units are a powerhouse in the RV, overland and marine markets. These fridges are built for confined spaces and have a host of smart features such as self-sealing valve couplings, pre-charged refrigerant and paired refrigeration compressors and condensers.
The Dometic and Norcold fridges use an absorption system to work – this means they separate water from the working fluid ammonia by heat (either electric heating elements or an LP gas flame). This heat turns the ammonia into a gas, and the water remains as a liquid. The resulting ammonia is then used to cool the fridge.
As the corrosion inhibitor of the carbon steel cooling system in the absorption fridges, sodium chromate is used in very small quantities. It is carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic for reproduction, and as such it is listed in Annex XIV of the REACH regulations.
Dometic has a significant in-house commitment and resources dedicated to the search for possible alternative corrosion protection that does not contain Cr(VI) (inhibitor 7). The research is conducted both in house and with external partners on a long term basis. The search includes inventions of new ideas in the field of corrosion protection, scientific and patent literature surveillance and detailed material analysis. The alternatives are tested both on a laboratory basis as well as on a long-term basis in running absorption refrigerators. In addition, extensive service life evaluations are performed. This is the best way to validate the ability of each alternative to prevent corrosion. Nor cold cooling units