Dorin, an Italy-based compressor manufacturer, has joined the world’s leading natural refrigerant HVAC&R stakeholders as a silver partner of the NaturalRefrigerants.com marketplace.
Dorin was founded in 1918 as a manufacturer of mechanical tools, air compressors, liquid pumps and engine service equipment. In 1932, it shifted its focus to refrigeration compressors, which have remained its core business. Over the decades, Dorin has expanded its product offerings and research efforts, positioning itself as a key player in the development of natural refrigerants.
Dorin’s portfolio includes a range of CO2 compressors designed for commercial and industrial applications. Its lineup features CO2 transcritical semi-hermetic compressors, double-stage CO2 transcritical semi-hermetic compressors and CO2 subcritical semi-hermetic compressors.
These products contribute to the adoption of low-GWP refrigeration solutions in various sectors, including food retail, cold storage and industrial refrigeration. For example, a Swiss cold storage facility operated by Grünenfelder installed an integrated CO2 refrigeration, heating and cooling system using Dorin compressors. The system reduced energy consumption by 30% compared to previous setups that used R507A and R404A as refrigerants.
The company significantly emphasizes quality control, subjecting every CO2 compressor to leak detection and operational tests before shipment. Each compressor undergoes a helium-based leak test in a vacuum chamber at high pressures and a 25-to-30-minute CO2 loop test to ensure performance reliability. “Our unique production process control runs every single compressor through a real operating CO2 loop at 25bar [363psi] suction pressure and 80bar [1,160psi] discharge for 25–30 minutes,” Giacomo Pisano, CO2 Business Development Manager at Dorin, told NaturalRefrigerants.com during a factory tour.
Dorin’s recent design developments, such as external discharge manifolds and internal refrigerant passages, aim to optimize oil management and thermal insulation, enabling CO2 heat pumps to operate efficiently in low ambient temperatures. “With our novel design, we are able to provide a single-stage CO2 transcritical compressor capable of working down to −22°F [−30°C],” Pisano noted.
At Chillventa 2024, Dorin showcased an 8-cylinder transcritical CO2 compressor designed for industrial-scale applications with capacities up to 750HP. The company has been expanding its presence in the Chinese market, with a notable increase in sales of transcritical CO2 compressors. “The 750HP unit allows us to increase the use of CO2 in the industrial heat pump sector,” said Massimo Casini, President of Shanghai Dorin Compressor Sales.
