Exhibit of the Month – April 2026. Fire that cools – a paradox from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries

April at the Warsaw Gasworks Museum is all about an exhibit that combines the elegance of traditional craftsmanship with surprising technology. Discover the gas-powered absorption refrigerator – a device that cools using fire.

This absorption refrigerator, manufactured in Germany at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, operates on the principle of an ammonia cycle. A gas burner heats a mixture of ammonia and water, causing the ammonia to evaporate and circulate through a closed system of pipes. The condensed ammonia then flows to the evaporator, where it evaporates and absorbs heat from inside the cooling chamber – thereby lowering its temperature. The appliance contains neither a compressor nor a motor, nor any moving parts.

At a time when a fridge cost several months’ wages, it was a luxury item, available only to a select few. Today, this example – measuring 113.5 x 61 x 58 cm, in a distinctive yellow casing on ornate legs – can be admired in our collection. It is not only a testament to the history of technology, but also proof that the most interesting inventions often work against intuition.

We invite you to the Warsaw Gasworks Museum to see this and other exhibits for yourself.