How a bold engineering idea changed an entire industry and became central to the AI data center boom.
Yesterday, a new book “The Cool Purpose: The Journey of Danfoss Turbocor in Engineering a Better Future”, was launched at Danfoss’ Turbocor® facility. The book chronicles the rich history of the Danfoss Turbocor compressor, the world's first oil-free magnetic bearing compressor.
An audacious vision
Turbocor was founded in the mid-1990s in Australia by a group of engineers with a belief that oil-free and magnetic-bearing compressor technology had the potential to transform the HVAC industry and lead the way toward more sustainable cooling solutions.
The seeds of Turbocor were sown in the mid-1990s when a group of engineers realized that traditional compressors — the heart of most air conditioning and cooling systems — were fundamentally limited by the use of oil lubrication and mechanical bearings. These components introduced friction, required maintenance, and led to energy losses. They believed oil-free and magnetic-bearing compressor technology had the potential to transform the HVAC industry, dramatically improving both performance and sustainability.
However, the technical and financial challenges to bring Turbocor to market were immense.
Realizing the potential
After years of skepticism, underfunding, and pushback from other established industry players, Turbocor entered a joint venture with Danfoss in 2004 and became a wholly owned Danfoss company in 2013.
Ricardo Schneider, the author of “The Cool Purpose”, who became the President and CEO of Danfoss Turbocor in 2009, leading the business for 16 years.
“This book is a tribute to the pioneers, engineers, and customers who put their trust in a technology long before the world understood how much it was needed. The Turbocor story is a powerful example of the Danfoss DNA in action; it shows the courage required to challenge an entire industry and the technology leadership that followed. It was never just about a compressor. It was an oil-free community, driven by a deep-seated belief that innovation and purpose can reshape an industry.”
A leading Danfoss technology
The Turbocor business has grown to include roughly 450 employees and has operation centers in the US, Denmark, and China. More than 200,000 Turbocor compressors have been installed globally as more customers seek to lower their carbon emissions and energy consumption.
Historically, the Turbocor business has doubled approximately every four to five years, but data centers have significantly increased the pace of growth in recent years. The Turbocor business grew around 35 percent in 2025. Driven by the continued strong demand in 2026, Turbocor has become one of the largest product lines in Danfoss.
Kristian Strand, President, Danfoss Climate Solutions, noted, “’The Cool Purpose’ celebrates a technology that moved from a bold idea to global adoption and is still setting the benchmark for efficient, reliable cooling today. As demand grows for energy-efficient and resilient cooling, especially in data centers and other mission-critical applications, Turbocor continues to stand out. It delivers exceptional performance and remains a critical driver of the successful execution of Danfoss’ LEAP 2030 strategy.”
Following its official launch in Tallahassee, Florida, the book will also be celebrated at a special event at Danfoss’ headquarters campus in Denmark on July 6. The event will be attended by Ron Conry, inventor of the Turbocor compressor, members of the Clausen family, the founding family of Danfoss, and members of the Danfoss Group Executive Team.
‘The Cool Purpose: The journey of Danfoss Turbocor in Engineering a Better Future’ is published by Renown Publishing and available for purchase on Amazon.com. Revenue generated through book sales will be donated to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) programs in Leon County Public Schools in Florida, USA.