Mobile climate solutions built and tested to military standards

At Dantherm, we develop mobile climate and cooling solutions for tents and containers, designed for use in refugee camps, emergency relief missions, and military bases worldwide. This requires equipment capable of enduring both extreme heat and cold, as well as continuous vibrations during transport by truck, aircraft, or helicopter. Robustness ensures dependable operation around the clock – even after harsh transport, under extreme conditions, and in environments where stable performance is critical.

Accredited shock and vibration tests simulate real-world strain

To confirm our solutions can handle real-world stresses, our air conditioners are tested at FORCE Technology in accordance with military standard MIL-STD-810, including shock and vibration testing. These tests replicate thousands of kilometres of driving on rough terrain, sudden braking, and the jolts experienced when freight wagons are coupled together.

Units are mounted on a test bench and moved for two hours in both x- and y-directions as well as vertically, simulating shocks from below. This demonstrates that our systems do not shake apart during transport, which is a genuine risk in global relief and defence missions.

Since Dantherm began testing mobile air conditioners in 2009, we have gained extensive experience in designing products to achieve the necessary ruggedness. The units are suspended in a steel frame with rubber dampers. The casing has been reinforced, and internally, pipes and heavy components are secured to the walls to withstand vibrations. Robustness is essential and part of our quality promise: equipment that arrives fully operational saves time, resources, and lives.

Civil operations benefit from rugged air conditioners too

The same qualities demanded by military and humanitarian organisations are increasingly valued in civilian sectors. Many industries face challenges similar to those in the field, making robustness a significant advantage:

• Offshore and maritime: Equipment exposed to corrosion, vibrations, and rough handling
• Energy and mining: Long distances to service facilities and harsh transport conditions
• Temporary infrastructure and container technology: Rapid relocations and immediate operational needs
• Construction and event installations: Changing climates and limited access to service technicians

When equipment is easy to transport, can be installed without specialists, and works reliably every time, downtime and logistics costs are significantly reduced. Robustness becomes a direct operational advantage.

Accreditation as a requirement and a reassurance

Accredited test results are not merely a competitive advantage. For tenders with NATO, NGOs, and public authorities, test reports are mandatory. For all other stakeholders, documented robustness provides assurance of product durability.

After ten years of shock and vibration testing at FORCE Technology, Dantherm solutions now undergo complete test programmes independently, even in the most demanding setups. Accreditation has helped make robustness a key design element – down to the installation of each individual screw.

Testing for corrosion and ice impact

Beyond the accreditation-required tests, we also carry out customer-specific product testing. For many years, we have tested corrosion resistance by exposing products to accelerated salt fog with 10% salt content in the humidity, double the customer’s requirement of 5%.

For Arctic applications, products are exposed to -25 °C and sprayed with water to build up a 2 cm ice layer. The unit must then be able to start. Temperature testing subjects products to conditions ranging from -32 °C to +60 °C.

Robustness in practice

Robustness is simply for those who cannot afford operations to halt due to equipment downtime. For air conditioners, robustness means:

• Transportable anywhere in the world and still performing upon arrival
• Reliable operation in extreme climates
• Minimal servicing, functioning without specialist tools
• Designed for continuous operation

Whether at a desert military base or an offshore installation in the North Sea, you need climate solutions you can trust.

For more information about our solutions for the humanitarian and defense sectors, please fill out the form below.