While electric refrigerators require a coolant to keep the interior of a refrigerator cold, the propane refrigerator runs on a simple chemical reaction. The continuous absorption type of cooling unit is operated by the application of a limited amount. How To Off-grid Propane Powered Refrigerators Bug Out Bag Builder A propane burner works as an alternate power source in those cases. How do propane fridges work . The propane flame one sudden spike in demand for a basic substance response. It is a common observation that when you release a pressurised gas the temperature drops. A propane flame heats the water and ammonia to its boiling point in what is called the generator. They turn a liquid into a gas inside the cooling cabinet (to pick up heat from the stored food), pump it outside the cabinet, and change it back into a liquid again (to release the heat on the outside). You can see there are four small tanks of gas loaded into the back of the refrigerator to provide elect...