Collins Aerospace reveals new modular thermoelectric cooling system

Collins Aerospace has revealed its new modular thermoelectric cooling system that is scalable to fit a variety of applications throughout an aircraft’s interior.

SpaceChiller quietly and efficiently chills compartments to food-safe temperatures without the use of refrigerants that may impact global warming.

Collins Aerospace says airlines can benefit from flexibility in service, storage and space without sacrificing room for passengers and flight attendants, with applications ranging from premium suites and passenger social zones to single galley inserts and whole cart bays.

“The availability of chilled refreshments at one’s fingertips or in a designated passenger social zone is a luxury for travellers and delivers benefits to airlines and operators,” said Jeff McKee, Director of Interiors Customer Experience and Design at Collins Aerospace.

“SpaceChiller provides compact and convenient chilling capacity to areas that were previously limited, unable to be chilled at all or required much larger volumes of galley chillers to provide a similar service. The expanded chilling footprint enhances airline service and catering options without increasing cabin crew workload.”

The team behind SpaceChiller began focusing on the cabin application of the solution in the middle of 2021 but the technology has actually been in development since 2007 and there has been significant investment into this technology over the years.

The product is ready to be offered to the market and Collins Aerospace is working on the industrialisation stage right now, as well as integration.

SpaceChiller is a solid-state chilling module that leverages thermal management technology developed for high-power electronics and avionics cooling, resulting in a highly efficient thermoelectric system compared to existing equipment that uses traditional cooling technologies.

The solution offers flexibility and enables carriers to move away from centralised cooling systems, taking less space due to its compactness and where it can be placed in the cabin.

SpaceChiller is a finalist in the Passenger Comfort category of the Crystal Cabin Awards.