Collins Aerospace has developed SpaceChiller, a modular thermoelectric cooling system scalable to fit a variety of applications throughout an aircraft's interior. It is said to quietly and efficiently chill compartments to food-safe temperatures without the use of refrigerants that may impact global warming.

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

“The availability of chilled refreshments at one's fingertips or in a designated passenger social zone is a luxury for travelers and delivers benefits to airlines and operators,” says 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.”

SpaceChiller uses advanced heat sinks, initially developed for The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA), that reduce power consumption up to 50% over alternate thermoelectric systems and can be leveraged across multiple service areas and passenger seats.