Project Summary

A next-generation refrigeration solution designed to decarbonise and modernise freight cold chains across all transport modes. The innovative, compact, energy-efficient design integrates turbo airflow for precise temperature control and uses natural refrigerants to eliminate reliance on working fluids with high global warming potential. The solution is scalable and resilient and addresses the urgent need for low-carbon, high-performance cold chain infrastructure.

Project Achievements

Overall, we progressed our core technology from TRL 2 to 5, beyond the original aim to reach TRL 4. We designed, built and tested multiple prototypes at various cooling capacities, running tests in a cold room to simulate cold chain freight environments. We also successfully designed and built two systems: a R290 refrigeration system (3 GWP) and a thermoelectric cooling system (0 GWP). This improved readiness for system integration. Our tests successfully demonstrated and validated the unique advantage of our turbo heat exchanger technology: a first of its kind frost resistance evaporator for cold chain refrigeration system. We also identified that the thermoelectric cooling system would form an ideal minimum viable product, as it demonstrates the core technology of our business more efficiently, offering a faster route to market and improved business model. We have also successfully filed a new patent to protect our core TurboCooling technology.

Conclusions

This project validated the core value proposition of TurboCooling technology, demonstrating its potential to support industry decarbonisation while reducing operational costs and improving system resilience. The results reinforced DThermals’ strategic focus on evidence-led decarbonisation and impact-driven innovation. By validating the technology under real-world representative conditions, the project strengthened the organisation’s commitment to measurable carbon reduction and market-specific applications. These insights now inform decisions around partnerships, market entry, and future R&D priorities. The project also strengthened DThermals’ competitive position by enabling entry into a new market and establishing a clear niche within the cooling technologies sector. Internally, it clarified priority markets and improved the company’s ability to quantify and communicate carbon reduction impacts in commercial discussions.

Next Steps

Moving forwards, our near-term priority will be to develop and deploy the MVP, pushing for a quick market within the next few months. This will include refining our B2B commercial strategy, and further market research to identify most effective customer segments and deployment opportunities for the MVP. This will support longer term steps to validate the TurboCooling system prototype in a real life contexts, and progress the technology to TRL 7, and beyond. We are currently preparing to launch crowdfunding campaigns, alongside continued engagement with major industry stakeholders. Diversifying our customer range is another near-term priority, which we will address through targeted outreach, stakeholder engagement and attendance at key industry events, including the CPC summit in London in March.