Automated blast cell loading and unloading

A system for cooling items, the system comprising:

• a blast chilling area in a facility;
• a plurality of blast cells positioned in the blast chilling area, wherein the plurality of blast cells are separated by aisles, each of the plurality of blast cells comprising:
• a housing defining (i) a bay space, (ii) a first air passage in a first end of the bay space, and (iii) a second air passage in an opposing second end of the bay space, wherein the bay space, the first air passage, and the second air passage collectively provide a closed-loop within which air is circulated within the housing, wherein the bay space includes a plurality of layers that are each configured to hold one or more rows of items to be cooled,
• a plurality of channels arranged within the rear air passage, each of the plurality of channels defining a fluid pathway that is fluidly separate from other fluid pathways provided by others of the plurality of channels, the plurality of channels configured to, over their length, turn a direction of airflow from the rear end of the bay space through the plurality of layers, and
• a door positioned on a side of the housing configured to be opened and closed to load and unload the items onto the one or more rows of the plurality of layers in the bay space;
• and
• at least one autonomous machine configured to automatically move in the aisles separating the plurality of blast cells in the blast chilling area, the at least one autonomous machine further configured to load and unload the items in each of the plurality of blast cells.