More efficient heat pumps through improved heat exchangers
Not every breakthrough depends on an entirely new technology. Sometimes, a smarter design of an existing component can make a real difference. In 2025, EnergyVille worked on heat exchangers that improve system efficiency while also making them better suited to specific applications.
Heat exchangers play a key role in thermal systems such as heat pumps, cooling installations, and a wide range of industrial processes. Their job is to transfer heat efficiently from one medium to another. The better that process works, the less energy a system needs and the better its overall performance.
In 2025, EnergyVille continued to advance the design and optimisation of high-performance heat exchangers. Within the IAMHEX project, researchers used advanced design software capable of simulating and optimising three-dimensional fin geometries. This made it possible to assess more complex designs and tailor them more precisely to specific application needs.
By reducing pressure drop and increasing thermal capacity, the optimised designs improve overall energy efficiency. In one specific case, resistance was reduced by as much as 35%. By optimising the collectors, the team also achieved a more even flow distribution through the channels, improving the overall performance of the heat exchanger.
The research also moved closer to practical use in 2025. Using the software platform developed by EnergyVille/VITO, two heat pump manufacturers gained new insights into how the heat exchangers in their systems could be improved.
From deep geothermal energyto the steel industry
EnergyVille’s expertise in heat exchangers is relevant across a wide range of applications. In 2025, its design and simulation tool was used in projects ranging from a heat recuperator in a heat transformer to closed-loop systems for deep geothermal energy and waste heat recovery in the steel industry. The work also resulted in a patent application for a new concept that could further improve heat transfer.
IAMHEX
The VLAIO project IAMHEX ran from 2022 to mid-2025 and explored how compact heat exchangers can be made more efficient. It combined three lines of work: advanced design and optimisation software, innovative production techniques such as 3D printing in copper, aluminium and alloys, and advanced testing methods. Together, these significantly expanded the design freedom available to researchers. That made it possible to develop higher-performing fin structures that improve heat transfer while lowering pressure drop. IAMHEX brought energy
and materials research together in a single programme, paving the way for new applications in thermal systems, including heat pumps and cooling systems.