Ontwerpoptimalisatie van warmtewisselaars en warmteoverdrachtsapparatuur

Design optimisation for heat exchangers and heat transfer equipment

VITO supports OEM manufacturers in the design and optimisation of heat transfer equipment and heat exchangers, from concept through to validated prototype. With our software services and prototype testing lab, you can develop feasible solutions within real production constraints, with more efficient use of materials, more compact designs, lower costs and reduced development risk.

15–30% lower total cost of ownership (TCO)
Up to 30% reduction in volume
Increased thermal efficiency

Who is it for

For manufacturers of heat transfer equipment and heat exchangers, with applications including HVAC, industrial processes and electronics cooling. Heat exchangers are a key component in technical systems such as heat pumps, heat recovery units in ventilation systems, and air-conditioning systems.

What we do

Design and optimisation of heat exchangers and manifolds, from concept and fast prototyping through to laboratory validation
Delivery of tailor-made parametric optimisation tools for use by R&D teams
Feasibility, performance and benchmarking studies to identify the optimisation potential of existing (prototype) products within current or future manufacturing processes
Provision of licensable patents

How we work

Automated design and short iteration cycles, from initial design to validated laboratory prototype, using your specific case as the starting point
Optimisation of physical shapes and topologies
Simulation of real operating conditions and the equipment’s full life cycle
Designs aligned with both traditional and more innovative manufacturing processes
Prototype validation based on simulations and controlled laboratory testing

What we optimise

Dimensions and weight
Material use
Energy efficiency (reduced pressure drop and increased effectiveness)
Robustness
Manufacturing cost and total cost of ownership

Your benefits

Lower R&D and production costs, with improved performance
Reduced risk and faster innovation cycles
Faster selection of the right validation tests
Shorter time to market
Higher product value and margins
Product-driven competitive advantage

"The collaboration with VITO played a key role in the overall design of our installation." - Wouter Ducheyne, CTO Qpinch

Our design approach

Design based on empirical methods: We combine engineering principles, cutting-edge simulation and optimisation techniques to create more agile thermal systems. Using digital twins, we validate and fine-tune performance throughout the entire operational cycle.
Generative methods for unit-cell optimisation: Our patented technology optimises the 3D shape of fins and channels for superior thermal performance with minimal cost. The optimised unit cells account for constraints like pressure drop, pumping power and wall thickness, and can be stacked to build high‑performance heat transfer devices in 3D.
Multi-scale simulations: Our multi-scale CFD technology delivers accurate and fast simulation results. This allows us to unlock full-channel shape and topology optimisation at much lower computational cost.
High-fidelity correlations: Verified through full‑channel CFD and PIV experiments, our friction factor and Nusselt number correlations accurately predict pressure drop and heat‑transfer performance without full fin‑array simulations. This enables faster, trial‑free optimisation with reliable estimates of thermal efficiency and pumping power requirements.