Magnetic cooling is regarded as a promising alternative to conventional cooling systems, as it does not require climate-damaging refrigerants and can operate in an energy-efficient manner. It is based on a special material that heats up or cools down in response to changes in a magnetic field. This so-called magnetocaloric material forms the heart of the technology.

The project by MAGNOTHERM and researchers from the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (etit) and Mechanical Engineering at TU Darmstadt focused on the question of how the arrangement of the permanent magnets driving the cooling system could be improved. To this end, the researchers developed a new computer-aided optimisation concept that, for the first time, directly links magnetic and thermal processes. This enabled the performance of the cooling systems to be specifically enhanced.

In addition to cooling performance, cost-effectiveness also played an important role. The developed method therefore simultaneously takes into account various requirements such as energy efficiency, material costs and manufacturability. In this way, various technical trade-offs could be systematically optimised.

A particular success of the project is the direct transfer of the research findings into industrial applications. The methods developed were incorporated into ‘ECLIPSE’, a cooling platform developed by MAGNOTHERM for commercial applications. In collaboration with the REWE Group and KMW Limburg, the technology has already been integrated into a so-called ‘top loader’, a supermarket freezer that can be loaded from the top. The system achieved 15 per cent higher efficiency than conventional cooling systems.

The next steps towards series production are also already in place. MAGNOTHERM will continue to showcase the technology at international trade fairs, including Euroshop and Chillventa 2026.

In addition, the research team is making the optimisation framework developed as part of the project available as open-source software to support further research in the field of magnetic cooling. At TU Darmstadt, the project also bolstered research into multiphysics simulation and optimisation and facilitated several PhD theses and student research projects.

“OptiMag combines innovative research with direct industrial application and research-oriented training,” explains etit professor Sebastian Schöps. “The project demonstrates how computational engineering can help to drive forward sustainable technologies in a targeted manner.”

The project serves as a prime example of how innovative research from Hesse can be successfully translated into industrial applications – thereby making a tangible contribution to the development of sustainable technologies.