Pillow-plate heat exchangers represent a new promising concept which can be, among others, used in distillation as integrated top-condensers. Today, their application in process industries is growing. Pillow-plate condensers were investigated using two experimental set-ups at the University of Paderborn (lab scale) and at Bayer Technology Services GmbH (pilot scale). Condensation experiments at pilot scale were performed using a non-conventional fibre-optic measurement technique for the determination of the condensation channel axial temperature profiles. Cooling-side heat transfer coefficients and pressure drop values were obtained based on the lab-scale measurements and numerical simulations (CFD). These results were compared to calculated values for virtual plain tube bundles. Measured axial temperature profiles as well as the overall and condensation-side heat transfer coefficients are presented. This allows a comparison of the obtained results with conventional geometries. (C) 2015 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.