Enhanced multi‐objective optimization of a dimpled channel through evolutionary algorithms and multiple surrogate methods

Using a multi‐objective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA) and enhanced surrogate approximations, the present study demonstrates the numerical analysis and optimization of staggered‐dimple channels. Two surrogates, the response surface approximation (RSA) model and the Kriging (KRG) model, are applied in light of the surrogate fidelity of the approximate analysis. An enhanced Pareto‐optimal front is obtained by performing local resampling of the Pareto‐optimal front, which provides relatively more accurate Pareto‐optimal solutions in the design space for each surrogate model. Three dimensionless design variables are selected, which are related to geometric parameters, namely, the channel height, dimple print diameter, dimple spacing, and dimple depth. Two objective functions are selected that are related to the heat transfer and pressure loss, respectively. The objective‐function values are numerically evaluated through Reynolds‐averaged Navier–Stokes analysis at the design points that are selected through the Latin hypercube sampling method. Using these numerical simulations two surrogates, viz, the RSA and Kriging models, are constructed for each objective function and a hybrid MOEA is applied to obtain the Pareto‐optimal front. For the particular implementation of surrogate models, it is observed that Pareto‐optimal predictions of the RSA model are better than those of the KRG model, whereas the KRG model predicts equally well at the off‐Pareto‐region (region away from the Pareto‐optimal solutions), which is not the case with the RSA model. The local resampling of the Pareto‐optimal front increases the fidelity of the approximate solutions near the Pareto‐optimal region. The ratios of the channel height to the dimple print diameter and of the dimple print diameter to the dimple pitch are found to be more sensitive along the Pareto‐optimal front than the ratio of the dimple depth to the print diameter. The decrease of the ratio of the channel height to the dimple diameter and the increase of the ratio of the dimple print diameter to the pitch lead to greater heat transfer at the expense of the pressure loss, whereas the ratio of the dimple depth to the print diameter is rather insensitive to Pareto‐optimal solutions. Pareto‐optimal solutions at higher values of the Nusselt number are associated with higher values of the pressure loss due to the increased recirculation, mixing of fluid and vorticity generation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multi‐objective optimization of a rotating cooling channel with staggered pin‐fins for heat transfer augmentation

A rotating channel with staggered pin‐fins is formulated numerically and optimized for performance (heat transfer/required pumping power) using a Kriging meta‐model and hybrid multi‐objective evolutionary algorithm. Two design variables related to cooling channel height, pin diameter, and spacing between the pins are selected for optimization, and two‐objective functions related to the heat transfer and friction loss are employed. A design of experiment is performed, and 20 designs are generated by Latin hypercube sampling. The objective function values are evaluated using a Reynolds‐averaged Navier–Stokes solver, and a Kriging model is constructed to obtain a Pareto‐optimal front through a multi‐objective evolutionary algorithm. Rotation in a cooling channel with staggered pin‐fins induces Coriolis force that causes a heat transfer discrepancy between the trailing (pressure) and leading (suction) surfaces, with a higher Nusselt number on the trailing surface. The tradeoff between the two competing objective functions is determined, and the distribution of the Pareto‐optimal solutions in the design space is discussed through k‐means clustering. In the optimal designs, with a decrease in spacing between the pins, heat transfer is enhanced whereas friction loss is increased. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Performance analysis and design optimization of micro-jet impingement heat sink

This study evaluated a silicon-based micro-jet impingement heat sink for electronic cooling applications. First, the pressure-drop and thermal characteristics were investigated for steady incompressible and laminar flow by solving three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations, and the performance enhancement was carried out through parametric and optimization studies. Several parallel and staggered micro-jet configurations consisting of a maximum of 16 jet impingements were tested. The effectiveness of the micro-jet configurations, i.e. inline 2 × 2, 3 × 3 and 4 × 4 jets, and staggered 5-jet and 13-jet arrays with nozzle diameters 50, 76, and 100 μm, were analyzed at various flow rates for the maximum temperature-rise and pressure-drop characteristics. A design with a staggered 13-jet array showed the best performance among the various configurations investigated in the present study. The design optimization based on three-dimensional numerical analysis, surrogate modeling and a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm were carried out to understand the thermal resistance and pumping power correlation of the micro-jet impingement heat sink. Two design variables, the ratio of height of the channel and nozzle diameter, and the ratio of nozzle diameter and interjet spacing, were chosen for design optimization. The global Pareto-optimal front was achieved for overall thermal resistance and required pumping power of the heat sink. The Pareto-optimal front revealed existing correlation between pumping power and thermal resistance of the heat sink. Of the range of Pareto-optimal designs available, some representative designs were selected and their functional relationships among the objective functions and design variables were examined to understand the Pareto-optimal sensitivity and optimal design space. A minimum of 66 °C of maximum-temperature-rise was obtained for a heat flux of 100 W/cm² at a pressure drop of about 24 kPa.     

Thermal-economic multi-objective optimization of shell and tube heat exchanger using particle swarm optimization (PSO)

Many studies are performed by researchers about shell and tube heat exchanger (STHE) but the multi-objective particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique has never been used in such studies. This paper presents application of thermal-economic multi-objective optimization of STHE using PSO. For optimal design of a STHE, it was first thermally modeled using e-number of transfer units method while Bell–Delaware procedure was applied to estimate its shell side heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop. Multi objective PSO (MOPSO) method was applied to obtain the maximum effectiveness (heat recovery) and the minimum total cost as two objective functions. The results of optimal designs were a set of multiple optimum solutions, called ‘Pareto optimal solutions’. In order to show the accuracy of the algorithm, a comparison is made with the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) and MOPSO which are developed for the same problem.     

Multi-objective optimization of a guide vane in the turning region of a rotating U-duct to enhance heat transfer performance

An optimization has been performed for the design of a guide vane in the turning region of a rotating U-duct using the Kriging meta-model and a hybrid multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. Rotation of the U-duct is accompanied by the Coriolis force that causes a discrepancy in heat transfer between the trailing (pressure) and leading (suction) surfaces of the duct. For the optimization, three geometric variables related to the thickness, angle, and location of the guide vanes are selected as the design variables. A Kriging model is constructed to obtain a Pareto-optimal front through a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. The values of the objective function at the design points are evaluated by Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes analysis. The shear stress transport model is used as the turbulence closure model in the analysis. The tradeoff between the two competing objective functions is discussed for Pareto-optimal solutions in the design space. The optimized guide vanes show an increase in heat transfer performance with a decrease in the friction loss in the turning region and downstream straight passage in comparison with the reference design.     

Multi-objective optimization of a plate and frame heat exchanger via genetic algorithm

In the present paper, a plate and frame heat exchanger is considered. Multi-objective optimization using genetic algorithm is developed in order to obtain a set of geometric design parameters, which lead to minimum pressure drop and the maximum overall heat transfer coefficient. Vividly, considered objective functions are conflicting and no single solution can satisfy both objectives simultaneously. Multi-objective optimization procedure yields a set of optimal solutions, called Pareto front, each of which is a trade-off between objectives and can be selected by the user, regarding the application and the project’s limits. The presented work takes care of numerous geometric parameters in the presence of logical constraints. A sensitivity analysis is also carried out to study the effects of different geometric parameters on the considered objective functions. Modeling the system and implementing the multi-objective optimization via genetic algorithm has been performed by MATLAB.     

Heat/mass transfer and pressure drop in a triangular-rib-roughened rectangular channel

In this paper, the heat/mass transfer analogy was used to investigate the heat transfer and pressure drop in a square channel with triangular ribs on its two opposite walls. Reynolds number varied from 1 × 10⁴ to 7 × 10⁴; the dimensionless heights of the triangular ribs H/W were 0.04, 0.07, and 0.1; and their dimensionless pitches S/W were 0.45, 0.63, 1.0, 1.37, 1.55, and 2.1. Experimental results showed that the heat transfer coefficients of the wall with triangular rib were about 1 to 2.3 times larger than those of a smooth-channel wall, and the pressure drops along this roughened channel were about 1 to 10 times larger than those for a smooth channel. Correlations of heat transfer and pressure drop were obtained, which are useful for practical designs.     

The optimum fin spacing of circular tube bank fin heat exchanger with vortex generators

In real application, once the pattern of fin is determined, fin spacing of tube bank fin heat exchanger can be adjusted in a small region, and air flow velocity in the front of the heat exchanger is not all the same. Therefore, the effects of fin spacing on heat transfer performance of such heat exchanger are needed. This paper numerically studied the optimal fin spacing regarding the different front flow velocities of a circular tube bank fin heat exchanger with vortex generators. To screen the optimal fin spacing, an appropriate evaluation criterion JF was used. The results show that when front velocity is 1.75 m/s, the optimal fin spacing is 2.25 mm, when front velocity is 2.5 m/s, the optimal fin spacing is 2 mm, and when front velocity is higher than 2.5 m/s, the optimal fin spacing is 1.75 mm.     

Genetic algorithm optimization for finned channel performance

Compared to a smooth channel,a finned channel provides a higher heat transfer coefficient;increasing the fin height enhances the heat transfer.However,this heat transfer enhancement is associated with an increase in the pressure drop.This leads to an increased pumping power requirement so that one may seek an optimum design for such systems.The main goal of this paper is to define the exact location and size of fins in such a way that a minimal pressure drop coincides with an optimal heat transfer based on the genetic algorithm.Each fin arrangement is considered a solution to the problem (an individual for genetic algorithm).An initial population is generated randomly at the first step.Then the algorithm has been searched among these solutions and made new solutions iteratively by its functions to find an optimum design as reported in this article.     

Vortex mechanism of heat transfer enhancement in a channel with spherical and oval dimples

Vortex mechanism of heat transfer enhancement in a narrow channel with dimples has been investigated numerically using LES and URANS methods. The flow separation results in a formation of vortex structures which significantly enhance heat transfer on dimpled surfaces leading to a small increase in pressure loss. The heat transfer can be significantly increased by rounding the dimple edge and use of oval dimples. To get a deep insight into flow physics LES is performed for single phase flow in a channel with a spherical dimple. The instantaneous vortex formation and separation are investigated in and around the dimple area. Considered are Reynolds numbers (based on dimple print diameter) Re_D = 20,000 and Re_D = 40,000 the depth to print diameter ratio of Δ = 0.26. Frequency analysis of LES data revealed the presence of dominating frequencies in unsteady flow oscillations. Direct analysis of the flow field revealed the presence of coherent vortex structure inclined to the mean flow. The structure changes its orientation in time causing the long period oscillations with opposite-of-phase motion. Three dimensional proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) analysis is carried out on LES pressure and velocity fields to identify spatio-temporal structures hidden in the random fluctuations. Tornado-like spatial POD structures have been determined inside dimples.     

Heat transfer and pressure drop in dimpled fin channels

Heat transfer characteristics are examined comparatively for four sets of dimpled fin channels with Reynolds number (Re) ranging from 1500 to 11,000 in order to determine the effects of dimple arrangement, fin length (L) to channel hydraulic diameter (d) ratio and Re on heat transfer over the dimpled fin channel. These dimpled fin channels share the identical rectangular section of a channel aspect ratio (AR) of 6 with three different L/d of 8.9, 6.2 and 3.5. The two opposite dimpled fins with four different concave and convex arrangements affect the secondary flows and vortex structures tripped by dimples that signify various heat transfer performances over each dimpled fin. Heat transfer correlations for spatially averaged Nusselt number ($\overline{\mathit{Nu}}$) over each dimpled fin are generated using Re and L/d as the controlling parameters. A set of design criteria for determining the optimal L/d that offers the maximum cooling power available from the dimpled fin for each specified dimple arrangement on two opposite fin walls is derived to assist the design activities using the dimpled fin array.     

Optimization of a buoyancy chimney with a heated ribbed wall

Heat and mass transfer in natural convection vertical channels was investigated by means of two-dimensional CFD simulations aided by optimization algorithms. The channel was immersed in air, enclosed between an adiabatic smooth wall and an isothermally heated ribbed wall. The ribs were perpendicular to the fluid flow and their height, width, pitch, thermal conductivity and lateral wall inclination were variable. Also the smooth heated wall channel was studied and compared with the ribbed one. The existence of an optimal channel width for a given channel height and rib geometry was shown. A sensitivity analysis was carried out for the ribbed and the smooth channels. Optimization was applied to the ribbed channel problem in order to maximize the heat and the mass transfer through a multi-objective genetic algorithm. It was found that the presence of the ribs penalizes the channel performance so that no ribbed channel over-performed the smooth one.     

Fluid flow and heat transfer in a two-dimensional wavy channel

A numerical study is presented for the laminar fully developed flow and heat transfer in a two-dimensional wavy channel. The effects of the geometry, Reynolds and Prandtl number on the flow field and heat transfer are investigated. The channel is characterized by a wavy wall, heated at uniform heat flux, and an opposite wall, being plane and adiabatic. The extent of the wall waviness and the distance between the channel walls are found to significantly affect the streamlines contours as well as the heat transfer coefficients. Comparisons with the straight channel, in the same flow rate and heat transfer conditions, have been performed. Pressure drop of the wavy channel is found to be always larger than the value characteristic of a straight channel, while heat transfer performance decreases or increases depending on the values of the parameters (geometry, Reynolds and Prandtl numbers).     

Analytical solution of conjugate heat transfer and optimum configurations of flat-plate heat exchangers with circular flow channels

An analytical solution is developed for conjugate heat transfer in a flat-plate heat exchanger with circular embedded channels. The analysis was carried out for fully-developed conditions in the circular tube and uniform heat flux at the plate boundary. The results are applicable to cooling channels that are 50 μm or more in diameter with a large length–diameter ratio. The thermal characteristics of the heat exchanger have been examined for a wide range of the relevant independent parameters and optimum designs for three different sets of constraints have been presented. It was found that the overall thermal resistance increases with the depth of the tube from the heated surface, as well as the spacing between the tubes. For a given combination of tubes’ depth and spacing, there is a certain tube diameter at which the thermal resistance attains a minimum value.     

The critical role of channel cross-sectional area in microchannel flow boiling heat transfer

Experiments are conducted with a perfluorinated dielectric fluid, Fluorinert FC-77, to identify the critical geometric parameters that affect flow boiling heat transfer and flow patterns in microchannels. In recent work by the authors (Harirchian and Garimella, 2009), seven different silicon test pieces containing parallel microchannels of widths ranging from 100 to 5850 μm, all with a depth of 400 μm were tested and it was shown that for a fixed channel depth, the heat transfer coefficient was independent of channel width for microchannels of widths 400 μm and larger, with the flow regimes in these microchannels being similar; nucleate boiling was also found to be dominant over a wide range of heat fluxes. In the present study, experiments are performed with five additional microchannel test pieces with channel depths of 100 and 250 μm and widths ranging from 100 to 1000 μm. Flow visualizations are performed using a high-speed digital video camera to determine the flow regimes, with simultaneous local measurements of the heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop. The aim of the present study is to investigate as independent parameters the channel width and depth as well as the aspect ratio and cross-sectional area on boiling heat transfer in microchannels, based on an expanded database of experimental results. The flow visualizations and heat transfer results show that the channel cross-sectional area is the important governing parameter determining boiling mechanisms and heat transfer in microchannels. For channels with cross-sectional area exceeding a specific value, nucleate boiling is the dominant mechanism and the boiling heat transfer coefficient is independent of channel dimensions; below this threshold value of cross-sectional area, vapor confinement is observed in all channels at all heat fluxes, and the heat transfer rate increases as the microchannel cross-sectional area decreases before premature dryout occurs due to channel confinement.     

An experimental and numerical investigation of air side heat transfer and flow characteristics on finned plate configuration

In this paper, a new type of finned plate heat exchanger (FPHE) is presented to recover the waste heat from exhaust flue gases. A finned plate configuration causes low pressure drop and it is especially appropriate for heat transfer at the flue gas side. Meanwhile, this paper presents a detailed experimental and numerical study of convection heat transfer and pressure drop of the new structure. Three-dimensional numerical simulation results using the CFD code FLUENT6.3 were compared with experimental data to select the best model. The heat transfer and pressure drop with different geometry pattern was then studied numerically using the selected model. And the velocity field and temperature distribution of air flow in the finned plate channel are presented with different geometry patterns. These results provide insight into improved designs of FPHEs.     

Optimization of a stepped circular pin-fin array to enhance heat transfer performance

A Stepped circular pin-fin array is formulated numerically and optimized with Kriging metamodeling technique to enhance heat transfer performance. The problem is defined by two non-dimensional geometric design variables composed of height of the channel, height of smaller diameter part of the pin-fins, and smaller diameter of the pin-fins, to maximize heat transfer rate compromising with friction loss. Ten designs generated by Latin hypercube sampling were evaluated by three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes solver and the evaluated objectives were used to construct the surrogate model. The predictions of objective function by Kriging model at optimum point show reasonable accuracy in comparison with the values calculated by RANS analysis. Optimum shape of pin-fins strongly depends on the weighting factor which measures importance of the friction loss term in the objective function. The thermal performances are much higher than that of the straight pin-fin at sampling optimum points with different weighting factors.     

Flow and heat transfer performance of a mini-channel radiator with cylinder disturbed flow

Mini-channel heat sinks have relatively low Nusselt number due to small Reynolds number. For heat transfer enhancement purpose, a mini-channel radiator with cylinder disturbed flow was proposed. The disturbed flow was created by a circular cylinder placed horizontally in front of channels entrance. The performance of heat transfer and pressure drop with/without disturbed flow was studied experimentally. It was found that the friction factor of mini-channel flow was larger than that of the macro-channel flow due to larger surface roughness, and the pressure drop caused by cylinder disturbed flow was less than 5%. It also concluded that the average Nusselt number increases with augment of Reynolds and Prandtl number. The Nusselt number correlations as the function of the Reynolds and Prandtl number were given for evaluation the heat removal performance of similar heat radiators. There is an inflexion point in the empirical formulas when the channel length equals to the thermal entrance length. For the mini-channels heat radiators with disturbed flow, the inflexion Reynolds number is larger than that of without disturbed flow. Due to the flow pulsing caused by circular cylinder placed in front of channels entrance, the thermal entrance length increases. On the other hand, for both mini-channels with or without disturbed flow, the thermal resistance increases with the decrease of pressure drop.     

Flow structures and heat transfer on dimples in a staggered arrangement

Vortex structures and heat transfer enhancement mechanism of turbulent flow over a staggered array of dimples in a narrow channel have been investigated using Large Eddy Simulation (LES), Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV) and pressure measurements for Reynolds numbers Re_H = 6521 and Re_H = 13,042.The flow and temperature fields are calculated by LES using dynamic mixed model applied both for the velocity and temperature. Simulations have been validated with experimental data obtained for smooth and dimpled channels and empiric correlations. The flow structures determined by LES inside the dimple are chaotic and consist of small eddies with a broad range of scales where coherent structures are hardly to detect. Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) method is applied on resolved LES fields of pressure and velocity to identify spatial–temporal structures hidden in the random fluctuations. For both Reynolds numbers it was found that the dimple package with a depth h to diameter D ratio of h/D = 0.26 provides the maximum thermo-hydraulic performance. The heat transfer rate could be enhanced up to 201% compared to a smooth channel.     

Topology optimization of conjugate heat transfer systems: A competition between heat transfer enhancement and pressure drop reduction

Topology optimization method is developed for a multi-objective function combining pressure drop reduction and thermal power maximization (incompressible flows at low to moderate Reynolds numbers). Innovative optimal designs are obtained, discussed and presented on a Pareto-frontier. The numerical developments (continuous adjoint technique) have been conducted inside an open source CFD platform via the finite volume method. Comparisons have been presented with an optimal design obtained by a Lattice Boltzmann Method from the literature. Finally, this contribution presents and discuss several detailed numerical vitrification steps which are essential to be conducted in topology optimization method when applied with multi-objective functions.