Session: 13-02: Thermal management applications - Heat exchangers

Paper Number: 153727

Topology Optimization of Discontinuous Fin-Based Microchannel Heat Exchangers 

This paper addresses the development of a solver for a multi-objective optimisation function aimed at improving the performance of a discontinuous plate-fin microchannel heat exchanger (PFMCHE). The objective functions used in the research are pressure drop, heat transfer efficiency and entropy generation. Brinkman penalisation factor is used to handle the complex trade-offs between competing goals of the objective functions. This factor is bundled into the governing equations to capture the relative solid and fluid grids in the solver domain, which vary in successive iterations for optimisation. A generalised computational fluid dynamics solver coupled with an optimisation algorithm is used to evaluate the efficacy of heat exchanger designs. The numerical framework based on finite volume formulation incorporating suitable interpolation schemes ensures convergence of the governing equations, while the optimisation framework provides a trade-off in the performance parameters.  The finite volume formulation, interpolation and discretisation schemes, along with the variational method used for optimisation studies, are described in detail. The optimisation framework uses the Lagrange equation to efficiently handle the constraints and objectives, giving a robust method for achieving optimal design solutions. The analysis is performed on a single plate of a PFMCHE, wherein the variability in the results is examined based on the tuning parameters of the objective function. The optimisation solver develops evolutionary fin designs featuring enhanced heat transfer with minimal pressure drop characteristics. Multiple test cases are considered to validate the robustness and versatility of the optimisation algorithm in achieving optimal solutions across a range of operating conditions.

Keywords: Topology optimisation, interpolation schemes, Finite volume method, Numerical fluid flow and heat transfer, heat exchangers design, Lagrange equation, Variational calculus problem, Entropy generation.

Presenting Author: Shubham Kumar Vishwakarma Indian Institute of Science

Presenting Author Biography: Shubham is a PhD student at the Indian Institute of Science. He holds a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and a master's degree in Material Science and he is currently focusing on the area of optimizing the heat exchanger design models.

Authors:

Shubham Kumar Vishwakarma Indian Institute of Science
Pramod Kumar Indian Institute of Science
Pradip Dutta Indian Institute of Science
Nagendra Somanath Indian Institute of Science
Pramodchandra Gopi Triveni Turbine Limited