< Back to previous page

Project

Creating extremely performant compact heat exchangers through multi-scale shape optimization and 3D topology optimization

In the striving towards efficient energy use, heat exchangers need to be ever more compact and efficient. The most well-known method to enhance their heat transfer is by using arrays of thermally well-conducting fins to enhance the convective heat transfer, such as pin fins, wavy fins, or finned tubes. To further increase the heat transfer rate, this project will optimize the shape of the fins in these arrays using 3D free-shape optimization. In order to overcome the extremely high computational costs of the heat transfer simulation and its optimization, multi-scale modelling techniques will be combined with one-shot optimization techniques to significantly reduce the costs of simulation and optimization. Moreover, to ensure the manufacturability of the heat exchanger using additive manufacturing techniques, several ‘manufacturability’ and strength constraints will be accounted for in the optimal design. To ensure that also the overall geometry of the heat exchanger is well-designed, it will be optimized simultaneously with the fin shapes. Finally, a last challenge that is tackled in this project is that of designing compact manifolds that distribute the flow uniformly over the different channels in the heat exchangers. 3D topology optimization will be used for the first time to design them for minimal pressure drop and good flow distribution. Experimental verifications are finally foreseen to validate the performance gains realized in the optimized heat exchanger and its components.
Date:1 Oct 2021 →  30 Sep 2023
Keywords:optimal heat exchanger design, multi-scale heat transfer simulation, fin shape optimization, manifold topology optimization
Disciplines:Computer aided engineering, simulation and design, Numerical modelling and design, Thermal energy, Heat transfer, Fluid mechanics and fluid dynamics