Journal

Neda Yaghoobian and Tadeu Fagundes

Luiz Alberto Oliveira Rocha

2018

This paper presents the application of constructal design to the geometry of a morphing branched conductivity pathway inserted in a trapezoidal body with a constant heat transfer rate at the base. The objective is to study the effect of conductivity ratio of the materials, and the strength of the convective cooling on the structure of the embedded pathway, whose geometrical features are deduced through constructal design. It is shown that the body global thermal resistance, represented by the maximum dimensionless temperature can be minimized by means of a constrained geometric optimization, in which the total area of the body remains constant. Five degrees of freedom were identified along the lines of constructal theory; three related to the pathway geometry and two related to the body geometry. The exploration of the search space was conducted via optimization by a genetic algorithm. The results indicate that when the conductivity pathway shape is free to morph, the thermal performance is improved according to the constructal principle of optimal distribution of imperfection. In addition, two different behaviours in the heat transfer process are identified: one for small values of heat transfer coefficient and other for high values. It is reported that the optimal pathway geometry changes under different conditions, with the combined system always aiming for the configuration that allows more ease for the currents within it.

Proceedings of the Romanian Academy

Series A

Speial Issue/2018

297-302

http://www.acad.ro/sectii2002/proceedings/doc2018-1s/continut/297-302.pdf