Constructal Design of an Arrow-Shaped High Thermal Conductivity Channel in a Square Heat Generation Body

Abstract

A heat conduction model with an arrow-shaped high thermal conductivity channel (ASHTCC) in a square heat generation body (SHGB) is established in this paper. By taking the minimum maximum temperature difference (MMTD) as the optimization goal, constructal designs of the ASHTCC are conducted based on single, two, and three degrees of freedom optimizations under the condition of fixed ASHTCC material. The outcomes illustrate that the heat conduction performance (HCP) of the SHGB is better when the structure of the ASHTCC tends to be flat. Increasing the thermal conductivity ratio and area fraction of the ASHTCC material can improve the HCP of the SHGB. In the discussed numerical examples, the MMTD obtained by three degrees of freedom optimization are reduced by 8.42% and 4.40%, respectively, compared with those obtained by single and two degrees of freedom optimizations. Therefore, three degrees of freedom optimization can further improve the HCP of the SHGB. Compared the HCPs of the SHGBs with ASHTCC and the T-shaped one, the MMTD of the former is reduced by 13.0%. Thus, the structure of the ASHTCC is proven to be superior to that of the T-shaped one. The optimization results gained in this paper have reference values for the optimal structure designs for the heat dissipations of various electronic devices.

Performance Optimization of a Condenser in Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) System Based on Constructal Theory and a Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm

“…Constructal theory [ 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 ] was put forward by Professor Bejan in 1996. The corresponding constructal law [ 27 , 28 ] is “For a finite-size flow system to persist in time (to live), its configuration must change in time such that it provides easier and easier access to its currents.” The structural designs for living and non-living systems can be performed by applying constructal theory, including the structural designs of HEs.…”

Constructal Design of Elliptical Cylinders with Heat Generating for Entropy Generation Minimization

“…Research aiming to optimize electronic device and heat sink designs to enhance their heat dissipation has attracted the interest of many scholars [ 1 , 2 ]. In recent years, extensive and in-depth investigations for heat transfer optimization in the light of constructal theory [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ] and entropy generation minimization [ 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 ,…”

“…Bejan, who investigated the universal physical mechanism of various natural dendritic structures [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 24 ], found the constructal law and proposed constructal theory from analyzing the formation and evolution of street network configurations in major cities around the world as an example in 1996 [ 3 ]. Constructal theory was firstly applied to design an optimal network of high conductivity material for electronics cooling, and the constructal law was found correspondingly [ 4 ].…”

“…Constructal theory was firstly applied to design an optimal network of high conductivity material for electronics cooling, and the constructal law was found correspondingly [ 4 ]. The constructal law [ 4 ] stated that, “For a finite-size flow system to persist in time (to live), its configuration must change in time such that it provides easier and easier access to its currents.” For everything in nature, society and engineering, the configuration evolution in time follows this deterministic physics law [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ]. Constructal theory not only accounts for and predicts the flow pattern/configuration evolution in nature and society, but also provides theoretical guidelines for the flow pattern/configuration design in various disciplines.…”

“…For heat transfer optimization, the studies following constructal law can be classified as single-objective optimization, multi-objective optimization and multi-disciplinary optimization by optimization objectives; and these also can be classified as heat conduction optimization, convective heat and mass transfer optimization and various device and component optimization by study objects, and so on [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 24 ]. It has also been applied to the designs of cavities and fin heat sinks [ 24 , 61 , 62 , 63 ], channel heat sinks [ 64 , 65 ], heat exchangers [ 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 ], nonuniform heat generating units [ 70 , 71 ], evaporators [ 72 , 73 , 74 ], boiler superheater [ 75 ], tubular arrangements [ 76 , 77 ], dual-pressure turbine [ 78 , 79 ], etc., in recent years.…”