Multi-Physics Topology Optimization for Dual Flow Heat Exchangers
Current heat exchanger (HX) designs are subjected to strict constraints pertaining to their manufacturability through conventional lengthy and expensive processes consisting of subtractive, forming and brazing processes. Therefore, existing HXs are typically restricted to the classical and rather simple geometries, such as plate-fin or shell-tube geometries, with lower efficiency and larger size. To increase HX efficiencies, novel designs are needed. Recent advances in topology optimization (TO) and additive manufacturing (AM) offer significant flexibility in design and fabrication of complex geometries, with potentially superior thermo-mechanical performance and high-power density. On the other hand, there is no commercially available software tool that addresses the combined coupling of structural, fluid dynamics, and thermal with multiple materials (hot and cold streams, solid, and void space) in TO of HXs. The goal of this project is to develop a multi-physics multi-phase TO approach to enhance the performance of HXs. The optimized design will be additively manufactured and tested in a physical environment to quantify its performance.