Heliyon (May 2024)

Enhancing heat transfer efficiency in corrugated tube heat exchangers: A comprehensive approach through structural optimization and field synergy analysis

  • Chao Yu,
  • Mingzhen Shao,
  • Wenbao Zhang,
  • Mian Huang,
  • Gaugnyi Wang

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 9
p. e30113

Abstract

Read online

In this paper, a precise and efficient method to optimize corrugated tube heat exchangers is proposed by combining computational fluid dynamics simulation with optimization. The optimization of tubular heat exchangers involves contradictory Colburn coefficient j, and the friction coefficient f, so it is a multi-objective optimization problem. The approximate model is obtained by an extreme learning machine, and the structure parameter of the heat exchanger is optimized by the nondominated sorting genetic algorithm-Ⅱ. Compared to the results between the original and optimized tube, the optimized structure Colburn coefficient increased by 5.1 % and the friction coefficient decreased by 9.3 %. Finally, the internal flow field is compared qualitatively from temperature, pressure, and velocity. The optimization effect is further emphasized by using the field synergy theory.

Keywords