Optimization in plate-fin safety structure of heat exchanger using genetic and Monte Carlo algorithm

Abstract

A safety structure of plate-fin heat exchanger is designed for special applications to prevent fluid leakage from adjacent channel walls. A fractional volume of a cavity layer between two channels is filled with high thermal conductive column-shape metal. Genetic algorithm is used for optimization of column distributions to achieve the maximum heat transfer performance, and its output is better than the simple direct optimization. To optimize with uncertain fluid condition, a direct genetic algorithm method, two improved genetic algorithm methods and a specific type of Monte Carlo algorithm method are applied in searching suitable solution. The optimized structure can provide a new feasible and safety plate-fin heat exchanger, and its results obtained by using genetic algorithm and Monte Carlo algorithm can provide some guidelines for optimal designs of heat exchangers.