Topology optimization for thermal-fluid systems considering maximum temperature constraints

Abstract

This paper presents a topology optimization method for minimizing power dissipation while constraining the maximum temperature in thermal-fluid systems. The advantage of the proposed optimization is its ability to accurately approximate the maximum temperature constraint as a continuous function. It is necessary to solve the complex interaction between thermal and fluid dynamics multiphysics problems in the fixed design domain. The p-norm measure to approximate the maximum temperature constraint is employed to address these challenges, and the coupled Navier-Stokes and energy conservation equations for incompressible viscous flow are solved in forced convection. The proposed method employs a density-based approach, with design sensitivities computed via the adjoint variable method. The finite volume method (FVM) is used to solve both the state and adjoint equations, while the method of moving asymptotes (MMA) updates the design variables. Through several numerical examples, the effectiveness of the proposed method in handling complex thermal-fluid optimization problems is demonstrated. Compared to existing approaches, our method contributes to the optimization of thermal-fluid systems, making it a promising tool for industrial engineering applications.