Assessment of two different optimization principles applied in heat conduction

• Published in: Science bulletin (Beijing) Vol. 60; no. 23; pp. 2041 - 2053
• Main Authors: Qi, Wenzhe, Guo, Kai, Liu, Hui, Liu, Botan, Liu, Chunjiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Beijing Elsevier B.V 01.12.2015; Science China Press
• Subjects: Algorithms; Cellular automaton; Chemistry/Food Science; Conduction; Dissipation; Earth Sciences; Engineering; Entransy dissipation; Entropy; Entropy generation; Equivalence; Heat conduction; Heat transfer; Humanities and Social Sciences; Life Sciences; multidisciplinary; Optimization; Optimization principle; Physics; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); temperature; Heat conduction; Cellular automaton; Entransy dissipation; Optimization principle; Entropy generation; 火积耗散; 格子气自动机; 热传导; 熵产; 优化原则
• ISSN: 2095-9273; 2095-9281
• DOI: 10.1007/s11434-015-0938-1

Optimization principles play a crucial role in the intensification of the heat-transfer process. In this study, we assess and compare two principles, i.e., the entransy dissipation extremum (EDE) principle and the minimum entropy generation (MEG) principle, used in a typical “area to point” heat conduction problem solved via a cellular automaton algorithm. The simulated results indicate that both rules can ameliorate the tree-network conductive path, leading to a more uniform thermal field and lower average and maximum temperatures. In contrast to the MEG principle, the EDE principle is more appropriate to be linked to the algorithm when dealing with the “area to point” heat conduction optimization, especially with a higher conductivity ratio, kp/k0, between the high conductivity material and the low conductivity material and the fraction of high conductivity, ϕ0. With the analysis of total entransy dissipation rate and entropy generation of the domain optimized by two principles, the results indicate that the EDE principle is more suitable for the heat-transfer processes without heat–work conversion. Moreover, optimization via reducing the total entransy dissipation rate exhibits better performance in decreasing the equivalent resistance theoretically.