Skip to main content
Journal cover image

Combined 'flow and strength' geometric optimization: Internal structure in a vertical insulating wall with air cavities and prescribed strength

Publication ,  Journal Article
Lorente, S; Bejan, A
Published in: International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer
May 27, 2002

This paper addresses the fundamental problem of optimizing the internal structure of a vertical wall that must meet two requirements, thermal insulation and mechanical strength. The wall is a composite of solid material (e.g., brick) and parallel air caverns with varying thickness and number. It is shown that the internal structure of the wall (the number of air caverns) can be optimized so that the overall thermal resistance of the wall is maximal, while the mechanical stiffness of the wall is fixed. The maximized thermal resistance increases when the effect of natural convection in the air gaps is weaker, and when the specified wall stiffness decreases. The optimal number of air gaps is larger when the effect of natural convection is stronger, and when the specified wall stiffness is smaller. The optimal structure is such that the volume fraction occupied by air spaces decreases when the natural convection effect (the overall Rayleigh number) increases, and when the prescribed wall stiffness increases. The paper draws attention to a new class of thermal design problems, in which the system architecture is derived from a combination of heat transfer and mechanical strength considerations. This class represents an extension of the constructal design method, which until now has been used for maximizing thermofluid performance subject to size constraints. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Duke Scholars

Published In

International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer

DOI

ISSN

0017-9310

Publication Date

May 27, 2002

Volume

45

Issue

16

Start / End Page

3313 / 3320

Related Subject Headings

  • Mechanical Engineering & Transports
  • 51 Physical sciences
  • 49 Mathematical sciences
  • 40 Engineering
  • 09 Engineering
  • 02 Physical Sciences
  • 01 Mathematical Sciences
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Lorente, S., & Bejan, A. (2002). Combined 'flow and strength' geometric optimization: Internal structure in a vertical insulating wall with air cavities and prescribed strength. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 45(16), 3313–3320. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0017-9310(02)00052-2
Lorente, S., and A. Bejan. “Combined 'flow and strength' geometric optimization: Internal structure in a vertical insulating wall with air cavities and prescribed strength.” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 45, no. 16 (May 27, 2002): 3313–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0017-9310(02)00052-2.
Lorente S, Bejan A. Combined 'flow and strength' geometric optimization: Internal structure in a vertical insulating wall with air cavities and prescribed strength. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer. 2002 May 27;45(16):3313–20.
Lorente, S., and A. Bejan. “Combined 'flow and strength' geometric optimization: Internal structure in a vertical insulating wall with air cavities and prescribed strength.” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, vol. 45, no. 16, May 2002, pp. 3313–20. Scopus, doi:10.1016/S0017-9310(02)00052-2.
Lorente S, Bejan A. Combined 'flow and strength' geometric optimization: Internal structure in a vertical insulating wall with air cavities and prescribed strength. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer. 2002 May 27;45(16):3313–3320.
Journal cover image

Published In

International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer

DOI

ISSN

0017-9310

Publication Date

May 27, 2002

Volume

45

Issue

16

Start / End Page

3313 / 3320

Related Subject Headings

  • Mechanical Engineering & Transports
  • 51 Physical sciences
  • 49 Mathematical sciences
  • 40 Engineering
  • 09 Engineering
  • 02 Physical Sciences
  • 01 Mathematical Sciences