Multi-objective optimization of a 2D backward-facing step channel with porous baffles

Abstract

Porous baffles can be used to enhance heat transfer in various engineering applications, including electronic cooling, gas turbine blades, and chemical reactors. Also, the backward-facing step is a widely used configuration in fluid dynamics studies due to its simplicity and relevance to real-world geometries. This study examines heat transfer and flow characteristics in a backward-facing step channel featuring a heated bottom wall and two porous baffles. A computational fluid dynamics model, validated against prior research, is used to investigate flow and temperature fields. The innovation of this work lies in the application of multi-objective optimisation to search for a set of solutions that establish a trade-off between the average Nusselt number and the pressure drop. The optimisation specifically considers various parameters of the porous baffles, including height, width, distance from the step, and Darcy number, to identify optimal design configurations. Results show that porous baffles significantly improve heat transfer compared to a backward-facing step channel without them, despite an increase in pressure drop due to their presence. This work offers valuable insights into the trade-off between heat transfer performance and pressure drop, crucial for designing efficient heat transfer systems. By exploring the Pareto-Frontier, which represents various optimal design solutions, the study provides practical guidance when seeking to optimise heat transfer in backward-facing step channels with porous baffles. The findings contribute to advancing the understanding of heat transfer enhancement, highlighting the potential of porous baffles as a viable solution for improving thermal management in engineering systems.