arXiv subjects

Kaito Ohtani

Publications and source records attributed to Kaito Ohtani.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Topology optimization of two-fluid turbulent heat exchangers: A Darcy flow-based multifidelity approach

This paper presents a topology optimization method for designing two-fluid heat exchangers under turbulent conditions using a Darcy flow-based low-fidelity (LF) model. The LF model is calibrated against a high-fidelity (HF) model based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations to increase the accuracy of predictions for fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics. Since the discrepancies between the LF and HF models can be significant, particularly for pressure drops, a multifidelity topology optimization framework is adopted to leverage the strengths of both models. Using the calibrated LF model, we perform topology optimization for various inlet velocities in the boundary conditions and trade-off parameters in the objective function to obtain diverse optimized designs. The optimized designs are then evaluated using the HF model to assess their performance with higher accuracy. The results demonstrate that the optimized designs significantly improve overall heat transfer coefficients while maintaining manageable pressure drops, achieving up to a 22% higher performance evaluation criterion (PEC) compared to a reference design enhanced by conventional twisted tape insertion. The improvements are attributed to the optimized configurations that promote enhanced fluid mixing and increased surface area for heat exchange, yet maintain streamlined flow paths to minimize pressure losses. Overall, the proposed topology optimization method using the Darcy flow-based LF model proves effective in designing high-performance double pipe heat exchangers, showcasing the potential of the multifidelity approach in overcoming the challenges of optimizing heat exchangers under turbulent flow conditions.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2026

Distortion-minimized de-homogenization for optimization of cell-size distribution in TPMS structures

This paper presents a homogenized topology optimization (TO) method for spatially optimizing cell-size distribution of triply-periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structures, with high accuracy in the optimized structural response after de-homogenization. To achieve this, we introduce a novel de-homogenization technique that directly minimizes the difference between the wavenumbers obtained from the target and actual size distributions. This minimization problem is efficiently solved as a typical Poisson's equation utilizing the discrete cosine transform. We first verify the proposed de-homogenization method through numerical examples, showcasing its capability in significantly reducing the known distortion of the de-homogenized TPMS structures from the conventional periodic modulation (PM) method. Then, we apply the proposed method to a stiffness maximization problem, to demonstrate its effectiveness in improving the structural response compared to the PM method. The proposed method successfully reduced the distortion of the de-homogenized structures compared to the PM method, leading to 0.8% difference in the strain energy compared to the homogenized model, as opposed to 63.6% difference in the PM method. The optimized structure from the proposed method shows a significant improvement in the strain energy by 50.1% compared to the uniform case in the FE analysis on the de-homogenized models, while the PM method results in a significant decrease of 45.8%. The experimental validation shows that the effective stiffness of the optimized structure from the proposed method is 54.2% higher than that of the uniform case, while the PM method results in a significant decrease by 77.3%. These results exhibit the proposed method effectively increases the accuracy of the de-homogenization, thereby maximizing the potential of the homogenized TO for the spatial cell-size optimization of TPMS structures.

math.OC↗

arXiv2025

Homogenization-based optimization of wall thickness distribution for TPMS two-fluid heat exchangers

Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS) structures are attracting growing attention as promising geometries for next-generation high-performance heat exchangers (HXs), due to their continuous flow paths and high surface-area-to-volume ratio that enhance heat transfer performance. Among these, graded TPMS structures with spatially varying thickness have emerged as a potential means to further improve performance. This study proposes an optimization method of wall thickness distribution for TPMS HXs based on an effective porous media model, which allows accurate performance prediction while significantly reducing computational cost. The proposed method is applied to a gyroid two-fluid HX aiming to improve the thermal-hydraulic performance. Furthermore, full-scale numerical simulations of the optimized-thickness design show a 12.2% improvement in the performance evaluation criterion (PEC) compared to the uniform-thickness design. The improvement is primarily attributed to the optimized non-uniform wall thickness, which directs more flow toward the core ends and enhances velocity uniformity. As a result, heat transfer is enhanced at the core ends, leading to more effective use of the entire HX core and improved overall thermal performance.

math.OC↗