Optimal Pin-Fin Design and Control of Heat Sink Processes

In this paper, we consider the optimal fin design and the direct adaptive control problem of pin-fin heat sink processes. A 3D model is proposed to investigate the dynamic behavior of the heat sink process using air cooling fins. To optimize the heat dispersion capability, a real-coded genetic algorithm is applied to search for the best fin shape parameters and the operation conditions. The objective function to be minimized is the entropy generation rate, which is able to account for air resistance as well as the heat transfer resistance. A direct adaptive control system with the use of a single-parameter nonlinear controller is proposed for the temperature regulation of the pin-fin heat sink processes. Simulation results reveal that the control system performs very well in rejecting the environment variations such that the heat sink process can possess stable and high heat dispersion performance.