MULTI-OBJECTIVE PARTICLE SWARM OPTIMIZATION OF THE K-TYPE SHELL AND TUBE HEAT EXCHANGER (CASE STUDY)

This paper investigated optimization of two objectives function include the total amount of heat transfer between two mediums and the total cost of shell and tube heat exchanger. The study was carried out for k-type heat exchanger of the cryogenic unit of gas condensates by multiple objective particle swarm optimization. Six decision variables including pipe pitch ratio, pipe diameter, pipe number, pipe length, baffle cut ratio, and baffle distance ratio were taking into account to conduct this simulation-based research. The results of mathematical modeling confirmed the actual results (data collected from the evaporator unit of the Tehran refinery's absorption chiller). The optimization results revealed that the two objective functions of heat transfer rate and the total cost were in contradiction with each other. The results of the sensitivity analysis showed that with change in the pitch ratio from 1.25 to 2, the amount of heat transfer was reduced from 420 to 390 kW about 7.8%. Moreover, these variations caused reduction in cost function from 24,500 to 23,500 $, less than 1%. On the other hand, an increase in pipe length from 3 to 12 meters, the heat transfer rate raised from 365 to 415 kW by 13.7%, while the cost increased from 20,000$ to 24500$ about 22%.