Transient heat transfer analysis in packed beds: Entropy generation model and multi-objective optimization

Due to the important role of the unsteady heat transfer process of packed beds in industrial production, the construction of the transient heat transfer model is of great significance for the operation and optimization. The present study performs a transient thermal analysis of packed bed, in which the convective heat transfer and conductive thermal resistance within the particles are considered simultaneously. A mathematical model is established of the total entropy generations (0-t) contributed by viscous dissipation and heat transfer; the influence of particle diameter, air flow rate, and pressure drop, is then investigated. Because of the time cost, these results present some different trends from the steady-state process. Furthermore, for a laboratory heat transfer system, with the aid of the genetic algorithm we adopt a multi-objective genetic algorithm model and modified expressions of the entropy generations are set as objective functions. Finally, optimal operational and structural parameters are obtained for different fan power settings. When the fan power is 300 W, the optimal particle diameter and inlet wind speed are 14 mm and 2.4 m/s, respectively. The results also suggest that the time cost is reduced with increasing fan power consumption.