A multi region adjoint-based solver for topology optimization in conjugate heat transfer problems

This work presents an exploration of fluid region optimization within coupled fluid–thermal problems of industrial significance, namely the design of a cooling plate for the thermal management of Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) of electrical propulsion systems. The Topology Optimization technique has been employed through a in-house developed multi-region adjoint solver and a set of customized boundary conditions, allowing the sensitivity computation independently on the problem size. The technique involves the integration of solid material into the computational domain to induce modifications in flow dynamics. This alteration aims to minimize a multi-objective function that considers both the skin temperature and the mechanical power dissipation caused by fluid movement across the domain. The obtained sensitivity values were then employed in optimizing material distribution through the Method of Moving Asymptotes. The derived material distribution was further post-processed to extract the newly optimized configuration of the system. This enabled a thorough evaluation of the optimization methodology's performance and its effectiveness in enhancing the system's overall efficiency.