Open Access

ARTICLE

Topology Optimization of Cooling Channels with Conjugate Heat Transfer under Non-Uniform Heat Sources

Jingjie He^1,*, Yuhui Jing^2,3, Xiaopeng Zhang²

1 Marine Engineering College, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, China
2 State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis, Optimization and CAE Software for Industrial Equipment, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
3 Shaanxi Heavy Duty Automobile Co., Ltd., Xi’an, China

* Corresponding Author: Jingjie He. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Topology Optimization: Theory, Methods, and Engineering Applications)

Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences 2026, 147(1), 11 https://doi.org/10.32604/cmes.2026.080458

Received 10 February 2026; Accepted 08 April 2026; Issue published 27 April 2026

Abstract

In high-heat-flux environments, traditional cooling channels often fail to satisfy concurrent requirements for high heat transfer efficiency, temperature uniformity, and minimal pumping power. This study proposes an engineering-oriented topology optimization method for fluid-solid conjugate heat transfer to address the conflict between thermal performance and flow resistance under non-uniform heat sources. We introduce a pseudo-three-dimensional conjugate heat transfer model governed by Darcy’s law. This formulation retains three-dimensional effects, such as sidewall conduction and non-uniform surface heat flux. Moreover, the governing equations are reduced to two dimensions, thereby significantly enhancing computational efficiency. To resolve the discrepancy between Darcy flow and high-Reynolds-number turbulence, the permeability parameter is calibrated against high-fidelity turbulence simulations, ensuring macroscopic consistency with realistic flow behavior. Using this calibrated model, we perform multi-condition topology optimization for various inlet-outlet configurations under non-uniform heat sources. The optimized designs are reconstructed into three-dimensional geometries and validated via numerical simulations. Compared to conventional straight channel designs, the optimized configurations exhibit better performance, demonstrating reduced peak temperatures, enhanced temperature uniformity, and controlled pressure drops. These findings validate the efficacy of the proposed method for advanced thermal management applications.

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Keywords

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