Projeto de um trocador de calor casco tubo utilizando o algoritmo de busca cuco

Abstract

Heat exchangers are widely used in industrial processes to enable the transfer of thermal energy between fluids. Among the various types available, shell-and-tube heat exchangers are particularly notable due to their robustness and versatility in industrial applications. However, the design of these systems involves the determination of several geometric and operational variables that simultaneously influence thermal performance, pressure drop, and both capital and operating costs. In this context, optimization techniques have been extensively employed to obtain economically efficient designs. In this study, the Cuckoo Search (CS) algorithm was applied to the design optimization of shell-and-tube heat exchangers with the objective of minimizing the total annual cost, taking into account both investment costs and operating costs associated with fluid pumping. The mathematical model employed is based on classical correlations available in the literature for the calculation of heat transfer coefficients, pressure drop, and heat transfer area. Two benchmark case studies commonly reported in the literature were evaluated, considering different geometric configurations for tube arrangements. The results indicate that the CS algorithm was able to obtain competitive solutions when compared with those reported in the literature, achieving a reduction of approximately 6.08% in the total annual cost. Furthermore, the analyzed geometric configurations resulted in very similar cost values, suggesting that the optimization procedure converges to economically equivalent designs. In addition, a sensitivity analysis of the main algorithm parameters was carried out in order to evaluate their influence on the final solution. The results demonstrated good stability and repeatability of the solutions, as well as the existence of parameter ranges that provide a suitable balance between solution quality and computational effort. Overall, the findings indicate that the CS algorithm represents an efficient and relatively simple alternative for solving engineering design optimization problems, showing good performance in the optimal design of shell-and-tube heat exchangers.