State-of-the-Art of Research on Optimization of Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers by Methods of Evolutionary Computation

This paper presents a comprehensive state-of-the-art review of optimization by evolutionary computation methods of shell and tubes heat exchangers (STHE) of single segmental baffles. It is seen that the heat transfer coefficient to the shell side is calculated by the Kern method or by the Bell Delaware method, and that the pressure drop to the shell side is calculated by the Kern method or by the Bell Delaware method or by the Peters and Timmershaus method. It is verified the use of evolutionary computation algorithms in single-objective and multiobjective optimization of STHE, and that most related work used the total cost function of STHE. And among the contributions presented, there were implementations and applications of different evolutionary computation algorithms, or study of the STHE optimization problem by different objective functions, such as ecological, entransy dissipation, field synergy, and cost of the life cycle. Also, it was possible to verify some gaps in the work related to STHE optimization, among them, can be cited the need for greater application of decision-making methods that relate technical, economic and managerial aspects applied to the solution of the STHE. And it is suggested for future work the development of the STHE model subject to delimited uncertainties; and the formalization of a standard STHE optimization problem, so that it can serve as a reference for comparing the different optimization algorithms, and applying metrics to evaluate the advantages that are obtained when using a new algorithm for the same problem.