Density-based topology optimization strategy for optimal design of uniform flow manifolds

Abstract: Uniform flow distribution across parallel channels directly impacts the performance and efficiency of many fluid and energy systems. However, designing efficient flow manifolds that ensure uniform flow distribution remains a challenge. This issue is even more pronounced in the design of multichannel three-dimensional manifolds. Hence, this study presents a scalable topology optimization framework for the systematic design of multi-channel flow manifolds. The proposed method extends the conventional density-based topology optimization formulation by introducing a flow maldistribution coefficient as an explicit constraint. This novel approach was implemented using the incompressible Navier-Stokes flow solver available in the open-source CFD suite SU2. The performance of the proposed method was benchmarked against two established topology optimization strategies using an exemplary planar z-type flow manifold, wherein both the inlet and outlet manifoldswere designed simultaneously. The results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves flow uniformity comparable to that obtained by established approaches while significantly reducing the associated computational cost. Furthermore, when applied to large-scale three-dimensional problems, the proposed method produces feasible designs that achieve uniform flow distribution and exhibit innovative geometrical features. Thus advocating for the robustness and scalability of the proposed method.