Optimization of the free convection from a vertical array of isothermal horizontal elliptic cylinders via genetic algorithm

The present paper is devoted to the optimization of the cost function in free convective heat transfer from a vertical array of isothermal horizontal elliptic cylinders on the basis of the genetic algorithm (GA). The input parameters include the ratio of the cylinder spacing to the cylinder major axis varying from two to five and the Rayleigh number ranging from 10 3 to 2.5·10 3 . The regression equation for the average Nusselt number is based on experimental data obtained as a function of the parameters mentioned. The cost function is optimized using the GA. The results indicate that the proposed algorithm is efficient enough to be used for optimizing the cost function.