Optimization of an “area to point” heat conduction problem

•An approach is developed to optimize ATP problem based on flow pattern construction.•The heat conduction is optimized using entropy generation minimization principle.•Exergy analysis is carried out to evaluate the optimized heat conduction process.•The conductive path consisting of high conductivity material is constructed. An optimization approach is developed to optimize the “area to point” heat conduction problem based on the concept of flow pattern construction. As the key point of the approach, an optimal temperature field for heat conduction process is necessary to be constructed firstly (also known as the flow pattern construction). To construct the optimal temperature field, the heat conduction is optimized using the entropy generation minimization principle in a thermodynamics point of view. After optimization, the average and maximum temperature of the heating surface decreases, and, simultaneously, the exergy efficiency increases as well. Then the second step of the present optimization approach is to design a conductive path consisting of high conductivity materials to enhance heat transfer, according to the optimal temperature field. With the conductive path, the average and maximum temperature of the heating domain is found to decrease.