14th CONSTRUCTAL LAW CONFERENCE | 10-11 October 2024, Bucharest, Romania
Design in Nature and Evolution The Constructal Law governs the phenomena of design and evolution in nature. The conference explores the unifying power of the Constructal Law and its applications in all the domains of design generation and evolution, from biology and geophysics to social organization, energy sustainability, and security. The conference also covers the Second Law and how the Constructal Law fits in Thermodynamics. The Constructal Law and the Second Law are self-standing as first principles. Together, they empower science much more than the Second Law alone.
The Publishing House of the Romanian Academy
CONSTRUCTAL LAW AND THE OGP OPTIMAL GLOBAL PRICING TECHNOLOGY
The document discusses the integration of physics with economics through OGP technology and its application in resolving market arbitrage in various industries.
Copyright (c) 2024 14th CONSTRUCTAL LAW CONFERENCE | 10-11 October 2024, Bucharest, Romania https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
CONSTRUCTAL DESIGN OF LATENT HEAT STORAGE SYSTEMS
Copyright (c) 2024 14th CONSTRUCTAL LAW CONFERENCE | 10-11 October 2024, Bucharest, Romania
CONSTRUCTAL COUPLINGS IN THE ELECTROPERMEABILIZATION OF THE CELL MEMBRANE
Through electromagnetic field analysis and numerical experiments, the paper aims to explore the influence of the applied electric field frequency on the electropermeabilization (EP) conditions. The physical quantity correlated to the EP triggering is the transmembrane voltage induced before the pore generation process starts. The Constructal Law is here perceived and operates through the intrinsic couplings of the associated electromagnetic field, which may be tuned by the experiment designer, who is empowered to promote EP by adjusting the working frequency of the setup.
EVOLUTION OF MARITIME TECHNOLOGY: ADVANCEMENTS IN SHIP DESIGN
The evolution of ships has occurred through significant improvements in their design, materials, propulsion systems, size, navigation, and military capabilities. Ships were first built using simple, flat wooden hulls and were only suited for traveling short distances. Hull designs gained sophistication over time, taking on curved lines and later being built from steel and other composite materials that would improve their durability and efficiency. As for ship propulsion systems, these were initially powered by humans or the wind before evolving to steam engines, diesel engines, gas turbines, and nuclear power, vastly increasing their speed, range, and reliability. Ship size has also drastically improved, with modern supertankers and container ships now capable of transporting enormous loads across oceans. Developments in navigation technology, including the invention of radar, sonar, and GPS, have greatly improved marine safety and positional accuracy. Meanwhile, modern naval vessels now possess advanced defense systems, electronic warfare capabilities, and missile technologies. The drive toward sustainable practices have led to the adoption of green technologies such as hybrid engines and renewable energy and the adoption of more environmentally friendly ships. Ongoing innovations regarding maritime technology are reflected in these advancements and are helping shape the future of global shipping.
UPGRADING ALONG THE VALUE CHAIN: CONFORMITY BETWEEN HELICES
THE EUKARYOTE ENDOSYMBIOTIC ORIGIN: A CONSTRUCTAL THEORY-BASED EXPLANATION
The origin of eukaryotes is understood as one of the most important issues in the history of living beings. There are several points of view to seek a broad understanding of the eukaryote origins, which encompass paleontological data, energetics, eukaryote-particular characteristics origins or the connections among dissimilar eukaryotic groups. Many proposals of endosymbiotic theory have been presented to explain the origin of eukaryotes and their mitochondria. Only recently, energy and the energetic constraints started to be considered by endosymbiotic theory to understand the contribution of prokaryotic cell organization to cell history, acknowledging that only cells that possessed mitochondria had the bioenergetic assets to achieve eukaryotic cell complexity, which explains why no in between beings existed in the prokaryote-to-eukaryote transition. This study attempts to approach the eukaryote origins from the standpoint of constructal theory, i.e., “For a flow system to persist in time (to survive), it must evolve in such a way that it provides easier and easier access to the currents that flow through it.” Therefore, the explanation is based on the direction of evolution in time, in which it has been introduced the thought that system structure should morph freely towards the optimal architecture and flow organization that minimize resistances to the internal flows (exergy losses) that are required for the system existence, which is proposed as the origin of eukaryotes, mitochondria, chloroplasts, and for the origin of the eukaryotic nucleus.
CONSTRUCTAL LAW AND MEDICINE CRISES IN ROMANIA
The document discusses the application of Constructal Law and Optimal Global Pricing technology to resolve the medicine crises in low and high-priced markets, focusing on the case of Romania.
CONSTRUCTAL DESIGN APPROACH FOR CARBON DIOXIDE ADSORPTION SYSTEMS
Current carbon capture and storage (CCS) benchmark technologies and materials are both energy and economically costly. Therefore, it hopes to rely on uncovering combinations of designs or materials to provide the performance leap to scale up the CCS deployment to meet the most optimistic Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projections and socioeconomic shared pathways to mitigate global warming. While the search for advanced materials for carbon capture has drawn much of the efforts to enhance the so-called productivity (CCPr), i.e., CO2 mols per volume of CC material per cycle for high levels of purity for CO2 recovery, there is an opportunity to investigate before-hand how those materials would fare energy wise (PE) (total energy expenditure by total amount of CO2 mols captured) in the reactor. This work presents a formulation based on the Constructal Theory to explore how the features of the materials themselves (absorptivity, molecular diffusivity, density), the packing (pellets shape and size, effective diffusivity, specific capturing rate, porosity), and the configuration of a column packed-bed reactor affects the energy penalty (PE). The investigation is theoretical and numerical by modeling the CO2 mass balance in a prescribed and constant mobile phase flow rate (initially CO2-rich exhaust gases) isothermal 1d tubular packed-bed reactor and the coupling with CO2 mass balance at the pellet level with linear driving force model – both are saturated porous media. The simulations were performed using newly developed Python code and commercial software. The model was turned nondimensional, and the influence of the adapted Peclet and Damkhöler numbers was explored, which showed reverse trends in the indices CCPR and PE. It showed the trade-off between the resistances to adsorb CO2 and the other features of the reactor’s design, providing insights into how those systems may evolve.
UNIVERSAL DYNAMICS: A THEORY OF EVERYTHING WITHOUT INVENTING ANYTHING
This paper seeks to reconcile the constructal law with thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, and general relativity. Reconciling the constructal law with the more established laws of thermodynamics, we constitute a more complete and universal model of dynamics capable of explaining emergent and evolving design configurations observable throughout nature. Presented is a theory of universal dynamics, in which a core set of known universal laws can explain the universe's evolution through space, time, and all its emergent properties.
CONSTRUCTAL LAW, BIOMIMICRY, AND TOPOLOGY OPTIMIZATION THROUGH THE LENS OF GENERATIVE AI
Efficient heat management in the context of semiconductor miniaturization demands unconventional solutions to navigate constrained design spaces. The emergence of unsupervised learning as a versatile design companion capable of processing multi-disciplinary datasets presents promising avenues for streamlined bio-inspired solutions for fundamental conduction problems. As a case study, we tackle the pivotal area-to-point problem that led to the formulation of the Constructal Law. This study proposes a novel methodology harnessing Denoising Diffusion Probabilistic Models (DDPM) to seamlessly integrate features from topology optimization, constructal theory, and biomimetic structures. We use DDPM as a digital non-equilibrium complex system to generate geometric patterns for conductive heat sink design. These patterns are sampled to address the original formulation of the area-to-point problem. This study emphasizes the significance of morphological freedom in addressing multi-objective problems, reinforcing arguments first formulated within the constructal paradigm. Our framework facilitates low-cost sampling of intricate shapes capable of serving multiple temperature objectives by synthesizing principles from different fields. We show the emergence of dendritic structures to solve distribution problems in an unsupervised learning scenario, drawing a parallel between information and energy flows. This research underscores the transformative potential of Generative AI in blending design features across disparate disciplines, a potent tool for developing conductive heat sink solutions beyond deterministic optimization approaches.
OPTIMAL DESIGN OF CONSTRUCTAL CONDUCTIVE PATHWAYS USING MACHINE LEARNING ALGORITHMS
Increasing the heat flux of future microchips requires implementing a reliable cooling system to reduce their operating temperatures. Researching better designs for high thermal conductivity pathways embedded into heat-generating components is also essential due to concerns about dimensions and costs. The present study investigates the Constructal design of highly conductive pathways embedded into a heat-generating piece using a numerical code based on finite element method (FEM) and an optimization process based on machine learning algorithms (MLAs). The inserted high thermal conductivity occupies a fixed volume fraction. Geometrical features of the highly conductive are considered the optimization variables, and minimization of the peak temperature is considered the optimization objective. To accomplish the optimization process, machine-learning algorithms are used and critically compared to determine the most efficient option among the considered ones. Finally, the optimal Constructal designs predicted by the machine-learning approach are compared with the optimal configurations generated by conventional methods.
A LOW-IMPACT HIGH-EFFICIENCY BRAYTON CYCLE CONCEPT WITH EVAPORATIVE COOLING DURING THE COMPRESSION PROCESS USING H2/CH4 FUEL BLENDS
Towards a low-impact, high-efficiency Brayton cycle concept, a gas generator system including a compressor with evaporative cooling, a combustion chamber using H2/CH4 fuel blends, and a gas turbine is being analyzed at this preliminary stage. The Constructal approach on the effectiveness of compressed air temperature control by evaporative cooling, previously carried out by the authors, shed some light on the potential growth of mechanical power provided by gas turbine power plants of 45.81% and a simultaneous reduction of 2.26% in specific fuel consumption. The current study carried out on the combustion chamber reveals that increasing the H2 fraction in the fuel blend results in a direct reduction in carbon dioxide production and a decrease in CO and NOx emissions when the temperature of the flue gas is maintained at 1450 K. Meanwhile, the exergy efficiency of the combustion chamber remains almost constant at 39.3%. Studying the two components already analyzed, the compressor and the combustion chamber, allows us to move towards a low-impact, high-efficiency Brayton cycle concept as close as possible to its technical implementation.
CONSTRUCTAL LAW APPLIED TO PROOF MAXIMUM WORK PRINCIPLE. CONSEQUENCES ON CONVEXITY AND NORMAL RULE OF BULKING PLASTICITY AND SURFACE FRICTION POTENTIAL TOGETHER WITH ESTIMATION OF REAL THERMO-MECHANICAL POWER DURING CONTINUUM MEDIA FLOWS
Following the author's previous studies, this scientific article uses the proof of the “Principle” of Maximum Work (PMW), used in metals plasticity theory and surface tribology, through a more general mathematical framework starting from the fundamental Constructal Law. In this paper, the author focuses on the mathematical proof of convexity and normal rule properties of both plastic and friction flow criteria.
INTERACTION OF ULTRASONIC AND HEAT FLOW IN ESSENTIAL OIL EXTRACTION – A CONSTRUCTAL GLIMPSE
Micro-cavitation processes through ultrasonic transducers are an unconventional way to extract essential oil rapidly. This paper numerically studies the interaction between the fluid and the heat flow from a constructal perspective. The ultrasound source is the pressure the piezoelectric transducer gives, which sources the flow–heat transfer interaction in the working pot. The three flows (the US, the working fluid flow, and the heat produced) interact and morph in response to the mechanical stress created by its source, a sonotrode.
CONSTRUCTAL LAW LEADS TO DISCOVERY OF THE FUNDAMENTAL LAW IN ECONOMICS
Fundamental Law of Economics (FLoE). A finitely (not infinitely) converging algorithm addressing the dual market variables price and quantity simultaneously represents the mathematical formulation for the economic globalization of the planet. The document discusses the application of the Constructal Law and the Fundamental Law of Economics in addressing resistance to flow in economic systems, leading to the globalization of the planet.
FLUID MODES, DEEP LEARNING, AND CONSTRUCTAL LAW
The fluid modes generated using a proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) method were predicted for a fluidized bed and a power generation turbine. The POD-based reduced-order models were solved using either a Galerkin projection or a deep learning strategy. In both cases, as the number of the fluid modes increased, the modes appeared to fragment/bifurcate, indicating that these modes follow the constructal law.
TURBULENT MULTI-BRANCHING RADIAL SYMMETRIC FLOW STRUCTURES
This study builds upon previous research that developed optimized tree-shaped flow networks within disc-shaped bodies for enhanced thermal management, extending these principles to explore turbulent flow regimes. Previously, a multi-branching approach combined with strategic hydraulic diameter settings was utilized to balance thermal and fluid performance in laminar flow conditions, successfully minimizing flow resistance. These efforts revealed that symmetric tree designs could significantly boost hydraulic and thermal efficiencies via a constrained minimization approach. In the current work, the focus shifts to examining the implications of transitioning these optimized designs from laminar to turbulent flow conditions. By comparing performance metrics between the two regimes, this study aims to elucidate the effects of flow regime transitions on network efficiency and effectiveness. The results enhance understanding of the fundamental dynamics governing flow networks and guide the development of more robust designs capable of operating across a broader range of flow conditions.
EVOLUTIONARY PATTERNS OF LEAVES: PALEOBOTANY AND CONSTRUCTAL LAW
Paleobotany has been making the evolution of living structures that gave rise to present-day plants with thin planar leaves increasingly clear. And it tells us a fascinating story with many chapters to write and enigmas to decipher. The evolution of the structures that gave rise to present-day leaves with dense venation is one of those enigmas for which Constructal Law can offer a consistent, scientifically based, and beautiful explanation. In this article, we show how it is possible to understand the evolution of the shape and venation of the structures that gave rise to present-day leaves. We aim to promote “easier and easier access” to all the energy and mass currents that allow photosynthesis and subsequent redistribution of products throughout the leaf system within a constraints framework (optimization of solar radiation capture and access to water and nutrients).
FINNED ELLIPTIC TUBES HEAT EXCHANGERS IN THE TURBULENT REGIME CONSTRUCTAL DESIGN
This work seeks numerically the heat exchanger structure direction of evolution in time, i.e., the general optimal that maximizes the total heat transfer rate between a fixed volume arrangement of finned tubes and a turbulent external flow governed by a pressure difference, both for circular and elliptic tube arrays. In this way, the dynamic, ever-changing heat exchanger design that provides easier access to the currents that flow through it is sought for any time reality (e.g., geometry, materials, environment), according to Constructal law. The optimization procedure began by recognizing the limited availability of the design space as a fixed volume constraint. The three-way optimized (3wo) arrangement concerning tube-to-tube distance, eccentricity, and fin density was found as (S/2b, e, ϕf)3wo ≅ (0.5; 0.4; 0.094). A relative heat transfer gain of up to 38% was noted with the elliptic compared to the 3wo circular arrangement, demonstrating that elliptical tube arrangements have potential for considerably better performance and lower cost than traditional circular arrangements.
OPTIMIZING VOLUMETRIC SOLAR AIR RECEIVERS: NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF POROSITY AND FLOW EFFECTS ON TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
Ceramic foams are promising as absorber materials for volumetric solar receivers (VSR) in concentrated solar thermal power (CSP) systems. The temperature distribution of the VSR is very important to ensure that it operates efficiently and steadily. This study aims to simulate and analyze the temperature distribution within a VSR considering both the solid and fluid phases. The modelling of the open-cell volumetric receiver employs combined volume-averaged equations, assuming the ceramic foam to possess isotropic and homogeneous properties. To assess the pressure-drop in the VSR a non-Darcian model is adopted. A local thermal non-equilibrium (LTNE) model is implemented to describe the energy equations for both the solid and fluid phases. Additionally, the study considers the influence of solar radiation as a heat source on the solid phase. The heat transfer between the surfaces of the volumetric solar air receiver's struts is calculated using the P1 model. At the same time, a macroscopic approach is utilized to evaluate the thermal profile of the ceramic foam. This study also aims to assess the impact of the VSR's porosity and cell size variation on the outlet air temperature. Moreover, the flow scheme of the flowing air, concerning the incident of concentrated radiation, is considered.
ROBOTIC LEGS DESIGN – CONSTRUCTAL CONSIDERATIONS
In robotic navigation, wheels are highly efficient for engineered surfaces. However, they need to be more efficient when navigating over rough terrains. Evolution has resulted in limbed creatures that are highly adapted to extreme terrains. This paper explores the design of robotic legs for sagittal motion in uneven terrains. The paper builds upon locomotion theories to identify geometrical features of the leg and groups of legs as a function of terrain features. The predictions of the analytical models are compared against observations in the animal kingdom. The study is focused on legs that can be represented with two degrees of freedom, connected via revolute joints. It uses simplified terrain features and reduced-order dynamic models to evaluate the cost of transport associated with the different legs and terrain configurations. Examples of animal and animal-inspired robots to which the model applies include crabs, horses, and some insects. The model is expected to help design more agile robots and be extensible to designing human prostheses and end effectors for robotic manipulators.
COLD PLATE DESIGNS: A COMPARISON OF EVALUATION METRICS -CONSTRUCTAL SVELTENESS AND GLOBAL RESISTANCE
Cold plates are heat transfer devices used in various industries such as aerospace, automotive, and telecommunications primarily to prevent overheating and ensure efficient operation of electronics and power electronics components. They are compact, flat heat exchangers designed mainly by dissipate heat to a liquid coolant. The present paper compares the thermal performance of three serpentine arrangements using a global resistance metric that accounts for thermal resistance and pumping power. Then, various Svelteness definitions that differ in the external length scale are investigated. All the designs hold the same five degrees of freedom: plate area, plate weight, pipe diameter, pipe bend radius ratio, and plate length ratio, but only the two latter ones are investigated here. Results show that the simple “S” shape performs better regarding the global resistance metric, mainly for configurations with low values of the ratio between the bend curvature radius and the pipe diameter (R/d). The three variants of Svelteness capture the general thermal performance very well, particularly the R/d effect and the impact of the plate aspect ratio (W/d). However, none of the Svelteness definitions considered could completely capture the performance differences among the different arrangements measured with the global resistance metric.
ENHANCING ENERGY ACCESS BY EARTH-AIR HEAT EXCHANGER FOR BUILDINGS’ THERMAL COMFORT BY THE CONSTRUCTAL DESIGN
Harnessing soil low-depth thermal energy to support mechanical systems for buildings’ thermal comfort has been considered one pathway for reducing the buildings’ energy demand (avoid) and adding renewable energy to buildings. The literature addressed those issues in many ways. However, this work introduces two key novelties: (1) the optimization of the duct’s configuration and (2) a strategy for the optimal use of the duct assembly to attend to the time-variable energy demand throughout the year. Both are based on the minimization of entropy generation. The irreversibility mechanisms relate to heat transfer and fluid flow in the EAHE and the coupled building-environment-soil-EAHE thermodynamic system. This approach was carried out by numerically solving the mathematical model (3-D, transient, heat-conduction finite volume with an upwind scheme and heat convection inside the ducts by known convective correlations) developed considering a solid parallelepiped domain on the ground (WLH), crossed parallel to its central horizontal axis by several channels of rectangular section (wLh), positioned in arrangements of variable geometry. The design degrees of freedom are the number of ducts, their dimensions, and the spacing among them while meeting prescribed thermal comfort temperatures for each season. Results show that if the energy access of the EAHE is enhanced or optimized for a date in the year, it may not be helpful in other seasons, thus showing that the greater access of the ground thermal energy throughout the year requires a compromise in the EAHE design.
THE LUNGS OF PLEASURE ARE FULL OF DEATH OXYGEN
The pleasure naturally diminishes over time due to its existence. This study delves into this idea and connects it to the Constructal Law, which suggests that to maintain sustained pleasure in our lives, we must continuously adapt and evolve to keep the flow of pleasure alive. It explores the profound significance of pleasure as a motivating factor in our lives. It provides valuable insights into how we can ensure its continuous evolution for our overall well-being.
FORGOTTEN PRINCIPLES: HOW THE DIGITAL AGE TRANSFORMED THE HUMAN CONNECTION TO PHOTOGRAPHY
The goal of this paper is to explore the human connection to photography and examine the different principles that have been impacted by digital advancements in photography. This paper will investigate these principles and how they affect the perception of the beauty seen in photographs. The investigation of these principles builds upon Adrian Bejan's acclaimed book, 'Time and Beauty,' and the principles outlined in Constructal Law.
ENHANCED ELECTRONIC COOLING USING FIN HEATSINK: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
Electronic devices consistently produce undesired thermal energy. The growing demand for these devices in various applications necessitates innovative cooling solutions to mitigate thermal losses. The main challenge in electronic cooling is the full development of the thermal boundary layer. This study aims to optimize the conventional rectangular plate-fin heatsink by redeveloping a new thermal boundary, which involves morphing the fin configuration and distribution while maintaining a constant fin volume. We used numerical simulation in COMSOL Multiphysics to analyze and compare conventional rectangular plate-fin heatsink performance with two optimized configurations: the bifurcated longitudinal split fin and hybrid plate-pin fin heatsinks. The methodology involves assessing the thermal and flow performance in the form of the average heatsink baseplate temperature and the average pressure drop across the heatsink. We investigated these under a constant heat flux of 5903 W/m2 and varying air velocities between 4 and 12 m/s. The results showed that using five bifurcated plate fins and hybrid plate-pin fins lowers the temperature of the heatsink base plate by 25% and 47%, respectively, compared to conventional rectangular plate fins when the air velocity is 8 m/s. However, these optimized configurations increased the pressure drop across the heat sink.
INFORMATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON RAMIFICATIONS IN CONSTRUCTAL DESIGN
What insights can informational analysis provide regarding the ramifications predicted by constructal design? The first step in answering this research question is to consider symmetric and asymmetric flow architectures. In the symmetric case, radial multi-branching shows diminishing returns of diversity (measured by the system’s informature) in line with high thermofluid performance. In asymmetric flow architectures, assuming an evolution toward maximum complexity (as defined in information theory), patterns emerge like sap distribution in leaves.
MAXIMUM BENEFITS FROM THE USE OF T-SHAPED TREE FLOW GEOMETRY WITH RECTANGULAR SHAPE OF THE CHANNELS: PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
The study defines the conditions and constraints that must be obeyed to obtain the maximum benefit from using a heat exchanger with a T-shaped tree flow configuration and rectangular shape of the channels. The flow is laminar and fully developed with constant physical properties. The boundary condition is the fixed temperature of the channel wall. The variation of the heat flow ratio and augmentation entropy generation number Nsa with the dimensionless mass flow rate, shape factor ratio, and complexity have been investigated. Comparisons of the thermal performance with other heat exchanger configurations like serpentine for two cases have been made. The requirement for Nsa <=1 has been implemented as a constraint instead of one of fixed pumping power. The performance evaluation criterion has been introduced as a general criterion to define the most beneficial complexity and working parameters.
ARCHITECTURAL INGENUITY AND THE CONSTRUCTAL LAW: UNLEASHING MAXWELL'S DEMONS
Architectural ingenuity is a concept that epitomizes the fusion of design aesthetics and scientific principles, yielding spatial configurations that marry visual allure with science, functional resilience, sustainability, and energetic efficiency. Within this paradigm, the arrow of time, as dictated by the second law of thermodynamics, assumes significance. The evolution of architectural ingenuity unveils an alternative temporal narrative, often overlooked in architectural theory. This narrative finds resonance with the constructal law, propounded by Adrian Bejan, where architectural ingenuity mirrors the dynamic flow systems' fundamental principles. It is a contemporary manifestation of Maxwell's demon, driving spatial design's refinement and evolution. This interplay between human creativity and natural laws sculpts artificial living environments – flow configurations, enhancing human experience while mirroring the universal tendency of flow systems to improve accessibility over time. Architectural ingenuity, fluid and evolving, shapes spaces in synchrony with the essence of time.