Topology Optimization of the 3D Heat Dissipation Structure via the Improved Feature-Driven Method

The feature-driven method and its similar approaches (e.g., the moving morphable component method) have been developed rapidly in recent years, but they are still difficult to solve the design problem of 3D heat dissipation structures mainly for two reasons: very limited deformability of existing 3D features or components; severe initial layout dependence of the design results. In view of this, the following two aspects of works are conduct here to improve the feature-driven method. First, drawing on the ideas of sweeping and lofting techniques in CAD, the new 3D feature that has sufficient deformability to meet the requirements of engineering design is constructed; Second, by introducing the hierarchical growth technology of the tree branch structure in the bionic topology optimization method, 3D features can be rationally pre-arranged in the design domain. The topology optimization of the 3D heat transfer structure is carried out with the optimization goal of minimizing the thermal compliance and the given volume fraction of high thermal conductivity material as the constraint. Numerical example shows that by using the improved feature-driven method, the design result of 3D heat dissipation structure possessing clear and smooth boundaries and excellent performance can be obtained with relatively few design variables.