Learning experimental data to predict fluid-elastic instability and optimize configuration of tube arrays

Fluid-elastic instability (FEI) poses a particularly significant challenge to the safety of steam generators, given its potential to cause substantial damage in short periods. The tube bundle system model is inherently complex, resulting in expensive costs for experiments and numerical simulations during the design process. In this study, a substantial volume of FEI experimental data, conducted by various scholars, was compiled to create FEI surrogate model. The accuracy and feasibility of this surrogate model were demonstrated and compared to experimental results. This work represents the pioneering reference on the optimization of tube array configurations, achieved by combining FEI deep neural network (DNN) surrogate model with genetic algorithm (GA). The design variables for optimization encompassed tube array configurations and structural parameters. The optimization objective is to achieve a tubular array structure exhibiting a higher critical velocity, U_r, enabling safe operation of the heat exchanger tube bundle across a wider range of flow rates without any FEI accident. The developed approach holds promise for data-driven FEI analysis and optimized tube bundle design, resulting in substantial time and cost savings. We publicly share all code implementations, and we believe that our efforts open a door for the surrogate-model-assisted structural optimization of tube arrays.