Optimizing Structural Parameters of a Water Distribution Device in Cylindrical High‐Flowrate Mixed Bed Using Multiobjective Genetic Algorithm

ABSTRACT High‐flowrate mixed bed is the foremost desalination equipment in the condensate polishing system. The water distribution device determining the water distribution uniformity directly affects its operation stability, output water quality, and service life of the resins. In this paper, the water distribution uniformity index and pressure drop are selected as objective parameters, and the upper plate circular hole diameter and lower plate circular hole diameter are chosen as structural parameters. These structural parameters of a double‐layered perforated‐plate type water distribution device are optimized using the nondominated sorting genetic algorithms II (NSGA‐II) coupled with the radial basis function (RBF) model. The Pareto‐optimal solution is obtained. It is concluded that the water distribution uniformity index increases along with the growth of plate spacing. The smaller the lower plate circular hole diameter, or the larger the upper plate circular hole diameter, the better the water distribution uniformity can be achieved. The optimal combinations of upper and lower circular hole diameter mainly fall into three regions. Within it, the highest pressure drop is 164.06 Pa with the maximum uniformity index of 0.924, and the lowest pressure drop is 149.83 Pa with the minimum uniformity index of 0.896.