Mixed Variable Optimization of a Load-Bearing Thermal Insulation System Using a Filter Pattern Search Algorithm

Abstract: This paper describes the optimization of a load-bearing thermal insulation system characterized by hot and cold surfaces with a series of heat intercepts and insulators between them. The optimization problem is represented as a mixed variable programming (MVP) problem with nonlinear constraints, in which the objective is to minimize the power required to maintain the heat intercepts at fixed temperatures so that one surface is kept sufficiently cold. MVP problems are more general than mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problems in that the discrete variables are categorical; i.e., they must always take on values from a predefined enumerable set or list. Thus, traditional approaches that use branch and bound techniques cannot be applied.