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Journal of Applied Physics / Volume 100 / Issue 4 / APPLIED PHYSICS REVIEWS

J. Appl. Phys. 100, 041301 (2006); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.2221896 (27 pages)

Constructal theory of generation of configuration in nature and engineering

Adrian Bejan1 and Sylvie Lorente2

1Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708-0300
2Laboratory for Materials and Durability of Constructions, National Institute of Applied Sciences (INSA), 135 Avenue de Rangueil, Toulouse 31077, France

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(Received 26 April 2006; accepted 19 June 2006; published online 29 August 2006)

Constructal theory is the view that the generation of flow configuration is a physics phenomenon that can be based on a physics principle (the constructal law): “For a finite-size flow system to persist in time (to survive) its configuration must evolve in such a way that it provides an easier access to the currents that flow through it” [A. Bejan, Advanced Engineering Thermodynamics, 2nd ed. (Wiley, New York, 1997); Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 40, 799 (1997) ]. This principle predicts natural configuration across the board: river basins, turbulence, animal design (allometry, vascularization, locomotion), cracks in solids, dendritic solidification, Earth climate, droplet impact configuration, etc. The same principle yields new designs for electronics, fuel cells, and tree networks for transport of people, goods, and information. This review describes a paradigm that is universally applicable in natural sciences, engineering and social sciences.

© 2006 American Institute of Physics

Article Outline

  1. THE CONSTRUCTAL LAW AND THERMODYNAMICS
  2. INANIMATE FLOW CONFIGURATIONS
    1. Duct cross sections
    2. Open channel cross sections
    3. Tree-shaped fluid flow river basins
    4. Turbulent flow structure
    5. Coalescence of flowing solid packets
    6. Cracks
    7. Dendritic crystals
    8. Global circulation and climate
  3. ANIMATE FLOW CONFIGURATIONS
    1. Body heat loss versus body size
    2. Breathing and heartbeating
    3. Flying
    4. Running
    5. Swimming
    6. Organ size
  4. ENGINEERED FLOW CONFIGURATIONS
    1. Flow spacings
    2. Trees for heat conduction
    3. Trees for fluid flow
    4. Multiobjective flow architectures
  5. THERMODYNAMICS OF NONEQUILIBRIUM SYSTEMS WITH CONFIGURATION
    1. Properties
    2. Survival by increasing performance
    3. Survival by increasing svelteness (compactness)
    4. Survival by increasing flow territory
    5. Freedom to morph is good for performance
  6. CONCLUSION

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KEYWORDS and PACS

Keywords

rivers, turbulence, biomechanics, cracks, solidification, climatology, drops, two-phase flow, reviews

PACS

ARTICLE DATA

Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.2221896

PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN

0021-8979 (print)  
1089-7550 (online)

Publisher

$abstract.society.value is a Member of CrossRef American Institute of Physics

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    References

    G. A. Ledezma, A. Bejan, and M. R. Errera, J. Appl. Phys. 82, 89 (1997)JAPIAU000082000001000089000001.

    A. Majumdar, A. M. Alencar, S. V. Buldyrev, Z. Hantos, E. H. Stanley, and B. Suki, Phys. Rev. E 67, 031912 (2003).

    A. Bejan, A. M. Morega, G. B. West, and J. H. Brown, Phys. Today 58(7), 20 (2005).

    M. Neagu and A. Bejan, J. Appl. Phys. 86, 1136 (1999)JAPIAU000086000002001136000001.

    N. Dan and A. Bejan, J. Appl. Phys. 84, 3042 (1998)JAPIAU000084000006003042000001.

    L. Gosselin and A. Bejan, J. Appl. Phys. 98, 104903 (2005)JAPIAU000098000010104903000001.

    A. K. da Silva, S. Lorente, and A. Bejan, J. Appl. Phys. 96, 1709 (2004)JAPIAU000096000003001709000001.

    S. M. Senn and D. Poulikakos, J. Appl. Phys. 96, 842 (2004)JAPIAU000096000001000842000001.

    L. Gosselin and A. Bejan, J. Appl. Phys. 96, 5852 (2004)JAPIAU000096000010005852000001.

    W. Dai, A. Bejan, X. Tang, L. Zhang, and R. Nassar, J. Appl. Phys. 99, 104702 (2006)JAPIAU000099000010104702000001.

    B. Yu and B. Li, Phys. Rev. E 73, 066302 (2006).


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