Design optimization of a complex mechanical system using adaptive responsesurface method

Today's increasingly competitive industrial environment demands shorter pro duct development lead-times, lower costs, and higher quality products. Thes e requirements produce more complex design problems that are characterized by multiple design objectives as well as complex design objective and const raint relations. The optimization of these computationally intensive design problems leads to new technical challenges. This work applies a new global optimization search scheme, the Adaptive Response Surface Method (ARSM), t o the optimal design of a complex mechanical system -- the radiator stack P EM fuel cell system, The design optimum manifests a significant increase in system performance and decrease in cost. The proposed method can also be a pplied to the solution of other complex design optimization problems.