Approximate Optimization Based on Meta-model for Weight Minimization Design of Ocean Automatic Salt Collector

In this paper, the meta-model based approximate optimization was carried out for the structure design of an ocean automatic salt collector in order to minimize the structure weight. The structural analysis was performed by using the finite element method to evaluate the strength performance of the ocean automatic salt collector in its initial design. In the structural analysis, it was evaluated the strength performance of the design load conditions. The optimum design problem was formulated so that design variables of main structure thickness would be determined by minimizing the structure weight subject to strength performance constraints. The meta-models used in the approximate optimization were the response surface method, Kriging model, and Chebyshev orthogonal polynomials. Regarding to the numerical characteristics, the solution results from approximate optimization techniques were compared to the results of non-approximate optimization. The Chebyshev orthogonal polynomials among the meta-models used in the approximate optimization showed the most appropriate optimum design results for the structure design of the ocean automatic salt collector.