Optimization of MLP neural network for modeling effects of electric fields on bubble growth in pool boiling

In this paper, a multilayer perceptron (MLP)-type artificial neural network model with a back-propagation training algorithm is utilized to model the bubble growth and bubble dynamics parameters in nucleate boiling with a non-uniform electric field. The influences of the electric field on different parameters that describe bubble’s behaviors including bubble waiting time, bubble departure frequency, bubble growth time, and bubble departure diameter are considered. This study models single bubble dynamic behaviors of R113 created on a heater in an inconsistent electric field by utilizing a MLP neural network optimized by four different swarm-based optimization algorithms, namely: Salp Swarm Algorithm (SSA), Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO), Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm, and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). For evaluating the model effectiveness, the MSE value (Mean-Square Error) of the artificial neural network model with various optimization algorithms is measured and compared. The results suggest that the optimal networks in the two-hidden layer and three-hidden layer models for the bubble departure diameter improve MSE by 33.85% and 35.27%, respectively, when compared with the best response in the one-hidden layer model. Additionally, for bubble growth time, the networks with two hidden layers and three hidden layers have the 44.51% and 45.85% reduction in error, when compared with the network with one hidden layer, respectively. For the departure frequency, the error reduction in the two-layer and three-layer networks is 46.85% and 62.32%, respectively. For bubble waiting time, the best networks in the two hidden-layer and three hidden-layer models improve MSE by 52.44% and 62.27% compared with the best 1HL model response, respectively. Also, the two algorithms of SSA and GWO are able to compete well (comparable MSE) with the PSO and ABC algorithms.