A strip laminar cooling process is investigated in this paper. Entransy theory and generalized constructal optimization are introduced into the optimization. Total water flow amount(WFA) in the laminar cooling zone(LCZ) and complex function are taken as the constraint and optimization objective, respectively. The entransy dissipation(ED) and maximum temperature different(MTD) of the strip are simultaneously considered in the complex function. WFA distributions of the headers in the LCZ are optimized. The effects of the total WFA, strip thickness and cooling water temperature on the optimal results are analyzed.The optimal cooling scheme is the eleventh cooling mode for the considered total 257 cooling schemes, and the complex function,ED and MTD of the strip are decreased by 11.59%, 5.59% and 17.58% compared with the initial cooling scheme, respectively.The total WFA and strip thickness have the obvious influences on the optimal cooing scheme, but the cooling water temperature has no influence in the parameter analysis range of this paper. The “generalized optimal construct” derived by minimum complex function shows a compromise between the energy retention and quality of the strip. A strip laminar cooling process is investigated in this paper. Entransy theory and generalized constructal optimization are introduced into the optimization. Total water flow amount (WFA) in the laminar cooling zone (LCZ) and complex function are taken as the constraint and optimization objective, respectively. The entransy dissipation (ED) and maximum temperature different (MTD) of the strip are simultaneously considered in the complex function. WFA distributions of the headers in the LCZ are optimized. The effects of the total WFA, strip thickness and cooling water temperature on the optimal results are analyzed. The optimal cooling scheme is the eleventh cooling mode for the considered 257 cooling schemes, and the complex function, ED and MTD of the strip are decreased by 11.59%, 5.59% and 17.58% compared with the initial cooling scheme, respectively. The total WFA and strip thickness have the obvious influences on the optimal cooing scheme, but the cooling water temperature has no i nfluence in the parameter analysis range of this paper. The “generalized optimal construct ” derived by minimum complex function shows a compromise between the energy retention and quality of the strip.