An optimization model considering a novel thermal performance index to be the objective function is proposed for minimizing the highest temperature in this paper. Firstly, the performance of the conventional heat conduction optimization model, with the dissipation of heat transport potential capacity as the objective function, is evaluated by a one-dimensional heat conduction problem in a planar plate exchanger. Then, a new thermal performance index, named the geometric average temperature, is introduced. The new heat conduction optimization model, with the geometric average temperature as the objective function, is developed and the corresponding finite element formula is presented. The results show that the geometric average temperature is an ideal thermal performance index and the solution of the new model is close to the theoretical optimal solution.