Radiative transfer equation for graded index medium in cylindrical and spherical coordinate systems

In graded index medium, the ray goes along a curved path determined by Fermat principle, and the curved ray-tracing is very difficult and complex. To avoid the complicated and time-consuming computation of curved ray trajectory, the methods not based on ray-tracing technique need to be developed for the solution of radiative transfer in graded index medium. For this purpose, in this paper the streaming operator along a curved ray trajectory in original radiative transfer equation for graded index medium is transformed and expressed in spatial and angular ordinates and the radiative transfer equation for graded index medium in cylindrical and spherical coordinate systems are derived. The conservative and the non-conservative forms of radiative transfer equation for three-dimensional graded index medium are given, which can be used as base equations to develop the numerical simulation methods, such as finite volume method, discrete ordinates method, and finite element method, for radiative transfer in graded index medium in cylindrical and spherical coordinate systems.     

Multiple scattering by particles embedded in an absorbing medium. 2. Radiative transfer equation

This paper continues a systematic theoretical analysis of electromagnetic scattering by a group of arbitrarily sized, shaped, and oriented particles embedded in an absorbing, homogeneous, isotropic, and unbounded medium. The previously developed microphysical approach is used to derive the generalized form of the radiative transfer equation (RTE) applicable to a large group of sparsely, randomly, and uniformly distributed particles. The derivation of the RTE directly from the macroscopic Maxwell equations yields unambiguous and definitive analytical expressions for the participating quantities and thereby fully resolves the lasting controversy caused by the conflicting outcomes of several phenomenological approaches.     

On “Radiative transfer in three-dimensional rectangular enclosures containing inhomogeneous, anisotropically scattering media”

Our 1985 paper (JQSRT 1985; 33: 533-549) reported the result of the research we conducted back then to better understand heat transfer processes in large-scale combustion chambers, especially in pulverized coal-fired furnaces. It was one of the first works exploring radiative transfer in three-dimensional enclosures where absorption and scattering coefficients due to combustion particles and gases were allowed to vary within the medium. This flexibility of the mathematical model made it useful for applications to realistic furnaces and different types of high-temperature systems. This note briefly discusses the motivation behind the paper and the immediate extension of the idea to different systems.     

Nonaxisymmetric radiative transfer in inhomogeneous cylindrical media with anisotropic scattering

In this paper, the control volume finite element method (CVFEM) is applied for the first time to solve nonaxisymmetric radiative transfer in inhomogeneous, emitting, absorbing and anisotropic scattering cylindrical media. Mathematical formulations as well as numerical implementation are given and the final discretized equations are based on similar meshes used for convective and conductive heat transfer in computational fluid dynamic analysis. In order to test the efficiency of the developed method, four nonaxisymmetric problems have been examined. Also, the grid dependence and the false scattering of the CVFEM are investigated and compared with the finite volume method and the discrete ordinates interpolation method.     

Three-dimensional radiative transfer in an anisotropically scattering, semi-infinite medium: generalized reflection function

Three-dimensional radiative transfer in an anisotropic scattering medium exposed to spatially varying, collimated radiation is studied. The generalized reflection function for a semi-infinite medium with a very general scattering phase function is the focus of this investigation. An integral transform is used to reduce the three-dimensional transport equation to a one-dimensional form, and a modified Ambarzumian's method is applied to formulate a nonlinear integral equation for the generalized reflection function. The integration is over both the polar and azimuthal angles; hence, the integral equation is said to be in the double-integral form. The double-integral, reflection function formulation can handle a variety of anisotropic phase functions and does not require an expansion of the phase function in a Legendre polynomial series. Complicated kernel transformations of previous single-integral studies are eliminated. Single and double scattering approximations are developed. Numerical results are presented for a Rayleigh phase function to illustrate the computational characteristics of the method and are compared to results obtained with the single-integral method. Agreement between the two approaches is excellent; however, as the transform variable increases beyond five the number of quadrature points required for the double-integral method to produce accurate solutions significantly increases. A new interpolation scheme produces accurate results when the transform variable is large.     

Three-dimensional radiative transfer in an anisotropically scattering, plane-parallel medium: generalized reflection and transmission functions

The problem of spatially varying, collimated radiation incident on an anisotropically scattering, plane-parallel medium is considered. A very general phase function is allowed. An integral transform is used to reduce the three-dimensional radiative transport equation to a one-dimensional form, and a modified Ambarzumian's method is applied to derive nonlinear integral and integro-differential equations for the generalized reflection and transmission functions. The integration is over the polar and azimuthal angles—this formulation is referred to as the double-integral formulation. The integral equations are used to illustrate symmetry relationships and to obtain single- and double-scattering approximations. The generalized reflection and transmission functions are important in the construction of the solutions to many multidimensional problems. Coupled integral equations for the interior and emergent intensities are developed and, for the case of two identical homogeneous layers, used to formulate a doubling procedure. Results for an isotropic and Rayleigh scattering medium are presented to illustrate the computational characteristics of the formulation.     

Finite element method for modeling radiative transfer in semitransparent graded index cylindrical medium

Both Galerkin finite element method (GFEM) and least squares finite element method (LSFEM) are developed and their performances are compared for solving the radiative transfer equation of graded index medium in cylindrical coordinate system (RTEGC). The angular redistribution term of the RTEGC is discretized by finite difference approach and after angular discretization the RTEGC is formulated into a discrete-ordinates form, which is then discretized based on Galerkin or least squares finite element approach. To overcome the RTEGC-led numerical singularity at the origin of cylindrical coordinate system, a pole condition is proposed as a special mathematical boundary condition. Compared with the GFEM, the LSFEM has very good numerical properties and can effectively mitigate the nonphysical oscillation appeared in the GFEM solutions. Various problems of both axisymmetry and nonaxisymmetry, and with medium of uniform refractive index distribution or graded refractive index distribution are tested. The results show that both the finite element approaches have good accuracy to predict the radiative heat transfer in semitransparent graded index cylindrical medium, while the LSFEM has better numerical stability.     

Radiative transfer in finite cylindrical media using transformed integral equations

A modified direct integration method is presented to solve three-dimensional radiative transfer in emitting, absorbing and linear-anisotropic scattering finite cylindrical media. This scheme effectively avoids an integral singularity in the coupled Fredholm type integral equations of radiative transfer. The scheme leads to faster and more accurate results, which are needed in combined mode and non-gray problems. The calculated incident radiation and heat fluxes agree well with published results by discrete ordinates method. Using the transformed integral equations, the effects of boundary emission and reflection can also be easily handled.     

Multidimensional radiative transfer in absorbing,emitting, and linearly anisotropic scattering cylindrical medium with space-dependent properties

The integral form of three-dimensional radiative transfer equation for an absorbing, emitting, and linear-anisotropic scattering medium with space-dependent properties is formulated. A product-integration method is subsequently applied to develop a numerical scheme for solving the corresponding integral transfer equations in a two-dimensional, axisymmetric and nonhomogeneous medium subjected to externally incident radiation or bounded by emitting and diffusely-reflecting walls. The numerical solutions for cases of constant, continuous, and stepwise variations of scattering albedo are presented to illustrate its accuracy and flexibility, and validated by comparing with results available in the literature.     

Apparent optical properties of spherical particles in absorbing medium

An apparent absorption efficiency for spherical particles in absorbing medium is introduced to take into account the non-exponential absorption of the near-field scattered radiation in the absorbing medium. The apparent extinction, which is the summation of the apparent scattering efficiency following previous studies and the apparent absorption efficiency, is the same as the actual extinction. These apparent optical properties are suited to radiative transfer equations.     

Analysis of radiative transport in a cylindrical enclosure—An application of the modified discrete ordinate method

Application of the modified discrete ordinate method (MDOM) proposed by Mishra et al. [Mishra SC, Roy HK, Misra N. Discrete ordinate method with a new and simple quadrature scheme. J Quant Spectrosc Radiat Transfer 2006;101:249-262.] has been extended for calculation of volumetric radiative information in a cylindrical enclosure. Radiatively, the medium inside a diffuse gray 1-D concentric cylinder is absorbing, emitting and scattering. Three types of problems, viz., an isothermal medium representing non-radiative equilibrium case, a non-isothermal medium representing radiative equilibrium situation and the case of a combined mode conduction and radiation heat transfer have been used to test the robustness of the MDOM. Temperature/emissive power and heat flux/energy flow rate distributions in the medium have been found for the effects of various parameters like the extinction coefficient, the scattering albedo, the boundary emissivity and the conduction-radiation parameter. To check the accuracy of the results of the MDOM, results have been compared with those available in the literature and also by obtaining the radiative information using the finite volume method. MDOM has been found to provide accurate results.     

Benchmark solutions of radiative transfer equation for three-dimensional rectangular homogeneous media

Three-dimensional steady-state radiative integral transfer equations (RITEs) for a cubic absorbing and isotropically scattering homogeneous medium are solved using the method of “subtraction of singularity”. Surface integrals and volume integrals are carried out analytically to eliminate singularities, to assure highly accurate solutions, and to reduce the computational time. The resulting system of linear equations for the incident energy is solved iteratively. Six benchmark problems for cold participating media subjected to various combinations of externally uniform/non-uniform diffuse radiation loads are considered. The solutions for the incident energy and the net heat flux components are given in tabular form for scattering albedos of ω=0, 0.5 and 1.     

Radiative transfer in a spherical, emitting, absorbing and anisotropically scattering medium

The atmospheres of planets (including Earth) and the outer layers of stars have often been treated in radiative transfer as plane-parallel media, instead of spherical shells, which can lead to inaccuracy, e.g. limb darkening. We give an exact solution of the radiative transfer specific intensity at all points and directions in a finite spherical medium having arbitrary radial spectral distribution of: source (temperature), absorption, emission and anisotropic scattering. The power and efficiency of the method stems from the spherical numerical gridding used to discretize the transfer equations prior to matrix solution: the wanted ray and the rays which scatter into it both have the same physico-geometric structure. Very good agreement is found with an isotropic astrophysical benchmark [Avrett EH, Loeser R. Methods in radiative transfer. In: Kalkofen W, editor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1984. pp. 341-79]. We introduce a specimen arbitrary forward- side-back phase scattering function for future comparisons. Our method directly and exactly addresses spherical symmetry with anisotropic scattering, and could be used to study the Earth's climate, nuclear power (neutron diffusion) and the astrophysics of stars and planets.     

Non-Fourier heat conduction with radiation in an absorbing, emitting, and isotropically scattering medium

This article numerically analyses the combined conductive and radiative heat transfer in an absorbing, emitting, and isotropically scattering medium. The non-Fourier heat conduction equation, which includes the time lag between heat flux and the temperature gradient, is used to model the conductive heat transfer in the medium. It predicts that a temperature disturbance will propagate as a wave at finite speed. The radiative heat transfer is solved using the P₃ approximation method. In addition, the MacCormack's explicit predictor-corrector scheme is used to solve the non-Fourier problem. The effects of radiation including single scattering albedo, conduction-to-radiation parameter, and optical thickness of the medium on the transient and steady state temperature distributions are investigated in detail. Analysis results indicate that the internal radiation in the medium significantly influences the wave nature. The thermal wave nature in the combined non-Fourier heat conduction with radiation is more obvious for large values of conduction-to-radiation parameter, small values of optical thickness and higher scattering medium. The results from non-Fourier-effect equation are also compared to those obtained from the Fourier equation. Non-Fourier effect becomes insignificant as either time increases or the effect of radiation increases.     

A two-step strategy for numerical simulation of radiative transfer with anisotropic scattering and reflection

This article presents a two-step procedure for the computation of radiative heat transfer with anisotropic scattering and reflection. It is based on a concept that the coincident processes of absorption and scattering/reflection can be separated factitiously. All medium elements and wall surfaces are supposed to be pure-absorbing when receiving incident radiation. Afterwards they emit the scattered/reflected radiations. The absorption of both the initial and the secondary radiations can be assessed by the direct exchange area. It is needed to repeat the processes for a few times until the radiations are substantially absorbed. For anisotropic scattering/reflection, a vector summation obtains the directional distribution of emissive power. The method is validated by several benchmark computations in terms of emissive power and heat transfer coefficients. It is shown that the method gives more accurate solution than the isotropic scaling for the heat transfer in anisotropically scattering media.     

Radiation transfer in a three-dimensionally inhomogeneous stochastic medium

Within the framework of a small-angle iteration method the propagation of radiation in a three-dimensionally inhomogenous stochastic scattering medium is considered. The results of the analysis show a significant dependence of the average light field on the statistical structure of scattering parameters of the medium. Deceased. Institute of Applied Optics, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 11, Belynitskii-Birulya Str., Mogilev, 212793. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 66, No. 2, pp. 234–240, March–April, 1999.     

The effect of turbulence-radiation interaction on radiative entropy generation and heat transfer

The analysis under the second law of thermodynamics is the gateway for optimisation in thermal equipments and systems. Through entropy minimisation techniques it is possible to increase the efficiency and overall performance of all kinds of thermal systems. Radiation, being the dominant mechanism of heat transfer in high-temperature systems, plays a determinant role in entropy generation within such equipments. Turbulence is also known to be a major player in the phenomenon of entropy generation. Therefore, turbulence-radiation interaction is expected to have a determinant effect on entropy generation. However, this is a subject that has not been dealt with so far, at least to the extent of the authors’ knowledge. The present work attempts to fill that void, by studying the effect of turbulence-radiation interaction on entropy generation. All calculations are approached in such a way as to make them totally compatible with standard engineering methods for radiative heat transfer, namely the discrete ordinates method. It was found that turbulence-radiation interaction does not significantly change the spatial pattern of entropy generation, or heat transfer, but does change significantly their magnitude, in a way approximately proportional to the square of the intensity of turbulence.     

The Iterative-DRESOR method to solve radiative transfer in a plane-parallel, anisotropic scattering medium with specular-diffuse boundaries

Using the intensity with high directional resolution obtained by the Basic-DRESOR method as an initial guess, which is substituted into the integrated radiative transfer equation (IRTE), an iterative algorithm is proposed, called the Iterative-DRESOR method. This method can reduce the error levels of the intensity from several percent using the Basic-DRESOR method to a level of less than 1.0×10⁻⁶ with acceptable computation costs. The method is also validated against the exact heat flux in literature in some cases. It further clarifies some uncertain results for the reflectance in a pure, linearly anisotropic scattering medium with specular-diffuse boundaries. The directional distributions of intensity are obviously influenced by the reflecting modes of the boundary, especially in the zone near the boundary. The reflecting mode of an emitting boundary has little effect on the transmittance or reflectance. The reflecting mode of a non-emitting boundary also has little effect on the transmittance, but it obviously influences the reflectance. The difference between the reflectance for specular and diffuse boundaries increases at first, and then decreases, as the optical thickness of the medium increases. The difference will decrease as the scattering albedo of the medium increases, and it is negligible when the medium is pure scattering. The effect of the scattering phase function of the medium on the difference can also not be ignored. The Iterative-DRESOR method is expected to strengthen the capability of the Monte Carlo method to produce accurate results and to validate the results of other methods to solve RTE.     

Three-dimensional radiative transfer in an isotropically scattering, semi-infinite medium: generalized reflection function

The focus of this study is the generalized reflection function of multidimensional radiative transfer. The physical situation considered is spatially varying, collimated radiation incident on the upper boundary of an isotropically scattering, semi-infinite medium. An integral transform is used to reduce the three-dimensional transport equation to a one-dimensional form, and a modified Ambarzumian's method is applied to formulate a nonlinear integral equation for the generalized reflection function. The resulting equation is said to be in double-integral form because the integration is over both angular variables. Computational issues associated with this generalized reflection function formulation are investigated. The source function and reflection function formulations are compared, and the relative merits of the two approaches are discussed.