Numerical simulation of radiative heat transfer from non-gray gases in three-dimensional enclosures

The discrete ordinates and the discrete transfer methods are applied to the numerical simulation of radiative heat transfer from non-gray gases in three-dimensional enclosures. Several gas radiative property models are used, namely the correlated k-distribution (CK), the spectral line-based weighted-sum-of-gray-gases (SLW) and the weighted-sum-of-gray-gases (WSGG) methods. The results are compared with recently published accurate calculations based on the statistical narrow band model. The WSGG model is computationally efficient, but often yields relatively large errors. It should be used only if moderate accuracy is sufficient. The SLW model is the best alternative regarding the compromise between accuracy and numerical efficiency. However, an optimization of the coefficients of the model is essential to reduce the computational requirements, especially in the case of gas mixtures. The CK model is the most accurate of the methods evaluated here, but too time consuming for engineering applications, although recent developments may partly overcome this shortcoming.