Radiative transfer in arbitrarily-shaped axisymmetric bodies

A mathematical model for evaluating thermal radiative transport in axisymmetric enclosures is presented. Based on the Discrete Exchange Factor (DEF) method, exchange factors between arbitrarily-oriented differential surface/volume ring elements are systematically calculated. The formulation is capable of treating geometrically complex systems including enclosures with shadowing effects ensuing from inner and/or outer obstructing bodies. The model is developed for isotropically scattering participating media. The solutions to several cylindrical media benchmark problems are found to be in excellent agreement with existing solutions in the literature. The solutions to several rocket-nozzle and plug-chamber geometries are presented for a host of geometric conditions and optical thicknesses. In addition, two variants of the DEF method are presented for anisotropically scattering media. The N-bounce method approximates total exchange factors by summing direct and user-designated higher order terms representative of multiple reflections/scattering. The source function approach is an intensity-based method relating the source function (gas leaving intensity) to the surface leaving intensity. The results obtained via these methods are found to be in good agreement with the existing solutions to several axisymmetric benchmark problems. A mathematical formulation is additionally proposed for addressing the effects of nonhomogeneous property distributions. Several nonhomogeneous benchmark problems are solved in an effort to validate the model.