How do I predict radiative heat

transfer in industrial furnaces?

A Combustion File downloaded from the IFRF Online Combustion Handbook
ISSN 1607-9116
Combustion File No: 65
Version No: 1
Date: 14-06-2004
Author(s): Robert J Tucker
Source(s): See CF
Referee(s): Alan Jones (Imperial College, London)
John Ward (University of Glamorgan)
Sub-editor: Robert Tucker
Status: Published
Sponsor: Zerontec Ltd

1. The need for radiation models

An accurate model of the thermal radiation in furnaces is important for predicting
overall thermal efficiency, production rates, quality of the heated product, and pollutant
emissions. The prediction of radiative transfer is complex due to the multidimensional
and spectral nature of radiation. Thermal radiation exchange is the dominant mode of
heat transfer in most furnaces and it depends on many factors including position, local
temperature and composition. In order to make progress, a number of techniques have
been developed which all introduce simplifying assumptions suited to the particular
application or modelling approach.
In a furnace enclosure, the flame and hot combustion gases emit radiation. The radiation
is transferred to the load surface via a complex process including:
Direct radiation from the flame and combustion products
Direct radiation from other surfaces (walls) forming the enclosure
Radiation emitted by the gases, that arrives indirectly at the load surface after
multiple reflections off the walls and other surfaces in the enclosure. This
includes radiation which itself is reflected off the load and re-reflected back to
the load.
Radiation that is partially reabsorbed (attenuated) by the gases or scattered by
particles as it passes through the furnace space. Soot or mineral matter in the
flame and combustion products may cause scattering.
The problem is further complicated by the fact that combustion gases are not grey.
Simple models assume grey behaviour. More complex models include allowance for non-
grey gas behaviour.
Furthermore, the combustion atmosphere may not be homogeneous in composition.
Where flames extend into the furnace volume, then the composition of radiating
components (CO2, H2O, carbon and particulate matter) can vary significantly with
position as the air and fuel mix, and as combustion progresses.
The different mechanisms of heat transfer in a furnace are illustrated in Fig.1. As well
as modelling the internal radiative heat transfer described above, a complete model of a
furnace should also take account of convective heat transfer (CF276) and conduction
into and through the load and the furnace walls. Complex models may also include
prediction of the turbulent fluid flow, mixing and chemical reaction taking place within
the furnace.

Fig.1 The heat transfer mechanisms in a typical fuel-fired furnace.

2. The types of radiation models

Many different approaches to modelling radiation inside furnaces have been published.
Broadly, the practical engineering methods can be grouped as follows:
The Zone method and related techniques [Hottel, Noble]
Flux models [Hottel, Seluk, Fiveland]
Monte Carlo (statistical) techniques [Howell]
The Discrete Transfer method (DTM) [Lockwood, Docherty]
Some, such as the flux models, are derived from astro-physics and the modelling of
atmospheric radiation. Others, such as the ZONE method were developed specifically as
furnace modelling tools. The choice of technique was once critically dependent on the
availability of computers with sufficient speed and memory capacity. With modern
processing capability this is no longer such a determining issue.

3. Which method should I use?

The different techniques are described in more detail in CF271, 272, 273 and 274. The
following table however, summarises the key features, advantages and disadvantages of
these predictive methods.
A Comparison of the Different Methods for Modelling Radiation Transfer in Furnaces
Model Type - Description
Zone Models
The furnace volume is divided
into isothermal surface and
volume zones. Radiation heat
balance equations are solved
using radiation exchange
factors between each zone
pair.
Flux Models
Direct solution of the
Radiative Transfer Equation
(RTE) by subdividing the
directional variation into a
small number of angles in
which radiation intensity is
assumed constant.
Monte Carlo models
Uses random numbers to
simulate and track individual
beams of radiation through a
furnace enclosure.
The DTM
Applies features of the above
three methods:
divides space into volume
and surface elements
divides the radiation into
angular regions
tracks individual beams
Glossary terms
CFD Acronym for Computational Fluid Dynamics.
Non-grey gas - A gas whose emissivity (and absorptivity) varies with wavelength.
Radiative Transfer Equation The generalised fundamental equation describing a
radiant beam passing through a differential volume in an absorbing, emitting and
scattering medium.
Advantages Disadvantages
Can be applied as single zone Does not model non-
or multiple zones. homogeneous gas mixtures
well.
Single zone models can be
computed by hand. It is not compatible with the
form of equations solved in
Technique has been well
CFD models.
validated and tested.
If many zones are applied,
Simple models do not require
then large numbers of
complex solution techniques.
exchange areas have to be
Can be applied to non-grey computed and stored.
gases using a weighted sum of
grey gases model.
Can be applied to non- Results can suffer from errors
homogeneous absorbing and due to ray effect.
scattering media.
The form of equations is well
suited to application and
solution in CFD models.
Easy to apply to complex It is not compatible with the
geometries. form of equations solved in
CFD models.
Can handle shadowing effects.
Statistical (random) errors can
Can be applied to model
arise so there is no guarantee
scattering, specular
of convergence.
reflectors and directional and
spectral wall properties.
The DTM can handle non- Less accurate than the Zone
homogeneous gases. method unless large numbers
of elements are applied.
Conceptually easy to apply.
Adaptable to complex
geometries.
If applied with CFD models the
models can share common
volume and surface elements.
Scattering The change in direction of propagation of radiation by the incidence of
photons with particles (e.g. soot) or droplets and sometime molecules in a medium.
Specular reflectors A smooth reflecting surface behaving like a mirror, in which the
angle of reflection equals the angle of incidence.
Weighted sum of grey gases An approximation used to represent non-grey
combustion products by a weighted summation of two or more grey gases plus a clear
gas.

Keywords
Radiation, Zone method, Flux method, Monte Carlo, Discrete Transfer Method, Heat
Transfer

Related Combustion Files

271 What is the Zone method?
272 What are Flux models?
273 What is the Monte Carlo method?
274 What is the Discrete Transfer method?
276 What is convective heat transfer?

Sources

1. Hottel H.C. and Sarofim A.F., Radiative Transfer, McGraw-Hill, 1967.

2. Noble J.J., The Zone Method: Explicit Matrix Relations for Total Exchange
Areas, Int.J.Heat Mass Transfer, vol. 18, pp. 261-269, 1975.
3. Seluk N., Evaluation of Flux Models for Radiative Transfer in Rectangular
Furnaces, Int.J.Heat Mass Transfer, vol. 13, no.7, pp. 1477-1482, 1988.
4. Fiveland W.A., Discrete-ordinates solutions of the Radiative Transport Equation
for Rectangular Enclosures, J.of Heat Transfer, vol.106, pp. 699-706, 1984.
5. Howell J.R., Application of Monte Carlo to Heat Transfer Problems, in Advances
in Heat Transfer (T.F.Irvine and J.P.Hartnett, eds.), vol.5, Ac.Press, 1968.
6. Lockwood F.C., Shah N.G., Eighteenth Symposium (International) on Combustion,
The Combustion Institute, 1981, pp 1405-1414
7. Docherty P., Fairweather M., Predictions of Radiative Transfer from Non-
homogeneous Combustion Products Using Discrete Transfer Method, Combustion
and Flame 71, 79-87 (1988).

Acknowledgements
None
File Placing
[Basic Scientific Principles]; [Heat and Mass Transfer]; [Radiation]
[Modelling]; [Mathematical]; [Radiation]

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