Calculation of radiative heat transfer in combustion systems

Most practical combustion systems involve complex geometry configurations and CFD techniques used for the calculation of flow and combustion in such geometries use body-fitted non-orthogonal mesh systems. This paper reviews some of the currently available radiative heat transfer calculation techniques suitable for such CFD applications. The Monte Carlo method, the discrete transfer method, the YIX method, the discrete ordinates method and the finite volume method are discussed and some notable applications related to combustion problems are reviewed. Comparative results using all the methods outlined are presented for bench mark problems and their applicability to complex geometry situations are discussed. Radiative heat flux predictions for an S.I. engine simulation are presented to demonstrate the capability of the discrete transfer method in a pent-roof complex geometry combustion chamber. The paper also describes a ray based technique for the handling of turbulence-radiation interactions in combustion and its application is demonstrated in the prediction of a methane diffusion flame.