Radiative transfer in arbitrarily-shaped axisymmetric enclosures with anisotropic scattering media

Abstract Two numerical models for solving thermal radiative transport in irregularly-shaped axisymmetric bodies containing a homogeneous, anisotropically scattering medium are presented. 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. Both methods are based on the Discrete Exchange Factor method, where exchange factors between arbitrarily-oriented differential surface and/or volume elements are calculated in a straightforward approach. The present methods are capable of addressing blockage effects produced by inner and/or outer blocking bodies. The results obtained via the current methods are found to be in good agreement with the existing solutions to several axisymmetric benchmark problems. The solutions to several two-dimensional axisymmetric problems are presented.