Radiation

Exchange
Between
Surfaces
Topics Included:

• View Factor
• View Factor Relation
• Radiation Heat Transfer: Blackbody
• Radiation Heat Transfer: Diffuse, Grey
Surfaces
• Radiation Shields
• Re-Radiating Surfaces
View Factor
View Factor
• Also known as the radiation shape factor,
geometrical factor, Configuration factor

The fraction of the radiative energy that is

diffused from one surface element and strikes
the other surface directly with no intervening
reflections

Fij = the fraction of the radiation leaving

surface i that strikes surface j directly
Radiation heat exchange
between surfaces depends
on the orientation of the
surfaces relative to each
other, and this dependence
on orientation is accounted
for by the view factor.
View Factor

• The rate at which radiation leaves dA1 in

the direction of Ɵ1 is I1 cos Ɵ1dA1.
• Noting that dω21 = dA2 cos Ɵ2/r2, the
portion of this radiation that strikes dA2
View Factor

Therefore, the view factor Fd A1→A2 is

determined by integrating Fd A1→A2 over A2,
Combining Eqs. 12–8 and 12–9 after multiplying the
former by A1 and the latter by A2 gives

Reciprocity Relation
⸫ This indicates the net radiant interchange
may be evaluated by computing one way
configuration factor from one surface to the
other
View Factor Relations
Figure 12-5
View Factor between two aligned parallel
rectangles fir equal size

Figure 12-6
View factor between two perpendicular
rectangles with a common edge.
 Figure 12-7
View Factor Between two parallel disks.

This relation is referred to as the

Figure 12-8
Reciprocity Relation or Reciprocity
View factors for two concentric cylinders of finite length: (a)
Rule
outer cylinder to inner cylinder; (b) outer cylinder to itself.

The Superposition
Rule
The view factor from a surface i to a
surface j is equal to the sum of the view
factors from surface i to the parts of
surface j.
The Summation
Rule
The sum of the view factors from surface i
of an enclosure to all surfaces of the
enclosure, including to itself, must equal
unity.
The Symmetry Rule
It is when two (or more) surfaces that
possess symmetry about a third surface
will have identical view factors from that
surface
View Factors
between Infinitely
Long Surfaces: The
Crossed-String
Method

• Two-dimensional Geometries
• Modeled as Infinitely Long
Radiation Heat Transfer: Black Surfaces
Parameters:
• Between Black Surfaces ONLY
• Must not be used for surfaces having emissivities
very different from unity
 Practice Problem 1

8.4 ( Kumar)

Establish a relation for the

shape factor of a cavity with
respect to itself. The cavity is
closed on its outer surface with
a flat surface
Radiation Heat Transfer: Diffuse, Gray Surfaces

Parameters:
• Isothermal
• Uniform incoming and outgoing radiation over each
surface
• The Surfaces are separated by a non-absorbing
medium such as air
Radiosity
The total radiation energy leaving a
surface per unit time and per unit area

⸫The radiosity of a blackbody is equal to its emissive power

Irradiation (G) – Denotes the total energy incident upon a

surface per unit time per unit area
Net Radiation Heat Transfer to or from a
Surface

Surface Resistance to Radiation

Net Radiation Heat Transfer
between Any Two Surfaces

⸫12-28
 Potential
Difference

Space Resistance to Radiation

Methods of Solving Radiation
Problems
Radiation Heat
Transfer in Two-
Surface Enclosures

The electric current flowing through these resistances

connected in series would be determined by dividing the
potential difference between points A and B by the total
resistance between the same two points.
Based on Heat and Mass Transfer by Kumar
Radiation Heat Transfer
in Three-Surface
Enclosures
We now consider an enclosure consisting of
three opaque, diffuse, gray surfaces,
 Radiation Shields

• When it is desired to reduce the overall heat transfer

between two radiating surfaces
• Thin-opaque partitions arranged in the direction
perpendicular to the propagation of radiated heat
• Low absorptivity, high reflectivity
⸫

The radiation heat transfer through large

parallel plates separated by N radiation shields

⸫
 Radiant Energy Transfer

1 1
𝑊𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑆ℎ𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑 + −1
𝜖1 𝜖2
= 1 1 1 1
𝑊𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑆ℎ𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑 + −1 +( + −1)
𝜖1 𝜖12 𝜖12 𝜖2

The corresponding temperature of the Shield:

4 1 4 4
𝑇12 = (𝑇1 + 𝑇12 )
2
Radiation Effect on Temperature
Measurements

⸫
 Reradiation Surfaces
Some surfaces encountered in numerous practical heat transfer applications are modeled as being
adiabatic since their back sides are well insulated and the net heat transfer through them is zero.
When the convection effects on the front (heat transfer) side of such a surface is negligible and
steady-state conditions are reached, the surface must lose as much radiation energy as it gains, and
thus Qi = 0. In such cases, the surface is said to reradiate all the radiation energy it receives

⁏ temperature of a reradiating surface is ⁏ Such surfaces interact radiately with other surfaces of an
independent of its emissivity. enclosure
⁏ Resistance is disregarded ⁏ Absorbing and reflecting incident radiation and subsequently
remitting all absorbed energy
Heat Exchange Between Two
Black Surfaces Enclosed by an
Insulated (Adiabatic) Surface
⸫ The net radiative heat transfer:
 Heat
Exchange
Between Two
Gray Surfaces
Enclosed by
an Insulated
(Adiabatic)
Surface
 Invoking Reciprocity Theorem:

Net Radiative Heat Transfer Q12 where: A1 = A2 = A

Radiation Heat Exchange for Three (3)
Gray Surfaces
 Problems:

Two black Discs each of diameter 50 cm are placed parallel to each

other concentrically at a distance of one meter. The discs are
maintained at 1000K and 500K respectively. Calculate the heat flow
between the discs when the discs are connected by a cylindrical
black no-flux surface
RADIATION EXCHANGE WITH EMITTING
AND ABSORBING GASES
Radiation heat transfer between surfaces separated by a
medium that does not emit, absorb, or scatter radiation—a
nonparticipating medium that is completely transparent to
thermal radiation.
Radiation Properties of a Participating
Medium
The spectral transmissivity of a medium can be
defined as the ratio of the intensity of radiation
leaving the medium to that entering the
medium
Emissivity and Absorptivity of Gases
and Gas Mixtures
The spectral absorptivity of CO2 is given as a function of wavelength. The various
peaks and dips in the figure together with discontinuities show clearly the band
nature of absorption and the strong nongray characteristics.
The emissivity of a gas also depends on the mean length an emitted radiation beam
travels in the gas before reaching a bounding surface, and thus the shape and the
size of the gas body involved.
Problems:
Problems: