Heat Transfer

Radiation

Dr. M. Subramanian

Department of Chemical Engineering

SSN College of Engineering

September 25, 2019

Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation

Introduction

A body at any temperature above absolute zero emits thermal

radiation.
Energy transport by radiation does not require an intervening
medium between the hot and cold surfaces. If the hot object
is separated from the cold one by vacuum, heat transfer
between these objects is only through radiation (as heat
transfer by conduction or convection is not possible).
Radiation from a body at temperature T is considered to be
emitted at all wavelengths from λ = 0 to λ = ∞. At
temperatures encountered in most engineering applications,
the bulk of the thermal energy emitted lies in the wavalength
between 0.1 and 100 µm, and this range of wavelength is
generally referred to as the thermal radiation.

Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation

Black Body

A black body is considered to absorb all incident radiation from all

directions at all wavelengths without reflecting, transmitting, or
scattering it. The radiation emission by a black body at any
temperature T is the maximum possible emission at that
temperature.

Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation

Planck’s Distribution Law
Planck’s Distribution Law gives the relation for spectral emissive
power Ebλ (T ) of a black body as a function of temperature and
wavelength.
c1
Ebλ (T ) = 5
W/(m2 .µm)
λ {exp[c2 /(λT )] − 1}

where
c1 = 3.743 × 108 W.µm4 /m2
c2 = 1.4387 × 104 µm.K
T = absolute temperature, K
λ = wavelength, µm
According to this law, at any given wavelength, the emissive power
increases with increase in temperature; and, at any given
temperature, the emitted radiation varies with wavelength and
shows a peak. These peaks tend to shift toward smaller
wavelengths as the temperature increases. The locus of these
peaks is given by Wien’s displacement law.
Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation
Variation of Spectral Emissive Power

Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation

Wien’s Displacement Law

Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation

Wien’s Displacement Law

Wein’s Displacement Law states that the wavelength for maximum

emission varies inversely with the absolute temperature, or:

λmax T = 2897.6 µm.K

Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation

Stefan-Boltzmann Law

The radiation energy emitted by a blackbody at any absolute

temperature T , over all wavelengths per unit unit time per unit
area is obtained by integrating the Planck’s distribution law from
λ = 0 to λ = ∞, and given as

Eb (T ) = σT 4 W/m2

where
T = temperature in Kelvin
σ = 5.67 × 10−8 W/(m2 .K4 ), the Stefan-Boltzmann constant.

Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation

Absorption, Reflection, and Transmission of Radiation

When thermal radiation is incident on a surface, a part of the

radiation may be reflected by the surface, a part may be absorbed
by the surface and a part may be transmitted through the surface
as shown in figure.
If ρ, α, and τ are the fractions of the incident radiation which are
reflected, absorbed and transmitted, respectively, then
ρ+α+τ =1
where ρ is reflectivity, α is absorptivity, and τ is transmissivity.
Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation
Radiative Properties of Materials

For most solids, the transmissivity is zero, and thus they may
be called opaque to thermal radiation. For an opaque body,
ρ + α = 1.
A black body is one for which α = 1. A black body neither
reflects nor transmits any thermal radiation.
Kirchhoff’s law: it is a relation between absorptivity and
emissivity at a given wavelength (λ) as given below:

ελ = α λ

A gray body is defined as one which has a constant value of

emissivity, so that for any temperature range, it radiates the
same proportion of energy radiated by a black body. Similarly
it will have a constant absorptivity. With the application of
Kirchhoff’s law, for gray body ε = α.

Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation

Radiative Properties of Materials (contd..)

A black body absorbs all incoming radiation and emits the

maximum possible, α = ε = 1; where ε is emissivity.
Since we see reflected light (radiation), a so-called black body
will appear black, no light being reflected from it. A small
hole in a large cavity closely approaches a black body.
Radiation incident to the hole has very little opportunity to be
reflected back out of the hole.

Highly polished and white surfaces generally have lower

emissivities than rough or black surfaces.
Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation
Emissivity
Values of emissivity ε have been measured for many materials and
it is found that for most industrial non-metallic surfaces and for
non-polished metals ε may be taken as 0.9; for highly polished
surfaces such as copper or aluminium values of ε as low as 0.03 are
obtained.

Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation

View Factor

Definition
View factor (Fij ) is defined as the fraction of the radiation leaving
surface i that is intercepted by j. View factor is also called as
shape factor, angle factor, or configuration factor.
Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation
View Factor (contd..)

dAj

~nj
θj

Aj
~ni
r Tj
θi

dAi

Ai
Ti
Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation
View Factor (contd..)

Reciprocity relation:

Ai Fij = Aj Fji

Summation rule: X
Fij = 1
j

For exchange between two surfaces, F11 + F12 = 1, and

F21 + F22 = 1
Fii is the view factor from the surface Ai to itself.
Fii = 0, for a convex or flat surface. Fii 6= 0, if Ai is concave.

Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation

View Factor for Simple Geometries

Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation

View Factor for Simple Geometries (contd..)

2
1 2
1

Flat surfaces Cylinrical or spherical surfaces

For flat surfaces

F11 = 0 F12 = 1
F21 = 1 F22 = 0
For cylinders & spheres
F11 = 0 F12 = 1
F21 = A1 /A2 F22 = 1 − A1 /A2
Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation
Radiation Exchange between Two Surfaces

Radiation exchange (Q) between two surfaces can be stated as

   
radiation energy radiation energy
Q = Q1–2 =  leaving A1 that  −  leaving A2 that 
   
strikes A2 strikes A1

Radiation exchange (Q) between two surfaces A1 (at T1 ) and A2

(at T2 ) with emissivities ε1 and ε2 respectively, is

σT14 − σT24
Q= (where T1 > T2 )
1 − ε1 1 1 − ε2
+ +
A1 ε1 A1 F12 A 2 ε2
For A1 /A2 → 0, i.e., A1 << A2 , the above equation reduces to

Q = A1 ε1 σ(T14 − T24 )

Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation

Radiation Exchange (contd..)

For transfer between two large parallel plates, with

A1 = A2 = A, the above relation reduces to (as F12 = 1):

Aσ(T14 − T24 )
Q=
1/ε1 + 1/ε2 − 1

For long concentric cylinders or concentric spheres, the heat

transfer rate is given by (inner=1; outer=2):

A1 σ(T14 − T24 )
Q=
1/ε1 + (A1 /A2 )(1/ε2 − 1)

Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation

Radiation Shields

The radiation heat transfer between two surfaces can be reduced

significantly if a radiation shield made of low-emissivity materials is
placed between them.

Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation

Radiation Shields (contd..)

Radiation shield (plate 3) between flat plates (plates 1 and 2):

Heat transfer rate for this case is given by

Aσ(T14 − T24 )
Q=
(1/ε1 + 1/ε2 − 1) + (1/ε3,1 + 1/ε3,2 − 1)

where ε3,1 is the emissivity of the surface of plate 3 (the

radiation shield) facing the plate 1; and ε3,2 is the emissivity of
the surface of plate 3 (the radiation shield) facing the plate 2.
Radiation shield between concentric cylinders or spheres
(inner=1; outer=2; shield=3, which is placed between 1 and
2):

A1 σ(T14 − T24 )
Q=
1/ε1 + (A1 /A2 )(1/ε2 − 1) + (A1 /A3 )(1/ε3,1 + 1/ε3,2 − 1)

Dr. M. Subramanian Radiation