Ch.

Radiation
4.1 Introduction to
Radiation Heat Transfer

OBJECTIVES
understand radiation and its
terminology
describe the mechanism of radiant
heat transfer
list applications of radiation
describe radiation properties

What is radiation?
The energy emitted by
matter in the form of
electromagnetic waves
(or photons) as a result
of the changes in the
electronic
configurations of the
atoms or molecules.

NO HT by
conduction or
convection because
these mechanism
cannot occur in
vacuum.
Therefore, HT must occur
through another mechanism
that involves the emission
of the internal energy of the
object

Thermal radiation
The form of radiation emitted by
bodies because of their temperature.
It differs from other forms of
electromagnetic radiation such as xrays, gamma rays, microwaves, radio
waves and television waves that are
not related to temperature.

The electromagnetic
wave spectrum

 The type of electromagnetic radiation

that is applicable to HT is the thermal
radiation emitted as a result of energy
transitions of molecules, atoms, and
electrons of a substance.
Temperature is a measure of the strength
of these activities at microscopic level.
High temp, high thermal radiation
emissions.

All bodies at a temperature above

absolute zero emit thermal radiation.

 Energy transfer by
radiation is fastest (at
the speed of light)
It occurs in solids,
liquids and gases-emit,
absorb or transmit
radiation to varying
degrees.
Eg: the solar radiation reach
the surface of the earth after
passing through a cold air
layers

RHT can occur

between 2
bodies
separated by a
medium colder
than both
bodies

Examples..

4.2 Blackbody Radiation

A body at temp. above 0 emits radiation in all
directions over a wide range of wave length
The amount of radiation energy emitted from a
surface at given wavelength depends on:
Material of the body
The condition of its surface
Surface temp
Therefore, different materials emit diff. amount of
radiation even at same temp.

Blackbody
Blackbody --- an idealized body- to
serve as a standard against which the
radiation properties of real surfaces may
be compared.
Thus, a blackbody is a perfect emitter
and absorber of radiation

 A BB absorbs all incident radiation

regardless directions and wavelength
A BB emits radiation energy uniformly per
surface area

Stefan- Boltzmann Law

Eb (T ) T
The radiation energy emitted
Emissive Power

5.67 10 W / m .K
8

(W/m2)

T is the absolute
temperature of
the surface in K

Stefan- Boltzmann
Constant

Emissivity ()
The emissivity of a surface represents the ratio
of the radiation emitted by a surface to the
radiation emitted by a BB at the same temp
Denoted by
0<<1
Measures of how closely a surface to a BB
( = 1)
For a real surface or gray body
= E/Eb and < 1.0

Radiation from Black Body

Heat transfer by radiation from a perfect
black body with = 1.0 is:

q AT

Where:
q = heat flow in (W)
A = surface area, (m2)( ft2 )
= constant 5.676 x 10 -8 W/m2K4 or
0.1714 x 10 -8 Btu/hr.ft2.R4
T = temperature of black body (K) or (R)

- For non black body (gray body or real

surface) the emissivity, < 1.0
- The emissive power is reduced by
emissivity ().

q A T

Absorptivity, Reflectivity and

Transmissivity

Absorptivity ()
0<<1
Reflectivity ()
0<<1
Transmissivity ()
0<<1
++=1
Both and of a surface
depend on the temperature
and the wavelength of the
radiation.

Radiation heat transfer between a

surface and the surfaces surrounding
it.

When a surface of
emissivity and surface
area As at an absolute
temperature Ts is
completely enclosed by a
much larger (or black)
surface at absolute
temperature Tsurr
separated by a gas (such
as air) that does not
intervene with radiation,
the net rate of radiation
heat transfer between
these two surfaces is

 The total heat transfer rate to or from a

surface by convection and radiation is
expressed as

Note that the combined heat transfer coefficient is

essentially a convection heat transfer coefficient
modified to include the effects of radiation.

 Radiation is usually significant relative to

conduction or natural convection but
negligible relative to forced convection.

Thus radiation in forced convection is

usually disregard, especially when the
surfaces involved have low emissivities and
low to moderate temperatures.