Radiation View Factors

Hat and Mass Transfer

View Factors
• View factor is a purely geometric quantity and is independent of the surface properties
and temperature.
• It is also called the shape factor, configuration factor, and angle factor.
• The view factor based on the assumption that the surfaces are diffuse emitters and
diffuse reflectors is called the diffuse view factor,
• The view factor based on the assumption that the surfaces are diffuse emitters but
specular reflectors is called the specular view factor.

• Fij is the fraction of the radiation leaving surface i that strikes surface j directly.
• The view factor ranges between 0 and 1.
View Factor
View Factor Relation/Rules
1. Reciprocity Relation

AiFij = AjFji
View Factor Relation/Rules
• The view factor from a surface to itself is zero for plane or convex surfaces and nonzero
for concave surfaces.
• In a geometry that consists of two
concentric spheres, the view factor F12=1
since the entire radiation leaving the
surface of the smaller sphere is
intercepted by the larger sphere.

• Table 13-1
• Table 13-2
View Factor Relations/Rules
2. 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.

where N is the number of surfaces of the enclosure.

• For example, applying the summation rule to surface 1 of a
three-surface enclosure yields
View Factor Relations/Rules
• Radiation leaving any surface i of an enclosure must be intercepted completely by the
surfaces of the enclosure.
• Therefore, the sum of the view factors from surface i to each one of the surfaces of the
enclosure must be unity.
• Determine the view factors associated with an enclosure formed by two concentric
spheres, shown in Fig.
Step 1:
• F11 = 0, since no radiation leaving surface 1 strikes itself
• F12 = 1, since all radiation leaving surface 1 strikes surface 2
Step 2:
• A1F12 = A2F212
Step 3: Summation Rule

• F21 + F22 = 1
View Factor Relations/Rules
• 3. 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.
• Note that the reverse of this is not true.

The view factor from a surface to a

composite surface is equal to the sum
of the view factors from the surface to
the parts of the composite surface.
View Factor Relations/Rules
• 4. The Symmetry Rule
• The symmetry rule can be expressed as two (or more) surfaces that possess symmetry
about a third surface will have identical view factors from that surface

Two surfaces that are

symmetric about a third
surface will have the same
view factor from the third
surface.
• Radiation Heat Transfer between Parallel Plates
Two very large parallel plates are maintained at uniform temperatures T1 = 800 K and T2 =
500 K and have emissivities e1 = 0.2 and e2 = 0.7, respectively, as shown in Fig. 13–25.
Determine the net rate of radiation heat transfer between the two surfaces per unit
surface area of the plates.
• Two large parallel plates are maintained at uniform temperatures.
• The net rate of radiation heat transfer between the plates is to be determined.

• Assumptions Both surfaces are opaque, diffuse, and gray.

• Analysis The net rate of radiation heat transfer between the two plates per unit area is
readily determined from
Practice Problems
• 8-3, 8-5 Examples (Heat Transfer J.P Holman)
• Related Exercise Problems

• Heat and Mass Transfer Fundamentals and Applications Yunus Cengel, Afshin Ghajar-(5
edition)-McGraw-Hill (2014)
• Examples: 13-9,13-10
• Related Exercise Problems