NOTICE: Due to a lapse in annual appropriations, most of this website is not being updated. Learn more.
Form submissions will still be accepted but will not receive responses at this time. Sections of this site for programs using non-appropriated funds (such as NVLAP) or those that are excepted from the shutdown (such as CHIPS and NVD) will continue to be updated.
An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Point Mean Beam Length - a New Concept to Enhance the Computational Efficiency of Multi- Dimensional Non-Gray Radiative Heat Transfer
Published
Author(s)
Walter W. Yuen, Andy Tam
Abstract
A new concept of point mean beam length (PMBL) is introduced. For enclosures with simple geometry, this concept provides a fundamental self-consistent interpretation on the various different definition of the conventional mean beam length. The concept is further demonstrated to be effective in enhancing the computational efficiency for multi-dimensional radiative heat transfer in non-gray media. In the evaluation of radiative exchange between two perpendicular areas with a common edge, the use of PMBL leads to a factor of 100 to 400 reduction in computational effort compared to the direct integration approach. For practical applications, PMBL is combined with RADNNET (a neural network correlation for a one-dimensional CO2/H2O/soot combustion mixture) to generate two highly efficient and accurate solvers for the evaluation of exchange factors between two parallel or perpendicular rectangular areas of arbitrary dimensions with an intervening combustion mixture.
Yuen, W.
and Tam, A.
(2020),
Point Mean Beam Length - a New Concept to Enhance the Computational Efficiency of Multi- Dimensional Non-Gray Radiative Heat Transfer, Numerical Heat Transfer Part A-Applications, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=930741
(Accessed October 10, 2025)