Thin gap with radiation

Application ID: 80681


When radiation occurs across a very narrow gap this is often well-approximated as radiation between infinite parallel plates.

This model considers three aluminum plates separated by narrow air gaps. The model compares the classical approach, based on the Surface-to-Surface Radiation interface, with two approximate approaches, using the Thermal Contact feature, and using the Lumped Thermal System interface.

The first approach requires view factor evaluation which is quite expensive to compute, while the other approaches assume a view factor of one between the gap walls surfaces.

This model example illustrates applications of this type that would nominally be built using the following products: