Application of the full-spectrum k-distribution method to photon Monte Carlo solvers

Accurate prediction of radiative heat transfer is key in most high temperature applications, such as combustion devices and fires. Among the various solution methods for the radiative transfer equation (RTE), the photon Monte Carlo (PMC) method is potentially the most accurate and the most versatile. The implementation of a PMC method in multidimensional inhomogeneous problems, however, can be limited by its demand for large computer storage space and its CPU time consumption. This is particularly true if the spectral absorption coefficient is to be accurately represented, due to its irregular behavior. On the other hand, the recently developed full-spectrum k-distribution (FSK) method reorders the irregular absorption coefficient into smooth k-distributions and, therefore, provides an efficient and accurate scheme for the spectral integration of radiative quantities of interest. In this paper the accuracy of the PMC method in solving the RTE and the efficiency and storage advantage provided by the FSK method are combined. The advantages of the proposed PMC/FSK method is described in detail. The accuracy and the efficiency of the method are demonstrated by sample calculations that consider inhomogeneous problems.