Predicting the Effective Emissivity of an Array of Aligned Carbon Fibers Using the Reverse Monte Carlo Ray-Tracing Method

Abstract

This study investigates the bulk radiative properties of absorbing and scattering fibers. This type of problem can be applied to a group of geometrically similar applications including thermal radiators, insulation, and tube-and-shell heat exchangers. The specific application studied here is an ordered array of carbon fibers acting as a radiating fin for a space-based heat rejection system. High total emissivity is beneficial for this application, so this study focuses on how geometric factors affect the effective emissivity of an array of fibers. Photon scattering among fibers in an array can result in an effective emissivity greater than the emissivity of the fiber surfaces themselves.