Obstructed View Factor Calculations for Multiple Obstructions in Closed Cavities

Abstract

The inertial confinement fusion (ICF) program has been mainly concentrating on the indirect drive approach for the last three decades, due to relaxed requirements on driver-beam uniformity and reduced sensitivity to hydrodynamic instabilities. The optimal designs are important for maximum conversion of driving energy to X-rays, and finally, symmetrical irradiation of the capsule. The view factor (VF) evaluation is an important parameter providing significant radiation heat transport information in specific geometries. The present study is aimed at the VF calculations for closed cavities. The VF calculations include the case of energy transfer from one infinitesimal surface element of the enclosure to other similar infinitesimal surface elements of the cavity. Similarly, the obstructed VF is also calculated when multiple obstructions are present in the cavity. Two distinct computer programs are developed by programming in FORTRAN-90 to evaluate unobstructed VF and obstructed VF for a square geometry. The calculations are based on the crossed strings method, which is more reliable for simple geometries. The shadow effect method is used for the obstructed VF calculations. The results of the developed programs are benchmarked using the summation rule. In the case of no obstacles in the cavity, VF calculations solely obey the summation rule. However, in the presence of obstacles in the cavity, obstructed VF calculations showed the acceptable difference in comparison with the summation rule.