Application of the discrete ordinates method to compute radiant heat loss in a diesel engine

A three-dimensional model for computing flows, sprays, and combustion in internal combustion engines is modified to include radiant heat loss. Radiant heat loss is computed by solving the radiative transport equation using a discrete ordinates approximation method. Such a method solves the radiative transport equation for a set of discrete directions spanning the range of 4 pi solid angle. Angular integrals of intensity are discretized by numerical quadrature. The resulting discrete ordinates equations are numerically solved by using a finite volume approach in contravariant formulation. Computations are made with and without radiant heat loss in a diesel engine, and the effects of the radiant heat loss on the computed temperature and NO and soot concentrations are discussed. Inclusion of radiant heat loss reduces the peak temperature by about 10%. As a result, the predicted frozen NO concentrations are found to be lowered. However, the soot concentrations are not significantly altered.