RADIATIVE HEAT-TRANSFER IN LOW-EMISSIVITY OVENS

Low-emissivity ovens have linings of epsilon(e) < 0.1 that enhance the thermal radiation exchange between sheathed electrical heating elemen ts (that are exposed within the cavity) and the thermal load(s). These ovens are a quick and energy-efficient alternative to conventional ov ens; however, due to the high levels of thermal radiation, they must b e carefully designed and controlled so that uneven radiation distribut ions over loads are minimised. In this paper, a Monte Carlo ray-tracin g model was employed to undertake a parametric analysis of low-emissiv ity ovens. The factors that influence the magnitudes and uniformities of radiation distributions occurring over loads are identified, and re commendations for optimal heating configurations and control algorithm s are presented. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.