Ray Tracing Approach for Solar Radiation Modeling
Abstract
In this paper we are presenting a novel approach for the solar radiation modelling in CFD, based on the path-tracing principle. In this modelling approach a specified number of beams (carrying along specified amount of heat) are released from the given direction, passing through the numerical domain and interacting with the surrounding media. Thus the absorption, refraction and reflection when changing media (including multiple reflections) are accounted for, together with the heat exchange on the hitting surfaces. In this way the totality of solar radiation effects (e.g. lighting, shading and solar heating) can be introduced into a CFD simulation, without a significant increase in the computational demand or difficulties with the stability of the numerical calculation. The performance of this novel approach is shown in the example of predicting solar heating of a realistic room.