Radiative Properties Identification for a Spherical Packed Bed

Abstract An inversion method is used to determine the spectral radiative properties (scattering albedo, extinction coefficient, and Henyey-Greenstein asymmetry factor) of a packed bed of stainless steel spheres. Spectral and directional experimental data for the intensity exiting the bed were compared to Radiative Transfer Equation (RTE) discrete ordinates method solutions in a nonlinear least-squares algorithm (modified Levenberg-Marquardt) to identify the radiative properties. The properties resulting from the inversion method showed a higher scattering albedo, more forward scattering phase function, and higher extinction coefficient than those calculated using either independent scattering theory or the correlated scattering theory of Kamiuto.