Monte-Carlo ray tracing simulation of view factors for diffuse solar radiation determination in cylindrical photobioreactor arrays for microalgae cultivation

Yihan Zheng; Lifeng Li; Shengkai Dai; Donghang Liu; Hao Zheng; Song Yang; Yanming Guo; Muhammad Rafique; Bo Wang; Chi Hwa Wang; Yong Shuai

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2025.132813

Monte-Carlo ray tracing simulation of view factors for diffuse solar radiation determination in cylindrical photobioreactor arrays for microalgae cultivation

Yihan Zheng
, Lifeng Li^*
, Shengkai Dai
, Donghang Liu
, Hao Zheng
, Song Yang
, Yanming Guo
, Muhammad Rafique
, Bo Wang
, Chi Hwa Wang
, Yong Shuai

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Energy Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology
University of Bath, Department of Mechanical Engineering
National University of Singapore

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this study, a Monte Carlo ray tracing (MCRT) model was developed to calculate view factors between cylindrical photobioreactor (PBR) sidewalls and sky/ground surfaces in outdoor array configurations. The effects of PBR dimension, inter-PBR spacing and array layout, namely square, staggered and biomimetic layouts, were analyzed. Results showed that view factors are mainly governed by mutual shading effects. In staggered arrays, centrally positioned PBRs exhibited significantly lower view factors compared to peripheral units, with reductions reaching up to 97%. Reducing inter-PBR spacing from 1.26 m to 0.56 m in staggered configurations resulted in a 46% decrease in mean view factor (from 0.301 to 0.163). Comparative analysis revealed average view factors of 0.2410, 0.2416 and 0.2259 for square, staggered, and biomimetic layouts, respectively. This work establishes a methodology for quantifying diffuse radiation received by PBR arrays which is indispensable for PBR multiphysics simulations.

Original language	English
Article number	132813
Journal	Bioresource Technology
Volume	436
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2025.132813
State	Published - Nov 2025
Externally published	Yes

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

Biomimetic layout
Geometrical configuration
Light utilization
Photosynthetic efficiency
Reactor spacing

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10.1016/j.biortech.2025.132813

Cite this

Zheng, Y., Li, L., Dai, S., Liu, D., Zheng, H., Yang, S., Guo, Y., Rafique, M., Wang, B., Wang, C. H., & Shuai, Y. (2025). Monte-Carlo ray tracing simulation of view factors for diffuse solar radiation determination in cylindrical photobioreactor arrays for microalgae cultivation. Bioresource Technology, 436, Article 132813. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2025.132813

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title = "Monte-Carlo ray tracing simulation of view factors for diffuse solar radiation determination in cylindrical photobioreactor arrays for microalgae cultivation",

abstract = "In this study, a Monte Carlo ray tracing (MCRT) model was developed to calculate view factors between cylindrical photobioreactor (PBR) sidewalls and sky/ground surfaces in outdoor array configurations. The effects of PBR dimension, inter-PBR spacing and array layout, namely square, staggered and biomimetic layouts, were analyzed. Results showed that view factors are mainly governed by mutual shading effects. In staggered arrays, centrally positioned PBRs exhibited significantly lower view factors compared to peripheral units, with reductions reaching up to 97\%. Reducing inter-PBR spacing from 1.26 m to 0.56 m in staggered configurations resulted in a 46\% decrease in mean view factor (from 0.301 to 0.163). Comparative analysis revealed average view factors of 0.2410, 0.2416 and 0.2259 for square, staggered, and biomimetic layouts, respectively. This work establishes a methodology for quantifying diffuse radiation received by PBR arrays which is indispensable for PBR multiphysics simulations.",

keywords = "Biomimetic layout, Geometrical configuration, Light utilization, Photosynthetic efficiency, Reactor spacing",

author = "Yihan Zheng and Lifeng Li and Shengkai Dai and Donghang Liu and Hao Zheng and Song Yang and Yanming Guo and Muhammad Rafique and Bo Wang and Wang, \{Chi Hwa\} and Yong Shuai",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Elsevier Ltd",

year = "2025",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1016/j.biortech.2025.132813",

language = "英语",

volume = "436",

journal = "Bioresource Technology",

issn = "0960-8524",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Monte-Carlo ray tracing simulation of view factors for diffuse solar radiation determination in cylindrical photobioreactor arrays for microalgae cultivation

AU - Zheng, Yihan

AU - Li, Lifeng

AU - Dai, Shengkai

AU - Liu, Donghang

AU - Zheng, Hao

AU - Yang, Song

AU - Guo, Yanming

AU - Rafique, Muhammad

AU - Wang, Bo

AU - Wang, Chi Hwa

AU - Shuai, Yong

PY - 2025/11

Y1 - 2025/11

N2 - In this study, a Monte Carlo ray tracing (MCRT) model was developed to calculate view factors between cylindrical photobioreactor (PBR) sidewalls and sky/ground surfaces in outdoor array configurations. The effects of PBR dimension, inter-PBR spacing and array layout, namely square, staggered and biomimetic layouts, were analyzed. Results showed that view factors are mainly governed by mutual shading effects. In staggered arrays, centrally positioned PBRs exhibited significantly lower view factors compared to peripheral units, with reductions reaching up to 97%. Reducing inter-PBR spacing from 1.26 m to 0.56 m in staggered configurations resulted in a 46% decrease in mean view factor (from 0.301 to 0.163). Comparative analysis revealed average view factors of 0.2410, 0.2416 and 0.2259 for square, staggered, and biomimetic layouts, respectively. This work establishes a methodology for quantifying diffuse radiation received by PBR arrays which is indispensable for PBR multiphysics simulations.

AB - In this study, a Monte Carlo ray tracing (MCRT) model was developed to calculate view factors between cylindrical photobioreactor (PBR) sidewalls and sky/ground surfaces in outdoor array configurations. The effects of PBR dimension, inter-PBR spacing and array layout, namely square, staggered and biomimetic layouts, were analyzed. Results showed that view factors are mainly governed by mutual shading effects. In staggered arrays, centrally positioned PBRs exhibited significantly lower view factors compared to peripheral units, with reductions reaching up to 97%. Reducing inter-PBR spacing from 1.26 m to 0.56 m in staggered configurations resulted in a 46% decrease in mean view factor (from 0.301 to 0.163). Comparative analysis revealed average view factors of 0.2410, 0.2416 and 0.2259 for square, staggered, and biomimetic layouts, respectively. This work establishes a methodology for quantifying diffuse radiation received by PBR arrays which is indispensable for PBR multiphysics simulations.

KW - Biomimetic layout

KW - Geometrical configuration

KW - Light utilization

KW - Photosynthetic efficiency

KW - Reactor spacing

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105010561871

U2 - 10.1016/j.biortech.2025.132813

DO - 10.1016/j.biortech.2025.132813

M3 - 文章

C2 - 40653121

AN - SCOPUS:105010561871

SN - 0960-8524

VL - 436

JO - Bioresource Technology

JF - Bioresource Technology

M1 - 132813

ER -

Monte-Carlo ray tracing simulation of view factors for diffuse solar radiation determination in cylindrical photobioreactor arrays for microalgae cultivation

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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