SHORT COMMUNICATION

Abstract

The spectral extinction and absorption coefficients of cylindrically-shaped soot particles formed during the combustion of pulverized coal are approximated in the near infrared using the solution to Maxwell's equations for infinite-length cylinders. It is assumed that the cylindrical soot particles are randomly oriented, and their length is significantly greater than their diameter. Sub-micron radius cylindrically-shaped soot agglomerates have significantly different spectral extinction and absorption properties than do Rayleigh-limit spheres, whereas the radiative properties for large-radii agglomerated soot cylinders are only slightly different than those predicted for spherical coal particles. Dimensionless extinction and absorption coefficients for cylindrical soot polydispersions are calculated, and a semi-empirical correlation for these properties is developed.