Effects of density change and subcooling on the melting of a solid around a horizontal heated cylinder

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The unsteady two-dimensional heat-transfer problem of melting around a horizontal heated cylinder is studied numerically. The cylinder is heated isothermally. A physical model is introduced which accounts for the effects of density change upon melting and subcooling effect, as well as natural convection. Most previous work has assumed that the density number (ratio of solid density to liquid density) is unity. In practice, all solid materials exhibit some density change upon melting. If the density number is greater than one, this induces a blowing effect at the phase-change boundary. If the density number is less than one, a suction effect is produced. This study indicates that the density-change effect on heat transfer during melting is minor. Subcooling results when the solid is at a temperature below the melting temperature. When the melting process begins, some of the available thermal energy must be used as sensible heat, to raise the solid's temperature to the melting point. As a result, less thermal energy is available for melting. Subcooling effects are found to have a substantial effect on the heat-transfer process. The effects of natural convection have been clearly documented, and indicate that natural convection must be included in any realistic model of the melting process. Detailed predictions of the effects of density change and subcooling on the melting process are given. Information on the temperature and flow fields for representative values of Stefan, Rayleigh, Prandtl, subcooling and density number is given. Further results from the numerical solutions include information on local and average heat-transfer rates and sensibleheat gain as well as melt volume as a function of time. Comparisons are made with earlier numerical and analytical results.