Modeling of the frost layer's growth considering its melting and re-solidification

Abstract

In this study, a three-phase Eulerian multiphase flow method was used to describe the phase change process by adding the source terms to the governing equations, thereby constructing a model to simulate the frosting process considering melting and re-solidification of frost. The model could predict the frost formation on horizontal cold surfaces over long periods. Comparative analysis of 17 sets of experimental data obtained from five previous experimental studies indicates that the proposed frosting model resulted in a maximum error of 32.4% for thickness with an average error of 5.8%, while a maximum error of 33.0% was observed for density with an average error of 12.0%. The results of model with/without melting and re-solidification were compared. These results reveal that the environmental parameters affect the degree of melting, making it possible for the average thickness and density to increase, remain constant, and then decrease after the melting has occurred. At the onset of frost's growth, the error of the proposed model was similar to that of the frosting model without melting and re-solidification process. However, as the frosting time increased, the model exhibited a higher prediction accuracy, reducing the maximum error in both thickness and density by approximately 7.5%.