Shape identification for water–ice interface within the cylindrical capsule in cold storage system by inverse heat transfer method

Abstract

In this study, the inverse heat transfer method is applied to shape identification for the ice layer within the cylindrical capsule in cold storage system. The approach is constructed by combining the curvilinear grid generation scheme, the direct problem solver, the conjugate gradient optimization method, and the redistribution method. According to the practical condition of freezing ice, shape identification for the water–ice interface based on the data of the outer surface temperature is attempted. Results show that the profile of the water–ice interface is possible to be identified by using the inverse heat transfer approach and the accuracy of the ice shape identification is dependent on the uncertainty of the outer surface temperature data, the Biot number, the thickness of the ice layer, and the geometric configuration as well.