Abstract
Abstract Analytical results are presented for the melting of a pure metal from an isothermal vertical wall. The investigation focuses on the influence of surface tension on the flow and heat transfer in the liquid phase as well as the resultant shape and motion of the solid-liquid interface. A control volume-based discretization scheme is used to solve the governing partial differential equations in the irregular melt domain while the moving boundary is immobilized by invoking the quasi-steady assumption. Numerical predictions reveal a complex interaction between buoyancy forces in the melt and the Marangoni effects at the melt free surface. The surface tension-driven convection causes isotherm compaction near the top of, and adjacent to the melting front. The associated high heat transfer at the intersection of the solid-liquid interface and the melt free surface results in significant ‘notching’ of the solid. Hence, the influence of Marangoni convection is felt strongly in the timewise shape and motion of the solid-liquid interface. Predicted global melting rates, however, exhibit less sensitivity to the inclusion of thennocapillary forces in the analysis. Representative results for the flow and temperature distribution in the melt are shown graphically in the form of liquid phase isotherm and stream function distributions.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call