WATER-MOVEMENT IN POROUS-MEDIA TOWARDS AN ICE FRONT

The influence of pressure on water flow towards an ice front, located above a glass filter, was investigated experimentally at temperatures in the range from 0 to -0.05°C. At constant temperature, pressures of the ice and the water were controlled independently. The former was kept at 1 atm., whilst the latter was lowered stepwise between 1 and 0.2 atm. At a given temperature equilibrium was observed at a pressure difference between ice and water that can be found from a Kelvin-type equation. At a smaller pressure difference water flowed towards the ice, while ice accretion and frost heaving occurred. At a larger pressure difference melting of the ice and water flow away from the ice front were observed. A simplified description is given of the phenomena occurring in the interfacial layer of water between the ice and the glass filter. © 1978.