Melting of unfixed solids in square cavities

A fixed-grid enthalpy method is employed to study the melting of an unfixed solid in a square cavity. The cavity Is initially filled with the solid material. The walls are healed and the solid is released as a result of melting near the walls. Falling of the solid in the melt and the buoyancy are the main factors affecting the liquid motion and the melting process. The problem is studied numerically and the results are validated by a comparison with the available analytical, numerical, and experimental results. The computations are carried out for the Rayleigh numbers 0-10(8) and the Archimedes numbers 0-10(7). The results are reported for the liquid percent, falling velocity of the solid phase, and shape of the solid-liquid interface. It was found that at low Rayleigh and Archimedes numbers, the melting rate and the solid velocity are both very low, and the melting is almost symmetrical. Higher values of Rayleigh and Archimedes numbers enhance melting and the falling velocity of the solid and distort the symmetry of the interface. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.