Testing the computer assisted solution of the electrical analogy in a heat transfer process with a phase change which has an analytical solution

A new method has been developed for the computer assisted solution of electrical analogies. The method, relatively simple in comparison with other methods, allows the study of heat transfer problems, including the change of phase. The aim of this work has been to apply this technique to the study of a heat transfer problem with change of phase, which has an analytical solution, in order to test its validity. The results obtained by both methods, analytical and analogical, are compared, and they are observed to agree satisfactorily. It makes it possible to establish that the technique developed is suitable for the study of processes with a phase change present. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd and IIR. All rights reserved.