Macroscopic models for melting derived from averaging microscopic Stefan problems I: Simple geometries with kinetic undercooling or surface tension

Abstract

A mushy region is assumed to consist of a fine mixture of two distinct phases separated by free boundaries. For simplicity, the fine structure is here taken to be periodic, first in one dimension, and then a lattice of squares in two dimensions. A method of multiple scales is employed, with a classical free-boundary problem being used to model the evolution of the two-phase microstructure. Then a macroscopic model for the mush is obtained by an averaging procedure. The free-boundary temperature is taken to vary according to Gibbs–Thomson and/or kinetic-undercooling effects.