Numerical simulation of the crystallization front propagation during the bottom cooling of a flat layer of water

Abstract

Abstract The process of crystallization of water after a sudden cooling of the bottom of a rectangular cavity is investigated by numerical simulation of conjugate convective heat exchange using the finite element method. Detailed information has been obtained on hydrodynamics, temperature fields, and the forms of the crystallization front. The crystallization of water is studied by taking into account the dependence of the density on the temperature and heat of the phase transition. Numerical studies are carried out using a proprietary software package. Adaptive triangular grids are used to track the position of the crystallization front at each time step.