A finite element model for convection‐dominated melting and solidification problems

This paper presents a two‐dimensional finite element model for convection‐dominated melting and freezing problems. The enthalpy‐porosity approach is utilized to account for the physics of the evolution of the melt velocity at the solid/liquid phase change interface. Penalty formulation is employed to treat the incompressibility constraint in the momentum equations. The streamline upwind/Petrov Galerkin method is used in combination with primitive variables to solve the governing equations. Simulations are carried out for melting of a pure phase change material in a rectangular cavity heated from below. Sample results are presented and discussed.