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New model for frost growth rate.

Author(s) : NA B., WEBB R. L.

Type of article: Article

Summary

Many models have been published to predict frost growth. These may be divided into empirical and theoretical models. All prior theoretical models assume the water vapour is saturated at the interface between the air stream and frost layer. This article describes a new theoretically based numerical model of frost deposition and growth. The present model: (1) uses supersaturated water vapour at the frost surface, which is fundamentally correct; (2) improves correlations for frost thermal conductivity; (3) uses a rationally based tortuosity factor; and (4) calculates the local frost density variation. For numerical simulation of the frost growth rate, the measured thermal conductivity was used. Frost growth rate on a cold surface was measured, and the experimental data were compared to the numerical model and agreed within 15%. The proposed supersaturation model was also compared with previous investigators' experimental data, and it was found that the supersaturation model is superior to analytical or numerical models that assume the water vapour at the frost surface to be saturated.

Details

  • Original title: New model for frost growth rate.
  • Record ID : 2004-1563
  • Languages: English
  • Source: International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer - vol. 47 - n. 5
  • Publication date: 2004/02

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