Freezing around a finite heat sink immersed in an infinite phase change medium

Freezing around a spherical heat sink immersed in an infinite phase change medium - a free boundary problem involving growth and decay of the free boundary - is analysed here. A one-dimensional conduction model is formulated and the resulting partial differential equations are solved by finite difference methods. The energy discharged from the phase change medium during the heat transfer process is analysed for latent heat thermal energy storage applications. Results are presented for a wide range of parameters that are encountered in energy storage devices. The cases of slab/cylindrical heat sink are reexamined for a range of parameters not covered by the earlier investigators. © 1985.