ISSN Online: 2379-1748
ISBN Flash Drive: 978-1-56700-483-0
ISBN Online: 978-1-56700-482-3
4th Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference
THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF THE TIME-SCALING OF FROST GROWTH AND DENSIFICATION ON FLAT SURFACES
Abstract
This brief paper describes the time evolution of three key parameters of frost accretion on flat surfaces: thickness, density, and accumulated mass. A scale analysis is conducted based on energy and mass balances on and within a mature frost layer subjected to frost growth and densification, revealing that both frost thickness and density obey the square-root-of-time rule typical of diffusive-dominant problems in transport phenomena. As a consequence, the accumulated frost mass varies linearly with time. The results have been corroborated with experimental data.