Z. Naturforsch.

2022; aop

Vikas Chaurasiya, Dinesh Kumar, Kabindra Nath Rai and Jitendra Singh*

Heat transfer analysis describing freezing of a

eutectic system by a line heat sink with
convection effect in cylindrical geometry
https://doi.org/10.1515/zna-2021-0320
Received November 1, 2021; accepted December 21, 2021;
1 Introduction
published online January 17, 2022
In many processes, material experiences phase transition
Abstract: The current article devoted to study a moving
from one-phase to another with absorption or liberation
boundary problem describing freezing of a eutectic system
of heat. When heat sink is placed on the surface of phase
in a semi-infinite medium in cylindrical symmetry. The
change material it starts to liberate heat and get solid-
solidification of the material is considered by a line heat
ify. During freezing of the phase change material there
sink of strength Q place at r = 0. The heat transfer is consid-
always exists a moving front commonly known as moving
ered due to both mechanism, conduction and convection
boundary or solid–liquid interface. The determination of
driven by fluid motion in the liquid region, mushy region
the position and uniform motion of solid and liquid inter-
and possibly in porous solid phase. The analysis is con-
face during melting or freezing comes in the class of moving
cerned with extended freezing temperature range between
boundary problem. Moving boundary problems involving
solidus and liquidus temperatures respectively. The solid
melting or freezing process of a phase change material has
fraction is considered to have a linear relationship with
great importance in many engineering applications, e.g.,
temperature within the mushy zone. A direct integration
thermal management and energy storage system [1–3],
method is used to solve the mathematical model, resulting
casting of metals [4–6], drying of foods [7], welding of
an exact solution of the problem is obtained. To illustrate
steel [8], nanotechnology [9] etc. The process of heat con-
the application of current study and validity of mathemat-
duction during melting or solidification of a binary alloy
ical model, a numerical example of freezing of an Al–Cu
in engineering system involving phase transition requires
alloy with 5% Cu is presented. In addition, the temperature
the modeling of heat absorption or liberation at the moving
distribution in each region and position of moving inter-
front, the position of which usually depends on the time.
faces is shown for different Peclet number. In this work,
Thus, the location of the solid–liquid interface which is
we obtained that the process of freezing becomes fast in
an important part of the solution is not known in advance.
the presence of convection. Moreover, it is shown that for
Jackson and Hunt [10] proposed a general theory of rod
a large value of Q, strength of line heat sink, the freez-
eutectics and lamellar. In their theory, it is obtained that
ing of a eutectic alloy increases rapidly. Both eutectic and
rod eutectics and lamellar grow near the extremum condi-
solid solution alloys come under the application of current
tion. The Jackson–Hunt theory of eutectic growth at small
study.
undercoolings is extended to large undercooling values
Keywords: convection; eutectic alloy; freezing; Peclet which are commonly encountered under rapid freezing
number; phase change fronts. condition [11]. Later, Margin and Trivedi [12] presented
modification in Jackson–Hunt theory to get a better under-
standing of the physical phenomena describing freezing
process. In series of modification and extension of the
*Corresponding author: Jitendra Singh, Department of Mathematics,
model, Kurz and Trivedi [13] presented a model of eutectic
Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005,
India, E-mail: jitendra.singh@bhu.ac.in growth under rapid solidification. The study of the eutec-
Vikas Chaurasiya, Department of Mathematics, Institute of Science, tic growth in bulk undercooled melts was investigated by
Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India, Li and Zhou [14] and shown that the thermal diffusion on
E-mail: vikas.chaurasiya5@bhu.ac.in the eutectic growth is more significant at the low growth
Dinesh Kumar, Department of Mathematics, Govt. Polytechnic
speed. The freezing in a cylinder or annulus geometry have
College, Nawada, Bihar, India, E-mail: dineshaukumar@gmail.com
Kabindra Nath Rai, Department of Mathematical Sciences, IIT (BHU),
several applications in ground solidification [15, 16] and
Varanasi 221005, India, E-mail: knrai.apm@itbhu.ac.in permafrost stabilization by thermosyphons [17]. Thus, it is
2 | V. Chaurasiya et al.: Freezing of a eutectic system by a line heat sink

essential to discuss mathematical model describing such transfer mechanism [41, 45]. Beside the conduction there
transition processes. are specific practical applications in which heat transfer
Moving boundary problems are commonly nonlinear may also occur due to convection mechanism driven by
due to presence of unknown interface location and the flow of fluid in the liquidus region as well as possibly
solution involves much difficulty. The exact solutions of in porous solidus region [21]. There is a relative lack of
the moving boundary problem are available only in sim- mathematical models that includes the convection term
ple case or condition based [18–21]. An exact solution in the governing diffusion equation of the moving bound-
of a phase change problem is obtained in the form of ary problems. The exact-analytical solutions of the phase
error function Erf in the cylindrical geometry, see [22]. change problem that accounts convection is available in
Exact solution of moving boundary problems in an infi- [27, 46–48]. The off-eutectic alloys which exhibit a fully
nite and semi-infinite medium for extended solidification eutectic structure behave as reinforcing composite materi-
temperature range is found in [23, 24]. An exact solution als, with the tensile strength and microhardness increasing
of one-dimensional freezing problem of a binary eutectic as the volume fraction of the strengthening phase increases
system is reported in [25]. In order to solution procedure [49]. The effect of fluid flow on eutectic microstructure is
of phase change problems, several numerical techniques systematically examined in Al–Cu alloys of different com-
have been applied for the treatment of the such problems, positions [50]. Eutectic solidification from a melt often
e.g., finite difference schemes, homotopy perturbation yields a regular lamellar structure consisting of alterna-
method, boundary element method, finite element Legen- tive arrangements of lamellar of crystalline phases of two
dre wavelet Galerkin method and front tracking algorithm species. A model for free growth of a lamellar eutectic den-
in fixed and generalized boundary conditions, similar- drite with an incident flow was proposed for the breakdown
ity solution [26–36]. Rabin et al. [37] presented a multi- of a planar solid–liquid front into a dendritic contour due
dimensional finite difference numerical scheme for the to a negative thermal gradient in an undercooled liquid
freezing process of biological tissues during cryosurgery. [51].
Matched asymptotic expansion method [38] is applied to Based from the previous observations, in the current
solve two-phase Stefan problem in spherical geometry. An study, we discuss a one-dimensional moving boundary
approximate solution of the shoreline problem in a sedi- problem describing freezing of a eutectic alloy by a line
mentary ocean basin with variable latent heat found is in heat sink in the presence of convection. The exact solution
[39]. Myres et al. [40] presented one-phase moving bound- of the problem is obtained after converting the governing
ary problem with variable phase-change temperature. A diffusion equation into algebraic-differential equation [41].
two-phase Stefan problem has been solved analytically A linear relationship between solid fraction formula and
with eigen function expansion technique in the cylindri- temperature profile is assumed within mushy zone. Eutec-
cal geometry [41]. The key drawback of the eigen function tic alloys are compound of metals whose melting point is
expansion technique is that, sometimes it produces imag- lower than that of any of its pure components like cast-iron.
inary eigenvalues. Moreover, the thermal physical prop- In binary eutectic system, there exist a solid–liquid zone
erties of solid and liquid regions were assumed to be called mushy region between purely solidus and purely liq-
same and obtained result was validated at relatively low uidus temperatures due to the latent heat effect occurring
time resolution. Parhizi and Jain [42] discussed a phase in an extended region. This mushy zone is surrounded by
change problem analytically. A moving boundary problem two plane fronts, one at the liquidus temperature front and
in which latent heat is varying and existence-uniqueness the other at the solidus temperature front. During solidifi-
of the solution is shown, reported in [43]. Numerical solu- cation of a eutectic alloy of two or more than two compo-
tion of a three phase Stefan problem with high power input nents, sometimes one component gets solidify easily than
is found in [44]. others, so there exist two or more moving interfaces. Thus,
Recently, Xu et al. [45] presented an asymptotic study the current analysis is based on this type of problem which
of a two-phase moving boundary problem in an annulus. It determines the temperature profile and speed of interfaces
well covers the application of outward freezing of a phase with convection for freezing by a line heat sink placed
change material in cylindrical geometry which involves at the origin. Furthermore, the present study provides an
three temporal and four spatial scales. The solution of the exact result of the temperature distribution and moving
problem is obtained analytically and shown in good agree- interfaces in a semi-infinite region. To validate the mathe-
ment with previous methods. Most of the past literatures matical model an example of freezing of Al–Cu alloy with
on Stefan problems assumed conduction is the only heat 5% Cu is presented. To describe the physical importance of
 V. Chaurasiya et al.: Freezing of a eutectic system by a line heat sink | 3

the current work, the effect of convection on temperature

profile and evolution of phase change front are shown in
figures. In this study, it is obtained that the solidification
process gets accelerated in the presence of convection. Fur-
thermore, the effect of line heat sink of strength Q shows
that the solidification process of the alloy becomes fast
with large value of Q.
The outline of the present paper is as follows. In
Section 2, analysis of the problem is presented. Section
3 covers the formulation of the mathematical modelling of
a one-dimensional moving boundary problem. In Section
4, solution procedure of the current problem is given while
Section 5 covers the numerical results and discussions.
The last Section, 6 summarized conclusions or the main
findings of this work.

Figure 1: Schematic geometry of the physical problem describing

freezing of a phase change material by a line heat sink place at the
2 Analysis origin. The phase change is driven by both mechanism conduction
as well as convection.
For the process of solidification, a line heat sink of strength
Q, is placed at r = 0 in a large body of liquid whose ini-
tial temperature is T 0 (> T 2 ). At t = 0 heat sink is activated
and process of heat absorption starts continuously for time
3 Mathematical modeling
t > 0. Thus, freezing starts from r = 0 and a phase change
In the mushy region the solid fraction and the temperature
front exists which propagates in the positive r-direction.
are taken in the manner [24] which is expressed as
For a eutectic system taken here, the freezing comes out
( )
over a mushy region including solid/liquid compound lies T − T1
fs = fsu 1 − t . (2)
between purely liquid and purely solid states. The cur- T2 − T1
rent analysis determines both temperature configuration
Here T ≡ T t (r, t) represents the temperature profile within
within each region and the location of the unknown phase
mushy zone. Therefore, the solidus fraction fs attains zero
change fronts as a function of time in the presence of
value at the liquidus front and fsu at the solidus front. In a
conduction as well as convection driven by fluid motion
binary eutectic system, the value of fsu for an alloy varies
in the liquid, mushy and possibly in porous solid phase
in accordance of alloy composition. fsu is unity for an alloy
[21]. Figure 1 illustrates the one-dimensional heat transfer
outside the system range.
mechanism of a eutectic alloy in a cylindrical geometry.
The dynamics of the freezing within solid, mushy and
In order to deal the mathematical model some assump-
liquid regions can be described by the following diffusion
tions are made: (i) Heat transfer is occurred in radial
equations, respectively
direction only, i.e. considered problem is one-dimensional. ( )
(ii) All thermophysical properties of each phase are uni- 𝜕 Ts 𝜕 Ts 1 𝜕 Ts 𝜕 2 Ts
+ us = 𝛼s + 2 , 0 < r < s1 (t), t > 0.
form but may differ for other region. (iii) The convective 𝜕t 𝜕r r 𝜕r 𝜕r
motion which comes out from volumetric effect is assumed (3)
negligible. ( )
𝜕 Tt 𝜕T 1 𝜕 Tt 𝜕2T 𝜌L d fs
Due to continuous formation of solid within mushy + ut t = 𝛼t + 2t + ,
𝜕t 𝜕r r 𝜕r 𝜕r kt dt
region, heat liberated during freezing is taken as a volu-
metric heat generation term given in the manner [25, 26], s1 (t) < r < s2 (t), t > 0. (4)

d fs ( )
q(r, t) = 𝜌L . (1) 𝜕 Tl 𝜕T 1 𝜕 Tl 𝜕2T
dt + ul l = 𝛼l + 2l , r > s2 (t), t > 0, (5)
𝜕t 𝜕r r 𝜕r 𝜕r
Here, 𝜌 denotes density and L is the latent heat of fusion.
The Eq. (1) shows that heat generation effect is equal to the where, us , ut and ul represents convective motion driven by
rate of change of solid fraction with respect to time. fluid flow in solid, mushy and liquid region, respectively.
4 | V. Chaurasiya et al.: Freezing of a eutectic system by a line heat sink

𝛼 s , 𝛼 t and 𝛼 l is the thermal diffusivity in solid, mushy and Using Eq. (13) into Eq. (4), the mushy region comes in
liquid region, respectively. The term 𝜌L ddtfs occurring in Eq. the form
(4), come out due to heat liberated in the mushy region ( )
𝜕T 𝜕T 1 𝜕 Tt 𝜕2T
which can be deal with Eq. (1). a t + ut t = 𝛼t + 2t ,
𝜕t 𝜕r r 𝜕r 𝜕r
The heat sink activated at r = 0 must agree with the
relation ( ) s1 (t) < r < s2 (t), t > 0, (14)
𝜕 Ts
lim 2𝜋 rks = Q, (6)
r→0 𝜕r where
L fsu
a=1+ . (15)
where Q represents strength of line heat sink. At the loca- ct (T2 − T1 )
tion of solidus front, the temperature of solid and two-
Some conventional transformations are introduced to con-
phase zone is equal to the solidus temperature which can
vert mathematical model in dimensionless form
be written in mathematical form as given below:
Ts Tt Tl k
𝜃s = , 𝜃t = , 𝜃l = , 𝛼s,t,l = s,t,l ,
Ts (r, t) = Tt (r, t) = T1 , at r = s1 (t), t > 0. (7) T1 T1 T1 𝜌cs,t,l
√
𝛼s,t,l √
The moving boundary problems are categorized as a for- us,t,l = Pe , s1 (t) = 2𝜆 𝛼s t,
mulation of tracking of phase change front which admits t
√ r
to determine the location of moving boundary from an s2 (t) = 2𝜇 𝛼t t, 𝜂= √ . (16)
energy-balance relation, 2 𝛼s,t,l t

𝜕 Ts 𝜕T ds (t) With the help of Eq. (16), Eqs. (3), (5) and (14) reduces
ks − kt t = 𝜌L(1 − fsu ) 1 , at r = s1 (t), t > 0.
𝜕r 𝜕r dt to
(8) ( )
In above ks , kt and kl represents thermal conductivity in 1 d𝜃s d2 𝜃
2𝜂 + − 2Pe + 2s = 0, 0 < 𝜂 < 𝜆, (17)
solid, mushy and liquid region, respectively. In Eq. (8), 𝜂 d𝜂 d𝜂
right-hand side accounts for release of latent heat occurring with boundary conditions
from (1 − fsu ) within the two-phase (mushy) zone.
d𝜃s
At the location of liquidus front, the temperature of lim(2𝜋 ks 𝜂 T1 ) = Q, 𝜃s (𝜆) = 1, (18)
two-phase and liquid zone is equal to the liquidus tem- 𝜂→0 d𝜂
perature which can be given in mathematical form as: ( )
1 d𝜃t d2 𝜃
2𝜂 a + − 2Pe + 2t = 0, 𝜆′ < 𝜂 < 𝜇, (19)
Tt (r, t) = Tl (r, t) = T2 , at r = s2 (t), t > 0. (9) 𝜂 d𝜂 d𝜂

𝜕 Tt 𝜕T with boundary conditions

kt = kl l , at r = s2 (t), t > 0. (10)
𝜕r 𝜕r
T2
It is assumed that liquid temperature is same as the 𝜃t (𝜆′ ) = 1, 𝜃t (𝜇 ) = , (20)
T1
initial temperature at infinity. That is,
and
Tl (r, t) = T0 , as r → ∞, t > 0. (11) ( )
1 d𝜃l d2 𝜃
2𝜂 + − 2Pe + 2l = 0, 𝜂 > 𝜇′ , (21)
𝜂 d𝜂 d𝜂
For liquid phase the initial condition is
with boundary conditions
Tl (r, 0) = T0 , r > 0. (12)
T2 T0
𝜃l (𝜇 ′ ) = , 𝜃l (∞) = . (22)
T1 T1

4 Exact solution Therefore, a straightforward integration of Eqs. (17),

(19) and (21) using their respective boundary conditions
To deal the model, the solid fraction fs in mushy region is (18), (20) and (22) eventually results in the temperature of
expressed by Eq. (2) as follows solid, two-phase and liquid zone, respectively

d fs fsu 𝜕 Tt ( ) 𝜂
=− . (13) Q ey(2Pe−y)
dt (T2 − T1 ) 𝜕 t 𝜃s (𝜂 ) = 1 + dy. (23)
2𝜋 ks T1 ∫ y
𝜆
 V. Chaurasiya et al.: Freezing of a eutectic system by a line heat sink | 5

( ) ⎛ ∫ 𝜂 ey(2Pe−ay) dy ⎞ zone at the solidus front is given in the manner [25] as:
T2 𝜆′
𝜃t (𝜂 ) = 1 + − 1 ⎜ 𝜇 ey(2Pey −ay) ⎟ . (24) fsu = 0.8952.
T1 ⎜∫ ′ dy ⎟⎠
⎝ 𝜆 y Initially, liquid region is assumed at a uniform tem-
⎛ 𝜂 ey(2Pe−y) ⎞ perature T 0 = 648.9◦ C.
T2 (T0 − T2 ) ⎜ ∫𝜇′ y dy ⎟
𝜃l (𝜂 ) = + , (25) In order to validate our current work with solidifica-
T1 T1 ⎜∫ ∞ ey(2Pe−y)
dy ⎟⎠
⎝ 𝜇′ y tion of Al–Cu alloy with 5% Cu, few assumptions may be
√ √ considered:
where 𝜆′ = 𝜆 𝛼𝛼s and 𝜇 ′ = 𝜇 𝛼𝛼t . To obtain the above
t l (i) The primary crystal growth from the liquid is eutectic
results, two unknown parameters 𝜆 and 𝜇 introduced
of Al−rich solution than face centered cubic Al-rich
which are given in the manner [46],
solution.
√ s (t) (ii) Eutectic growth of Al–Cu alloy, for higher convection
s1 (t) = 2𝜆 𝛼s t, or 𝜆 = √1 , (26)
2 𝛼s t rate may be restricted due to a strong anisotropy of
√ s2 (t) surface tension of Al–Cu alloy.
s2 (t) = 2𝜇 𝛼t t, or 𝜇= √ . (27)
2 𝛼t t The computations are made for heat sink of different
where both 𝜆 and 𝜇 are both positive constants. With the strength Q: 20000; 30000; 40000; 50000; 60000 and
help of Eqs. (26) and (27), the energy balance Eqs. (8) and 70000 W∕m.
(10) can be rewritten as, By using the above solidification data of Al–Cu alloy,
( √ ) we discuss the temperature profile within solid, mushy
d𝜃s 𝛼s d𝜃t (1 − fsu )
ks − kt = 2𝜆𝛼s 𝜌L , 𝜂 = 𝜆. and liquid region and the growth rate of the unknown
d𝜂 𝛼t d𝜂 T1
(28) fronts. The value of the unknown parameters 𝜆 and 𝜇 are
( √ ) determined from Eqs. (28) and (29) with the help of New-
d𝜃 𝛼t d𝜃l
kt t = kl , 𝜂 = 𝜇. (29) ton–Raphson method. The possible values of the unknown
d𝜂 𝛼l d𝜂
parameters 𝜆 and 𝜇 for distinct values of Q when Pe = 1.0
After determination the value of 𝜆 and 𝜇 from Eqs. (28) and are listed in Table 1. Figure 2 illustrates the tempera-
(29), the temperatures in each phase are calculated from ture distribution with respect to the position 𝜂 in solid,
Eqs. (23)–(25), and also the position of solidus front s1 (t) mushy and liquid zone for Pe = 1.0 and initial temperature
and liquidus front s2 (t) from Eqs. (26) and (27). Now, making T 0 = 648.9◦ C and Q = 50000 W∕m. Figure 3 illustrates the
substitution of temperature profile from Eqs. (23)–(25) into position of the solidus (s1 (t))/liquidus (s2 (t)) fronts with
(28) and (29), we obtained two transcendental equations. respect to time t for Pe = 1.0 and Q = 50000 W∕m. From
These equations can be solved using Newton iterative this figure it is seen that as time increases the rate of transi-
method in MATHEMATICA software. The computation of tion process get accelerated. This is happening because of
the present work is done using MATHEMATICA and MAT- convection considered in the diffusion equation i.e., con-
LAB software. vection driven by fluid motion with the liquid, mushy and
possibly in solid porous.

5 Results and discussions

5.2 Effect of convection
Convection is a process in which either heat transfer or
5.1 Numerical example mass transfer due to bulk movement. During convection
The solidification of an Al–Cu alloy with 5% Cu is used
to illustrate the application of current study. The thermal Table 1: The values of 𝜆 and 𝜇 with different Q for parameters taken
and physical properties of this alloy are taken from [24, in the example when Pe = 1.0.
48]. The numerical data for the estimation of temperature
and location of the unknown tracking front are as follows: Q (W/m) 𝝀 𝝁
ks = 197.3 W∕m◦ C kl = 181.7 W∕m◦ C cs = 1046.7 Ws∕kg◦ C 20000 0.002593 0.730151
cl = 1256 Ws∕kg◦ C 𝜌 = 2723.2 kg∕m3 L = 3, 95, 403 Ws∕kg 30000 0.018814 0.793655
T 1 = 547.8 ◦ C T 2 = 642.2 ◦ C, 40000 0.048787 0.836453
here kt and ct for the two-phase region are 50000 0.084906 0.869332
60000 0.122426 0.896799
approximated as kt = ks +2 kl = 185.5 W/m C ct = cs +2 cl =
◦
◦ 70000 0.159352 0.920978
1151.35 Ws/kg C. The numeric value of fsu within mushy
6 | V. Chaurasiya et al.: Freezing of a eutectic system by a line heat sink

number shows that, the advection transport ratio is higher

than the diffusion transport rate. The mathematical formu-
√
t
lation of Peclet number can be put in the form Pe = u 𝛼
[39], where u is motion of fluid and 𝛼 is thermal diffusivity.
Furthermore, the Peclet number depends upon both the
uniform motion of heat and the characteristic length of the
system.
In Figure 4, the temperature distribution within solid,
mushy and liquid regions are shown at Q = 50000 W∕m,
T 0 = 648.9◦ C with variation of Peclet number (Pe =
0.5, 1.0, 1.5). This figure shows that with increasing the
value of Peclet number the temperature configuration is
Figure 2: Temperature distribution for Q = 50000 W∕m and steeper within the eutectic medium. Consequently, the rate
T 0 = 648.9◦ C when Pe = 1.0. of solidification in each region increases in the presence of
convection. Figure 5 depicts the location of unknown phase

0.1
s1

0.09 s
2

0.08
Phase change fronts (s1(t),s (t))
2

0.07

0.06

0.05

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0
0 10 20 30 40 50
Figure 4: Temperature distribution at Q = 50000 W∕m and
Time, t
T 0 = 648.9◦ C for different Pe.
Figure 3: Growth of solidus (s1 (t)) and liquidus (s2 (t)) fronts with
time for Q = 50000 W∕m when Pe = 1.0.
0.12
s1 , Pe = 0.5
s , Pe = 0.5
2
s1 , Pe = 1.0
mechanism, the process of heat absorption starts by the 0.1
s 2 , Pe = 1.0
Phase change fronts (s (t),s (t))

present molecules continuously. The energized molecules s , Pe = 1.5

2

1
s2 , Pe = 1.5
become less dense, cooler molecules from surrounding are 0.08
1

attracted toward the heat source and repeat the same cycle.
Convection has no effect in most solids due to absence of
0.06
diffusion or bulk current flowing in the matter. Most of the
practical applications accounts conduction is the only heat
0.04
transfer mechanism but in specific practical it, may also
occur due to convection driven by fluid motion within liq-
uid as well as possibly in solid porous [21]. Thus, in solids, 0.02

the effect of convection is either very poor or negligible. In

this study the effect of convection is shown by variation of 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
the Peclet number Pe. In heat transfer phenomena Peclet
Time, t
number is a dimensionless quantity. It is the ratio of rate of
advection of a physical substance to the rate of the diffu- Figure 5: Growth of solidus (s1 (t)) and liquidus (s2 (t)) fronts with
sion of the same substance. Thus, acceleration in the Peclet time at Q = 50000 W∕m for different Pe.
 V. Chaurasiya et al.: Freezing of a eutectic system by a line heat sink | 7

change front at Q = 50000 W∕m, T 0 = 648.9◦ C with vari- 0.1

s , Q=30000 W/m
1

ation for different Peclet number (Pe = 0.5, 1.0, 1.5). This 0.09
s , Q=30000 W/m
2
s , Q=50000 W/m
figure shows that as time increases corresponding moving 1
s , Q=50000 W/m
0.08 2
interfaces get accelerate. Moreover, physical interpretation

Phase change fronts (s (t), s (t))

s , Q=70000 W/m
1

2
s , Q=70000 W/m
of Peclet number illustrate that the large value of Pe accel- 0.07 2

erates the rate of transition process (formation of freezing).

1
0.06
This result is similar to the result of [36, 46, 48]. Thus, less
0.05
time is required for fast freezing of the alloy.
0.04

0.03
5.3 Effect of line heat sink
0.02
A heat sink is a heat exchanger that transfers the heat
0.01
between two or more than two fluids by a mechanical or an
electronic device. It transfers thermal energy from a higher 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
body temperature to a lower body temperature. In heat Time, t
transfer process, a heat sink is also a heat reservoir that
Figure 7: Growth of solidus (s1 (t)) and liquidus (s2 (t)) fronts with
can absorbs an arbitrary amount of heat without affect-
time for different strength Q at fixed Pe = 1.0.
ing temperature. To investigate the freezing of an alloy in
an annulus, a line heat sink of strength Q is immersed at
the surface r = 0. The line heat sink starts to absorb heat and 7. In Figure 6, we observed that as strength Q of the line
uniformly and formation of solid initiated continuously. To heat sink increases then the temperature profile is steeper
understand the principle of line heat sink, Fourier’s law of within each region. Figure 7 depicts that the growth rate
heat conduction is considered which states that the rate of the moving interface is enhanced with increasing the
at which heat is transferred by conduction is directly pro- value of Q. Consequently, from Figures 6 and 7, we obtain
portional to the temperature gradient and cross-sectional that for a large value of Q strength of line heat sink the rate
area through which heat is transferred, i.e., of transition process becomes fast and thus, less time is
𝜕T required to complete the freezing of an eutectic alloy.
2𝜋 rk = Q. (30)
𝜕r
In the current study, the heat sink is activated at r = 0.
The temperature of the system and moving interface both 6 Conclusions
are affected by line heat sink as shown in Figures 6
Mathematical modeling of phase-change heat transfer pro-
cess is essential for freezing of a binary eutectic system.
Such models and its extensive work are also useful in
study of mass transfer problems involving solidification of
alloys by immersing a line heat sink and cooling medium in
laser welding of stainless steel, coating of cylindrical type
objects with a binary alloy. The current work contributes
towards addressing this gap in the article.
In this study, we discussed a moving boundary
problem describing solidification of a eutectic alloy by a
line heat sink. The line heat sink is placed at r = 0 and
activated at t > 0. Both heat transfer mechanism i.e., con-
duction and convection driven by fluid flow is assumed.
A linear relationship between solid fraction distribution
fs and temperature within the two-phase zone is con-
sidered. The exact solution of the problem is presented
with the help of similarity transformation by solving alge-
Figure 6: Temperature distribution for different strength Q at fixed braic differential equation. To illustrate the present work,
Pe = 1.0. a numerical data of freezing of Al–Cu alloy with five
8 | V. Chaurasiya et al.: Freezing of a eutectic system by a line heat sink

percent Cu is presented. The temperature configuration 𝛼 thermal diffusitivity, m2 /s defined as (𝛼 s = k s /𝜌cs )

and speed of phase change fronts are determined and 𝜌 density, kg/m3
u uniform motion of fluid, m/s
results are shown in Table and figures. It can be therefore
concluded that:
– The exact solution of the problem is obtained via sim- Conventional parameters
ilarity transformation and this framework provides
a guideline for treating other variations of moving 𝜃 dimensionless temperature
boundary problem in the presence of convection. 𝜂 dimensionless space coordinate
Pe Peclet number
– In the presence of convection, the temperature profile
a given from Eq. (15)
within each region becomes steeper. Consequently, 𝜆, 𝜇 given by Eqs. (26) and (27)
less time is required to complete the freezing process
of the eutectic alloy.
Subscripts
– With increasing the value of Peclet number Pe, the
transition rate gets accelerated and moving interface l, t, s liquid, two-phase and solid regions, respectively.
enhanced growing with corresponding increment in
the time resolution.
– For a large value of Q, strength of line heat sink, Acknowledgment: Vikas Chaurasiya, one of the authors is
the temperature distribution is steeper in eutectic grateful to DST (INSPIRE)-New Delhi (India) for the Senior
medium. Therefore, less time is required to complete Research Fellowship vide Ref. No. DST/INSPIRE/03/2
the process. 017/000 184 (i) Ref. no/Math/2017-18/March 18/347 and
– With increasing the value Q, strength of line heat sink, also to the Department of Mathematics (Institute of Sci-
the speed of moving interface gets accelerated and ence), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi (U.P),
hence transition process becomes fast. India, for providing necessary facilities.
Author contribution: All the authors have accepted respon-
This work is focused on the exact analysis and con-
sibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript
vection effect during freezing of a eutectic alloy in a
and approved submission.
one-dimensional moving boundary problem in cylindrical
Research funding: None declared.
symmetry. The results obtained in the current paper are
Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no
applicable in the field of engineering such as freezing of
conflicts of interest regarding this article.
an alloy from a cold pipe or wire, laser welding, etc. More-
over, the current work may be applicable in synchrotron
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