MELTING FROM A FLAT-PLATE EMBEDDED IN A POROUS-MEDIUM IN THE PRESENCE OF STEADY NATURAL-CONVECTION

The problem of melting from a flat plate embedded in a porous medium is studied. The main focus is to determine the effect of natural convection flow in the liquid phase on the melting phenomenon. Two configurations are considered and modeled mathematically: a vertical plate and a horizontal plate. The final similarity equations are integrated numerically by use of the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method. Systematic 'shooting' is required to satisfy the boundary conditions at infinity. Results are reported for the temperature and flow fields in the melt region. The melting phenomenon decreases the local Nusselt number at the solid-liquid interface.