Analysis of Melting behaviour on Phase Change Material in a 2D Square Cavity

Abdul Mu’im Abdul Rahman; Ishkrizat Taib; Zaisham Shah Bhari; Abdul Hafiz Abdull Hamid; Zulfahmi zakee; Pangiran Mohd Saiful Hafizul Musa

Authors

Abdul Mu’im Abdul Rahman Kolej Komuniti Sungai Petani (KKSP), 77, Lengkok Cempaka 1, Pusat Bandar Amanjaya, 08000 Sungai Petani, Kedah, MALAYSIA
Ishkrizat Taib Faculty of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, MALAYSIA
Zaisham Shah Bhari Kolej Komuniti Sungai Petani (KKSP), 77, Lengkok Cempaka 1, Pusat Bandar Amanjaya, 08000 Sungai Petani, Kedah, MALAYSIA
Abdul Hafiz Abdull Hamid Kolej Komuniti Kepala Batas (KKKB), 87, Lrg Bertam Indah 1, Taman Bertam Indah, 13200 Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang, MALAYSIA
Zulfahmi zakee Kolej Komuniti Kepala Batas (KKKB), 87, Lrg Bertam Indah 1, Taman Bertam Indah, 13200 Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang, MALAYSIA
Pangiran Mohd Saiful Hafizul Musa Kolej Komuniti Bandar Darul Aman (KKBDA), No. 17, Bandar Darulaman Jaya, 06000 Jitra, Kedah, MALAYSIA

Keywords:

Enthalpy-Pororsity Method, Melting Simulation, Natural Convection

Abstract

This study investigates the melting behaviour of a phase change material (PCM) in a square cavity using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). A 2D cavity heated from one side is simulated using the enthalpy-porosity method implemented in ANSYS Fluent. The numerical model solves the continuity, momentum, and energy equations with latent heat consideration, tracking the liquid fraction evolution over time. A structured mesh with varying resolutions is tested, with grid independence confirmed at 60×60 cells. Results include temperature contours, velocity vectors, and liquid fraction plots, capturing the transition from conduction-dominated to convection-driven melting. Model convergence is validated through residual analysis and comparison with benchmark data from Brent et al. and Lankadasu et al., showing deviations within 5%. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of the enthalpy-porosity model in simulating PCM melting and highlights the influence of mesh resolution, Rayleigh number, and timestep size on solution accuracy. Potential enhancements include adaptive meshing and experimental validation.