156
Analytical solutions
~
0.4
.....
~
o I
5""
:E
~
0.3
~-a
","0::
"t:I ::;
Q)
0
N.Cl
~
~0.2
§
''-::
o e
z
8-
'"
~
0.1
0.2
0.3
Normalized time
-r-tv
2
/D
e=0.05
e-0.15
e-0.25
0.4
FIG. 3.6. Variation of nonnalized position
of
evaporating boundary with nonnalized
time: heat difiusivity D
=
Kt
pC
Oi)
Stefan's problem for a sphere. The detennination of the time taken
to
complete
the
inward solidification of a molten sphere, initially at
the
fusion temperature, presents mathematical difficulties. For example,
the
analyses by Pedroso and Domoto (1973) and by Riley, Smith, and Poots
(1974) break down before the centre freezes. Stewartson and Waechter
(1976) developed a complete asymptotic theory for large latent heat
which adequately describes the final temperature profile and they also
detennined the first four terms of
the
asymptotic expansion of
the
time
to
complete freezing. We outline here
the
essential features of their ap-
proach. More manipulative detail
is given by Stewartson and Waechter
(1976).
The liquid sphere
O:s:;;
r*:s:;;
a
is
at
the
fusion temperature n throughout
and
at
time t* = 0 the surface temperature
is
dropped
to
and maintained
at
T\t.
Convection and density changes
on
solidification are neglected as
usual, and radial heat
flow
is
assumed. Non-dimensional variables are
defined
to
be
r=
r*/a,
S=S*/a,
T*-n
r*
8(r,
t)=
T*-T*
-,
F w
a
where S*(t*) denotes the solidification boundary and
K,
p, c are heat
conductivity, density, and specific heat respectively.
The
problem
is
then