Journal of Scientific & Industrial Research

122
Vol. 68, February 2009, pp.122-129 J SCI IND RES VOL 68 FEBRUARY 2009

Numerical investigation for solidification around various cylinder geometries

Ertan Buyruk*, Ahmet Fertelli and Nesrin Sonmez
University of Cumhuriyet, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 58140, Sivas / Turkey

Received 15 May 2008; revised 25 November 2008; accepted 22 December 2008

This study calculates effect of ice formation on different cylinder geometries placed in a rectangular ice storage tank filled
with water. Fluent package program was used for numerical solution of flow domain to depict temperature distribution and ice
formation. Water temperature in tank and cylinder surface temperature were assumed as 4°C and -10°C respectively. Temperature
distribution, liquid fraction and ratio of Ai /Ac (formed ice area / cross sectional area of cylinder) were determined for various
cylinder geometries.

Keywords: Ice formation, Numerical heat transfer, Phase change, Solidification, Tube bank

Introduction cylinder surface temperature were assumed as 4°C

Cool thermal energy storage (CTES) is used to adjust
a time lag between demand and supply of cold thermal
energy for load leveling of electricity. Problem of ice
formation around a bundle of cooled cylinders in
convective flows has been studied extensively in ice-
cold storage systems used for balancing air conditioning
loads. A large number of investigations, which assessed
ice formation around cylinder, include single cylinder1,2,
different cylinder geometries3-8, theoretical approach of
solidification 9-11. This study presents effects of cylinder
position and staggered and inline tube bundle
geometries on cylinders placed in a rectangular ice
storage tank filled with water.
Materials and Methods
Effect of position of cooled tube in fixed rectangular
space was carried out (Fig. 1). Solidification around
staggered and inline cylinders in a fixed volume for 4
cylinders and inline geometry of 6 cylinders were
studied (Fig. 2). All calculations were carried out under
condition of transient natural convection in water with
cooled tubes. Diameter of tube was taken d (d, 0.0254
m), and tank heights was taken as 7 d and 10 d.
Transverse and longitudinal spacing were 2 d for tube
bundle geometry. Water temperature in tank and
*Author for correspondence
E-mail: buyruk@cumhuriyet.edu.tr
and -10°C respectively.
Finite volume method4,12 (FLUENT program) was used
to solve solidification around cylinders placed in fixed
volume as single, staggered and inline geometry of cooled
cylinder. Quadrilateral grid was used for simulation and
finer grid distribution was used near cylinder surfaces.
Grid spacing increases away from cylinder surfaces, with
total of 20000 to 25000 elements (Fig. 3). Following
assumptions were made to simulate solidification around
cylinders in a fixed space: i) Flow is two dimensional,
laminar and incompressible; Water as a Newtonian fluid
for phase changing material; ii) Unique thermal
conductivities and specific heats (k s,k l ,C s ,C l ) are
considered for solid and liquid phases; and iii) Effects of
viscous dissipation and radiation are neglected.
An enthalpy formulation based fixed grid approach4
was employed to study transport phenomena during
solidification. In developing momentum equations,
Darcy’s law and Kozeny-Carman equation were adopted
to model the flow and permeability within mushy zone,
respectively. Governing equations associated with
boundary and initial conditions were as follows:
∂ρ
Continuity, + ∇ ⋅ (ρV) = 0
∂t
 BUYRUK et al: SOLIDIFICATION AROUND VARIOUS CYLINDER GEOMETRIES 123

2d 2d 2d
d
d 3d

5d
d
5d

3d d
d

(a) (b) (c)

Fig. 1—Physical model for single cylinder a) upper b) centered c) lower
2d 2d 2d

7/2 d 3d
7/2 d

2d
2d
2d 3d
3d
2d

7/2 d 7/2 d 3d

(a) (b) (c)

Fig. 2—Physical model for several cylinders (a) four staggered cylinder (b) four inline cylinder
(c) six inline cylinder

 β3 
x Momentum, Kozeny-Carman equation, K = K 
o

2 
 (1 − β) 
∂ ∂P µ
(ρu ) + ∇ ⋅ (ρuV ) = − − u + ∇ ⋅ (µ∇u )
∂t ∂x k where, t, time; ρ, density; P, Pressure; V, velocity vector;
u and υ, velocity components in x and y directions; µ,
y Momentum,
dynamic viscosity; β, liquid volume fraction; L, latent
∂ ∂P µ heat; K o, empirical constant in Kozeny-Carman
(ρυ) + ∇ ⋅ (ρυV) = − − υ + ∇⋅ (µ∇υ) + (ρm − ρ)g equation; K, permeability.
∂t ∂y k
Sensible enthalpy-temperature relation,
Energy,
C s T T < Tf 
∂ k  ∂ h= 
(ρh ) + ∇ ⋅ (ρhV) = ∇ ⋅  ∇h  − (ρβL) − ∇ ⋅ (ρβLV) T ≥ Tf 
∂t c  ∂t C l T
124 J SCI IND RES VOL 68 FEBRUARY 2009

(a) (b)

Fig. 3—Grid system a) single cylinder b) four inline cylinder

8
Numerical Experimental
6
Ai/Ac

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000
Time (s)
Fig. 4—Comparison between numerical and experimental data for solidification around a single cylinder

where, Tf, fusion temperature; Cs and Cl , specific heats where, ρm, max. density of water (999.972 kg/m3);
for solid and liquid phases. w =9.2793 × 10-6 °C-q; Tm, 4.0293 °C; q, 1.894816.

In deriving energy equation, sensible enthalpy4, h, is Results and Discussion

defined as Effect of Cylinder Position
Validation studies 5 of present model shows that
T
variations of area ratio (Ai /Ac) match with experimental
h = h ref + ∫ cdT
Tref
data in entire time range (Fig. 4). To examine positional
effect of cooled cylinder in rectangular cavity on
where, h ref, reference enthalpy; T ref , reference transient natural convection in water with density
temperature; c, specific heat at constant pressure. inversion, calculations were carried out at three positions
To account for buoyancy-driven flow within the domain, of cylinder (upper, center and lower of cavity) for an
density-temperature equation4 is as initial water temperature (Ti = 4°C). Temperature

(
ρ = ρ m 1 − w T − Tm
q
) distributions at different time (t= 900 s, 1800 s, 3600 s
 BUYRUK et al: SOLIDIFICATION AROUND VARIOUS CYLINDER GEOMETRIES
t = 90 0s t = 18 00s
a)
b)
c)
Fig. 5—Variation of isotherms for different cylinder positions with time a) upper; b)
centered; c) lower
and 7200 s) for all cylinder positions and area ratios
(Ai /Ac) were calculated. Upward flow that occurs at 900
s with cylinder located in upper side of cavity finishes
at 1800 s because of very little water above cylinder,
resulting fast decrease in temperature difference between
cylinder and water above cylinder (Fig. 5a). Thermal
stratification has been formed in water under cylinder,
and highly conductive heat transfer is seen for 3600 s
and 7200 s. For cylinder located at the centre of cavity,
upward flow is stronger at early times (900 s and
1800 s) in comparison with the case of upper cylinder
(Fig. 5b). As time proceeds, further (3600 s and 7200 s)
natural convection is not observed and thermal
stratification is established below cylinder. Cooling rate
of water is considerably reduced. For lower cylinder in
cavity, upward flow that arises along solid-liquid
interface at 0°C is rather strong and cooled water along
interface accumulates in upper part at the cavity
(Fig. 5c). Consequently, a thermally layered region is
gradually obtained. As time progresses, water
125
t = 36 00s t = 72 00s
temperature in upper part of cavity decreases to
solidification temperature (0°C). At t= 3600 s and t=
7200 s, water temperature is nearly uniform in whole
cavity, except in bottom part of cavity.
Area ratio (Ai /Ac) for centered and lower positions
(Fig. 6) coincides with that for upper cavity at early
stages. Area ratio for upper-case (t> 1000 s) arrangement
is larger than that for other cases because at Ti = 4°C,
cooling of water in upper part of cavity is faster than
those of other cases due to small amount of hot water
above cylinder.
Effect of Staggered and Inline Tube Bundle Geometries on
Cylinders
In present study, solidification around inline and
staggered cylinders in a fixed volume were investigated
for 4 cylinder cases. Height of tank was taken as 10 d
and transverse and longitudinal spacing was taken as
2 d for tube bundle geometry (Fig. 2).
Upward flow (Fig. 7a) arises at early times (900 s)
and dense water at 4°C collects under cylinders.
126 J SCI IND RES VOL 68 FEBRUARY 2009

4
Ai/Ac

1 Upper Centered Lower

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000
Time (s)

Fig. 6—Effect of cylinder position on growth of the solidified area

t = 900s t = 1800s t = 3600s t = 7200s

a)
a)

b)
b)

Fig. 7—Timewise variation of isotherms and liquid fraction for the solidification around four
inline cylinders a) isotherms b) liquid fraction
 BUYRUK et al: SOLIDIFICATION AROUND VARIOUS CYLINDER GEOMETRIES
t = 900s t = 1800s
a)
b)
b)
Fig. 8—Timewise variation of isotherms and liquid fraction for the solidification
around four staggered cylinders a) isotherms b) liquid fraction
At t= 1800 s, a weak upward flow emerges, and flow
under cylinder almost disappears due to thermal
solidification. However, cylinders effectively cool down
upper stratified section. Therefore, water temperature
is uniformly reduced to nearly fusion temperature. It is
seen from liquid fraction contours that ice layer never
overlap until time 3600 s. After this time, ice layer easily
blocks flow as frozen area occupies most of the middle
region (Fig. 7b).
When comparing temperature distribution of inline
geometry at 900 s, water cools quickly at above region
of tank (Fig. 8a). Cooled water going down along
interface at t=900s accumulates around cylinder and
region below 4°C has spread (Fig. 8a). This temperature
field results in a relatively strong upward flow along
interface. As time passes, water is cooled gradually and
flow is weakened. Water temperature in bottom part of
cavity decreases to 4°C and decreases more in upper
part of cavity up to solidification temperature (0°C).
127
t = 3600s t = 7200s
Distribution of liquid fraction (Fig. 8b) shows that solid
layers develop around upper and lower cylinders at all
times. Ice layers contacts vertically with each other at
1800 s. At later times (3600 s and 7200 s), solid layers
around 4 cylinders affect each other.
Area ratio for inline type coincides with that for
staggered type (Fig. 9). Ratio for staggered type is found
larger than that for inline type when t is higher than 1000
s, because accumulated layer above cylinder remains
hot for a longer period in inline geometry than that in
staggered geometry.
No flow occurs in cavity at 900 s because thermal
stratification occurred in early stage of solidification
(Fig. 10a). Temperature distribution becomes more
uniform as solidification processes proceed (1800 s and
3600 s). At 3600 s and 7200 s, frozen areas of adjacent
cylinders in all direction almost overlap, resulting in
diminishing of fluid flow in middle region (Fig. 10b).
Accumulation rate of ice layer for 4 inline cylinders is
128 J SCI IND RES VOL 68 FEBRUARY 2009

3
Ai/Ac

Inline Staggered

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000
Time (s)
Fig. 9—Effect of four cylinders of inline and staggered geometries cylinder position on growth of
the solidified area

t = 900s t = 1800s t = 3600s t = 7200s

a) a)

b)

Fig. 10—Variation of isotherms and liquid fraction for the solidification around six inline
cylinders with time: a) isotherms; b) liquid fraction
 BUYRUK et al: SOLIDIFICATION AROUND VARIOUS CYLINDER GEOMETRIES
3
Ai/Ac
1
0
0 1000 2000 3000
Fig. 11—Effect of cylinder number on growth of the solidified area for inline geometries
found faster than those of other cases (Fig. 11). However,
growth rates for all cylinders are almost same as time is
less than 1000 s, but departure between two curves
becomes larger after 1000 s.
Conclusions
Position of cylinder placed in a rectangular ice storage
tank seriously affects amount of ice around the cylinder.
Area ratio for upper-case arrangement is larger than that
for other cases. For staggered and inline tube bundle
geometries, area ratio (A i /A c) for inline cylinder
arrangement is smaller than that for staggered cylinder.
When volume of ice storage tank is fixed, area ratio for
the case of 4 inline cylinders geometry is larger than
those for 6 inline cylinders geometry.
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