Numerical algorithm using multizone adaptive grid generation for multiphase transport processes with moving and free boundaries

The primary objective of this study is to develop a numerical scheme for accurate and efficient simulation of phase-change and transport processes of industrial importance. These processes may include a variety of heat transfer and flow mechanisms in irregularly shaped domains with moving and/or free boundaries. Based on the multizone adaptive grid generation (MAGG) technique [1], a curvilinear finite-volume scheme has been developed to discretize the governing equations. The combination of these two techniques provides a powerful tool for numerical modeling of complex transport processes. Several problems are considered to demonstrate the applicability and accuracy of the proposed method. They are (1) natural convection in a differentially heated eccentric annuli, (2) solidification of a pure material in a rectangular enclosure, (3) solidification in as open cavity with shrinkage due to volume change, and (4) Czochralski crystal growth of silicon. The predictions show good agreement with experimental data, much better than the previously reported numerical solutions.