A Study of Frost Layer Changes on Defrosting

Abstract

The internal osmosis of melted water from the upper side to the lower one was visualized and observed. The thermo-physical properties of the frost layer which consist of three phases that is ice, air and water were predicted. The possibility to predict the termination of melting was evaluated, and it was calculated based on frost layer model with non-homogeneous growth. Melting began at the upper side of frost layer, and melting water moved to the adjoining lower side one by one. Simultaneously, melting water was suddenly absorbed to the lowest part due to capillary force. The thermo-physical properties to be determined by the ratio of three phases became uncertain, because it was difficult to calculate the osmosis distance and amount, and to estimate the behavior of melting water absorbed by capillary force. So, it turned out to be the great difference between prediction and experiment.