Analysis of melting driven by friction and temperature difference under sliding plate

The contact melting processes of phase change material (PCM) under a sliding plate, which is driven by the friction and temperature difference AT, are studied. By using film theory, the fundamental equations for the melting process are derived. The thickness of boundary layer, the pressure distribution inside boundary layer and the mass melting rate of PCM are also obtained with the numerical method. It is found that (1) the larger the temperature difference is, the larger the thickness of boundary layer and the mass melting rate are, and the more asymmetric the pressure distribution is; (2) the quicker the sliding velocity is, the larger the mass melting rate is, the flatter the thickness of boundary layer is, and the more symmetric the pressure distribution is; (3) the results of the contact melting driven together by the friction and temperature difference cannot be obtained by the addition of those driven respectively by the friction and temperature difference.