Technical Papers and Presentations

The goal of this study was to determine the possibility of using the finite element in COMSOL Multiphysics program to obtain a high accuracy solution to a moving boundary problem, specifically, the solidification of copper. A one-dimensional geometry in Cartesian coordinates was used to investigate the solidification of initially liquid copper from a chilled wall maintained at fixed temperature. The other boundary was assumed adiabatic. Analytical and finite difference methods were also employed to solve the problem and to create a basis for comparison. Accurate solutions can be obtained using COMSOL Multiphysics but only after carefully tuning the solution parameters, particularly the time step.