Frost Formation Between Closely Spaced Parallel Plates.

Abstract

Experimental data for frost growth between two parallel plates, one cold and one insulated, is collected in the range of Reynolds numbers from 100 to 7000, cold plate temperatures from -5 degC to -25 degC, air humidity levels from 0.0040 to 0.0070 kg water vapor/kg air, and air temperatures from 10 degC to 20 degC. The effect of plate spacing (12.7 mm, 6.35 mm and 3.18 mm) and varying environmental parameters is also studied. The frost grows linearly with time and the rate of growth increases with decreasing cold plate temperature, decreasing air temperature and increasing air humidity. The Reynolds number and the plate spacing do not have a significant effect. A variable density diffusion model is developed and compared successfully against previous and present experimental data.