A Concise Method for Analyzing the Ice-Melting Performance of a Heated Disc

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Author: Lea, J.F.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1976
• Subjects: Earth-Surface Processes; Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000013642; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000013642

Abstract Shreve (1962) evaluated the performance of solid-nose hotpoints of various geometries. A more concise method for analysis of the special case of a flat disc melting into ice is presented here. In contrast to the numerical solution presented by Shreve, this method results in a closed analytical solution, based on constant properties, which is corrected using a property ratio scheme. This technique allows the substitution of various fluid properties into the solutions as might be required when considering contaminated or saline ice or other liquids. Shreve's method would require some additional numerical work to evaluate various properties because the temperature dependence of the viscosity of water is integrated into the results. Results obtained for the flat disc using this method are shown to compare favorably with Shreve's, indicating that this type of analysis may be applicable to other melt-unit geometries.