Heat and Mass Transfer of Droplet Vacuum Freezing Process Based on Dynamic Mesh

Abstract

A numerical simulation using dynamic mesh method by COMSOL has been developed to model heat and mass transfer during vacuum freezing by evaporation of a single droplet. The initial droplet diameter, initial droplet temperature, and vacuum chamber pressure effect are studied. The surface and center temperature curve was predicted to show the effect. The mass transfer rate and radius displacement were also calculated. The results show the dynamic mesh shows well the freezing process with the radius reduction of droplet. The initial droplet diameter, initial droplet temperature, and vacuum pressure have obvious effect on freezing process. The total freezing time is about 200 s, 300 s, and 400 s for droplet diameter 7.5 mm, 10.5 mm, and 12.5 mm, respectively. The vacuum pressure less than 200 Pa is enough for the less time to freezing the droplet, that is, the key point in freezing time. The initial droplet temperature has obvious effect on freezing but little effect on freezing temperature.