Effect of a horizontal magnetic field on the melting of low-Prandtl-number liquid metal in a phase-change Rayleigh–Bénard system

We investigated the low-Prandtl-number Rayleigh–Bénard system with a melting top boundary under horizontal magnetic fields. This study is crucial to gain physical insights into the melting dynamics of thermal storage systems, which will help in controlling them. A three-dimensional solid–liquid phase-change Rayleigh–Bénard system of gallium was numerically simulated using the enthalpy-porosity method in a cubic domain. In the absence of a magnetic field, the melting process was clearly divided into four regimes: conduction, stable growth, coarsening, and chaotic regimes. We analyzed the flow and heat transfer characteristics in each regime and established scaling relations for the Nusselt number and liquid fraction. Under horizontal magnetic fields, a quasi-two-dimensional flow pattern was observed. We further examined the effects of magnetic field strength on different melting regimes. With increasing Hartmann number, a new flow mode emerged during the stable growth regime. The results also show that the magnetic field alters the relative duration of each melting regime in the overall melting process.