Validation experiments are the baseline for completing numerical studies for engineering design. Applications of the enthalpy-porosity model have expanded in research with the growth of new technologies such as metal additive manufacturing or the renewed interest in thermal energy storage for supplementing renewable energy. A simplified experiment examining the melting behavior of lauric acid from an isothermal surface has become a common case for validating the performance of numerical models. Several studies of this rectangular experiment have been repeatedly used as model validation in a variety of problem conditions.
The first part of this study presents experimental data for the same lauric acid experimental setup building on previous cases by adding 180◦ and 135◦ orientations. This extends the available cases used for validation to all the logical orientations based on previous studies.
The second part of the study presents a numerical model and attempts to validate the results based on current practices in literature. The model does not fully match the results of the experiment and potential reasons for this are discussed.
The final portion of the study examines different methods for modeling the density of the phase change based on several different approaches presented in literature. These results are examined with reference to each other and the implications on the common validation process are presented. General weaknesses of the enthalpy-porosity model are identified during the literature review and reinforced in the results of the study.
","abstract_html":"<p>Validation experiments are the baseline for completing numerical studies for engineering design. Applications of the enthalpy-porosity model have expanded in research with the growth of new technologies such as metal additive manufacturing or the renewed interest in thermal energy storage for supplementing renewable energy. A simplified experiment examining the melting behavior of lauric acid from an isothermal surface has become a common case for validating the performance of numerical models. Several studies of this rectangular experiment have been repeatedly used as model validation in a variety of problem conditions.</p> <p>The first part of this study presents experimental data for the same lauric acid experimental setup building on previous cases by adding 180◦ and 135◦ orientations. This extends the available cases used for validation to all the logical orientations based on previous studies.</p> <p>The second part of the study presents a numerical model and attempts to validate the results based on current practices in literature. The model does not fully match the results of the experiment and potential reasons for this are discussed.</p> <p>The final portion of the study examines different methods for modeling the density of the phase change based on several different approaches presented in literature. These results are examined with reference to each other and the implications on the common validation process are presented. General weaknesses of the enthalpy-porosity model are identified during the literature review and reinforced in the results of the study.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Troxler, Casey J"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering","degree_level":"Thesis - Open Access","degree_discipline":"Mechanical Engineering","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2022,"date_issued":"2022-04-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2022-04-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:25:16Z","subjects":["Natural Convection","Melting/Solidification","Heat Transfer","Thermal Energy Storage","Energy Systems","Heat Transfer, Combustion"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.erau.edu/edt/666","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Troxler, Casey J"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - Open Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Natural Convection","Melting/Solidification","Heat Transfer","Thermal Energy Storage","Energy Systems","Heat Transfer, Combustion"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.erau.edu/edt/666"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Validation experiments are the baseline for completing numerical studies for engineering design. Applications of the enthalpy-porosity model have expanded in research with the growth of new technologies such as metal additive manufacturing or the renewed interest in thermal energy storage for supplementing renewable energy. A simplified experiment examining the melting behavior of lauric acid from an isothermal surface has become a common case for validating the performance of numerical models. Several studies of this rectangular experiment have been repeatedly used as model validation in a variety of problem conditions.
The first part of this study presents experimental data for the same lauric acid experimental setup building on previous cases by adding 180◦ and 135◦ orientations. This extends the available cases used for validation to all the logical orientations based on previous studies.
The second part of the study presents a numerical model and attempts to validate the results based on current practices in literature. The model does not fully match the results of the experiment and potential reasons for this are discussed.
The final portion of the study examines different methods for modeling the density of the phase change based on several different approaches presented in literature. These results are examined with reference to each other and the implications on the common validation process are presented. General weaknesses of the enthalpy-porosity model are identified during the literature review and reinforced in the results of the study.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Lauric Acid Melting at Suboptimal Inclines"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Troxler, Casey J"],"dc:description.abstract":["Validation experiments are the baseline for completing numerical studies for engineering design. Applications of the enthalpy-porosity model have expanded in research with the growth of new technologies such as metal additive manufacturing or the renewed interest in thermal energy storage for supplementing renewable energy. A simplified experiment examining the melting behavior of lauric acid from an isothermal surface has become a common case for validating the performance of numerical models. Several studies of this rectangular experiment have been repeatedly used as model validation in a variety of problem conditions.
The first part of this study presents experimental data for the same lauric acid experimental setup building on previous cases by adding 180◦ and 135◦ orientations. This extends the available cases used for validation to all the logical orientations based on previous studies.
The second part of the study presents a numerical model and attempts to validate the results based on current practices in literature. The model does not fully match the results of the experiment and potential reasons for this are discussed.
The final portion of the study examines different methods for modeling the density of the phase change based on several different approaches presented in literature. These results are examined with reference to each other and the implications on the common validation process are presented. General weaknesses of the enthalpy-porosity model are identified during the literature review and reinforced in the results of the study.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.erau.edu/edt/666"],"dc:subject":["Natural Convection","Melting/Solidification","Heat Transfer","Thermal Energy Storage","Energy Systems","Heat Transfer, Combustion"],"dc:title":["Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Lauric Acid Melting at Suboptimal Inclines"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Mechanical Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - Open Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:25:16Z"}