Numerical modeling of frost growth and densification on a cold plate using frost formation resistance

•The frost growth and densification on cold plate was numerically modeled.•Frost formation driving potential and frost formation resistance were defined.•The present model results were compared with existing experimental results.•Behavior of the frost formation resistance was investigated.•The overall and local characteristics of frost were analyzed.

Frost formation on a cold plate was modeled numerically using the frost formation resistance. A multiphase Eulerian method was used to model the humid-air and frost phases. The grids in the computational domain were classified into three zones, and a frost density threshold was suggested to construct an algorithm of frost growth and densification. To verify the present model, analyses were performed under various operating conditions, and the results were compared with published experimental results. In addition, the frost formation resistance was verified by analyzing the frost formation resistance profiles on the frost surface and at the frost inside, and temperature of the frost and absolute humidity of the humid-air inside the frost were also predicted using the verified model. This showed that the frost formation resistance matched the general well-known behavior of frost formation. The temperature of the frost and absolute humidity of the humid-air in the frost showed larger variation near the frost surface, which has lower frost density, than near the cold plate, which has higher frost density.