Irreversible thermodynamics of phase change heat transfer: Basic principles and applications to latent heat storage

This paper reviews some recent results concerning the irreversible thermodynamics of phase-change processes. A general scheme, of which the classical Stefan problem is a special case, is developed. The limits of validity of the Stefan formulation are established and several possible extensions are reviewed. The properties of entropy generation as an evolution characteristic of phase-change processes are studied. The Second Law analysis of latent heat storage systems for power generation applications is presented. The general formalism is applied to a typical distributed system based on a tube-and-shell heat exchanger. Optimal conditions for the operation of the system are derived.