Phase field-lattice Boltzmann method investigation of particle morphology evolution in slush hydrogen during convective freezing and melting

Freezing-thawing is one of the prevalent and pragmatic approach for the preparation of slush hydrogen. Understanding how production parameters affect the evolution of slush hydrogen particles is crucial for optimizing its efficiency. This study develops a two-dimensional Phase Field-Lattice Boltzmann Method (PF-LBM) to investigate the solidification and melting behavior of individual slush hydrogen particle under dynamic flow conditions. The proposed model integrates the Ginzburg-Landau theoretical phase-field model with a D2Q9 single-relaxation LBM. The variation of the phase and temperature fields of hydrogen particle during the freezing and melting process is investigated, and the role of vortices in shaping the profile of dendrites is found. Differences in dendrite growth at different flow rates and equilibrium temperatures are analyzed, and the variation in solid content is given. This study explores the mesoscopic mechanisms of slush hydrogen particle in a flowing field and provides theoretical guidance for the dynamic preparation of high-quality slush hydrogen.