Lagrangian melting in homogeneous isotropic turbulence*

In so-called Lagrangian melting problems, the melting of a solid object immersed in a fluid medium is coupled to a fluid-structure interaction problem, where the melting solid is free to translate and rotate according to the hydrodynamic loads exerted by the fluid. This in turn alters the ambient fluid flow surrounding the object, thereby altering the fluid convection which drives melting. Here, we aim to understand Lagrangian melting under turbulent flow conditions in an idealized setup by conducting direct numerical simulations of a melting sphere in homogeneous isotropic turbulence. We will consider variations in the turbulent forcing (the Taylor Reynolds number, Re_λ) as well as the Stokes number of the melting sphere. Both will play a critical role in determining the melting dynamics, as the dominant turbulent eddies which mix and drive fluid convection will ultimately be governed by these two key control parameters.