Estimate of the rate of contact melting of metals in the nonstationary-diffusion regime by the methods of the thermodynamics of irreversible processes

On the basis of the thermodynamics of irreversible processes, an equation is derived for the estimation of the average rate ¯v_n of contact melting in conditions of non-steady-state diffusion when the liquid is not drawn away from the contact zone and its thickness increases with time. If follows from the derived equation that ¯v_n 1/t, where t is the melting time. A formula is also obtained for the rate of contact melting in the steady state, v_s; under certain conditions this formula coincides with the equations obtained by other authors.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavadenii, Fizika, No. 12, pp. 66–71, December, 1970.