Finite element methods for problems with solid-liquid-solid phase transitions and free melt surface

Modeling and computation of a process with solid-liquid-solid phase transitions and a free capillary surface is discussed. The main components of the model are heat conduction, a free melt surface, a moving phase boundary, and its coupling with the Navier-Stokes equations. We present two different approaches for handling the phase transitions by applying in a FE method, namely an energy conservation based approach, and a sharp interface approach with moving mesh. By combining both methods, we benefit from the advantages of the respective approach. The methods are applied to a problem where material is accumulated by melting the tip of thin steel wires using laser heating. (© 2012 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)