Numerical modelling of thermal ablation phenomena due to a cathodic spot

Abstract

A numerical simulation of the ablation problem for the cathode spot that is based on the enthalpy formulation is presented and solved with a finite-element method using the Euler explicit scheme. Vaporization latent heat and ablation phenomena constitute the main difficulties of the cathodic surface erosion. We deduce characteristic information related to the cathode spot such as the energy repartition in three phases and the ablation length for different energy fluxes.