Predicting Frost Formation Rate: A Solvable Problem?

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raveen323
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Hi,
Could you please explain me how to predict the rate of formation of frost around a pipe carrying cryogenic fluid if the relative humidity is known?

I am not able to make any assumptions as frost is porous.
Is experimental analysis the only solution to this problem ?
Can it be solved by taking some assumptions?

Raveen
 

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I would hazard that this would be a wildly intractable problem.
There are so many variables.

If I were forced to take a stab at it, I'd have to assume that the main heat gain was due to the frost formation so that the latent heat of melting/freezing would be the major factor. But that neglects the very significant losses by convection, radiation and conduction, which are incalculable. I doubt that the answer would be even close to reality.

Why not just lag it well and good and forget about the problem?