Simulation methods for phase change heat transfer: A review

Phase change materials (PCMs) have been given extensive attention due to their wide application in fields including energy storage, thermal management, and building energy conservation. This study systematically examines PCMs, highlighting their classification by composition, phase transition type, and operating temperature range. It then discusses the analytical and numerical methods used for solving phase change processes. The assumptions and limitations of analytical methods such as the Neumann method, moving heat source method, and Paterson method are emphasized. The ability of numerical methods, including the frontier tracking method and fixed grid method, to handle complex geometries and interface evolution is analyzed in detail. Subsequently, a comparison is made of the accuracy, robustness, and versatility of computational heat transfer (CHT) methods such as the finite difference method (FDM), finite volume method (FVM), and finite element method (FEM). The applicability, advantages, and disadvantages of each method in different application scenarios are also analyzed. Unlike prior reviews that primarily focused on PCM applications, this study fills a critical gap by providing a comparative and mechanism-oriented evaluation of analytical and numerical modeling approaches for phase-change heat transfer. Finally, the review concludes by discussing future development directions, highlighting the integration of high-fidelity simulation, data-driven models, and multi-scale methods to address increasingly complex phase change systems. The review serves as a practical reference for engineers and researchers, supporting the selection and deployment of suitable modeling tools for PCM-based systems used in energy storage, thermal management, and building energy efficiency.