Growth Rate of Ice Dendrites in Aqueous Solutions

The free-growth rate and substrate growth rates of ice dendrites in aqueous solutions as a function of supercooling ΔT and solute concentration are presented. The free-growth rate ν in distilled water was found to be ν=0.228(ΔT)2.39 mm/sec. In distilled water having 2° to 4°C supercooling, growth upon a substrate was as much as an order of magnitude faster. Solutes in a concentration on the order of 0.01 moles/liter produced a slight increase in the free-growth rate, while at greater concentration the growth rate decreased.