Existence and uniqueness of a classical solution for the coupled heat and mass transfer during the freezing of high-water content materials

A recent model for the coupled problem of heat and mass transfer during the solidification of high-water content materials like soils, foods, tissues and phase-change materials was developed. This model takes into account the role played by material properties and process variables on the advance of freezing and sublimation fronts, temperature and water vapour profiles and weight loss. The goal of this paper is to determine the existence of a unique local classical solution for the corresponding two-phase coupled free boundary problem in an adequate functional space. Copyright (c) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.