AbstractA physical model to investigate the melting process around a multiple of heating cylinders in the presence of the natural convection has been carried out. A numerical code is developed using an unstructured finite-volume method and an enthalpy porosity technique to solve for natural convection coupled to solid-liquid phase change. It is found that during the melting process around the cylinders, natural convection circulation around each cylinder interacts with the other cylinders to influence the melt shape. In addition to natural convection, the heat source arrangement is an important factor in determining the melt shape.