Two-dimensional transient melting of ice in a rectangular enclosure was numerically and experimentally investigated. Natural convection in the liquid phase due to the temperature dependency of water density was considered in the numerical model. The implicit finite difference method with fixed staggered g-rid approach was utilized. The SIMPLER algorithm was followed for the solution of pressure and velocity fields in the liquid phase. The prediction of the model was found to be satisfactory through preliminary experimentation. Copyright (C) 2002 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.