Title: Heating flux effects on floating zone growth under micro-gravity conditions

Authors: R. Bennacer, M. El Ganaoui, E. Semma, A. Cheddadi

Addresses: LEEE-LEEVAM, Universite de Cergy-Pontoise, 95031, France. ' SPCTS, Universite de Limoges, 87000, Limoges, France. ' SPCTS, Universite de Limoges, 87000, Limoges, France; and Ecole Mohammadia des Ingenieurs, Rabat, Morocco. ' Ecole Mohammadia des Ingenieurs, Rabat, Morocco

Abstract: Numerical computation of the heat flux distribution effect on the unsteadiness of the liquid bridge flow in mg environment is achieved in a 2D axisymmetrical configuration. A model coupling liquid bridge to phase change is developed. The interaction of the thermo-capillary flows with solid/liquid interface is analysed considering the latent heat effects. The results show the strong effect of external thermal boundary conditions as a control parameter on the hydrodynamic and the crystal grown by using a Floating Zone (FZ) technique. The growth speed is controlled by the latent heat at the interface and the focalisation of the heat flux at the free surface.

Keywords: floating zone; heat flux; marangoni; phase change; liquid bridge flow; thermo-capillary flows; latent heat; microgravity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMPT.2005.005746

International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, 2005 Vol.22 No.1/2/3, pp.35 - 49

Published online: 30 Nov 2004 *

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