Effects of crystal growth rate and heat and mass transfer on solute distribution

The effects of crystal growth rate and heat and mass transfer on solute distribution during solidification of binary melt have been theoretically investigated on the basis of a new theory of solute distribution proposed by the present authors. The solute distribution factor f at the solid-liquid (SL) interface is in inverse proportion to the one-half power of the dimensionless growth rate U. The growth rate U is in proportion to the second power of the normalized concentration difference between the SL interface and bulk melt. A new transport factor K, which describes heat and mass transfer in melt, gives an important contribution to the crystal growth and the solute distribution at the SL interface. The transport factor is used successfully to control the solidification of melt. The flow structure in melt exerts essential influence on the solid purity. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.