Three-dimensional numerical simulation of thermal convection in an industrial Czochralski melt: comparison to experimental results

Numerical simulations were carried out in order to predict the oscillatory convection of a silicon melt induced by natural convection and forced conve ction due to crucible and crystal rotation in an industrial Czochralski con figuration. The predicted thermal field is compared to experimental observations of the thermal field and temperature fluctuations in the melt. Temperature fluctu ations have been measured during a crystal growth process using a thermocou ple. The governing equations were numerically solved using the code STHAMAS 3D, based on a block-structured finite-volume Navier-Stokes solver. The th ree-dimensional simulation of flow was done without any turbulence model. ( C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.