Numerical Investigation on Modified Bottom Heater of DS Furnace to Improve mc-Si Ingot

• Published in: SILICON Vol. 15; no. 8; pp. 3713 - 3724
• Main Authors: Gurusamy, Aravindan, Thiyagarajan, M., Srinivasan, M., Ramasamy, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.06.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Bottom casting; Casting; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Computer simulation; Crystal growth; Crystals; Design; Directional solidification; Energy consumption; Engineering schools; Environmental Chemistry; Heat exchangers; Heat transfer; Heaters; Ingot casting; Ingots; Inorganic Chemistry; Investigations; Lasers; Materials Science; Normal stress; Nuclear power plants; Numerical analysis; Optical Devices; Optics; Optimization; Original Paper; Photonics; Polymer Sciences; Radiation; Silicon; Temperature distribution; Thermal stress; Solar cell; Silicon; Computer simulation; Heat and Mass transfer; Directional solidification; Growth from the melt
• ISSN: 1876-990X; 1876-9918
• DOI: 10.1007/s12633-022-02259-5

The growth of multi-crystalline silicon ingot for Photo-voltaic application has been done using an optimized directional solidification process. Two Directional solidification furnace designs are considered, first one is ingot grown by using the side-top heater and the second one is ingot grown by using the side-bottom heater. The convex melt-crystal interface is obtained in the whole casting process when using the side-bottom heaters. The temperature distribution was optimized by adjusting the side-bottom heaters which give better control of thermal stress generation during the casting process. The normal stresses, sigma 11, sigma 22 and sigma 33 are analyzed in the grown crystals by using both the side-top and the side-bottom heater systems. The stress values are reduced when the side-bottom heaters are used. The side-bottom heater system has given better results than the side-top heater system for growing mc-Si ingot.