Systems For Insulating Directional Solidification Furnaces

• Main Authors: NANDAN RITURAJ, MEYER BENJAMIN MICHAEL, FERRY LEE WILLIAM
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 04.10.2012
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF SINGLE CRYSTALS OR A HOMOGENEOUSPOLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE; APPARATUS THEREFOR; BLASTING; CASTING; CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES; CHEMISTRY; COMBINED OPERATIONS; CRYSTAL GROWTH; DETAILS OR ACCESSORIES OF FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS, OR RETORTS,IN SO FAR AS THEY ARE OF KINDS OCCURRING IN MORE THAN ONE KINDOF FURNACE; FURNACES; FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS, OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HEATING; KILNS; LIGHTING; MACHINE TOOLS; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; METALLURGY; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS; OTHER WORKING OF METAL; OVENS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POWDER METALLURGY; PRODUCTION OF A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITHDEFINED STRUCTURE; REFINING BY ZONE-MELTING OF MATERIAL; RETORTS; SINGLE CRYSTALS OR HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITHDEFINED STRUCTURE; SINGLE-CRYSTAL-GROWTH; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TRANSPORTING; UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION OF EUTECTIC MATERIAL ORUNIDIRECTIONAL DEMIXING OF EUTECTOID MATERIAL; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS; WEAPONS

Systems and methods are disclosed for inhibiting heat transfer through lateral sidewalls of a support member positioned beneath a crucible in a directional solidification furnace. The systems and methods include the use of insulation positioned adjacent the lateral sidewalls of the support member. The insulation inhibits heat transfer through the lateral sidewalls of the support member to ensure the one-dimensional transfer of heat from the melt through the support member.