Transient behaviours of float zones in μ‐g and 1‐g environments

This work is concerned with the problem of the transient behaviours of the axisymmetric thermocapillary laminar flow occurring inside a half zone subjected to a variable thermal boundary condition during a heating process. The molten liquid with its deformable free surface is considered incompressible with constant physical properties except for its density in buoyancy forces where Boussinesq’s approximation has been applied. The system of governing equations has been successfully solved by using the modified‐SIMPLE method, while the instantaneous position of the free surface was determined by employing a special procedure. Numerical simulations have been carried out for both NaNO₃ and Silicon float zones operating under 1‐g and μ‐g conditions. The transient behaviours as well as the influence of the Marangoni number and the aspect ratio have been investigated.