The virtual thermal unit for numerical study of the growing process of shaped sapphire crystals

A virtual model of the thermal unit with induction heating has been designed and numerical simulation of the growing process was carried out, including the solution of problems of induction heating, heat transfer in solids, liquid, and gas, heat transfer by radiation, melt and gas dynamics, and thermoelasticity. The influence of argon pressure in the chamber, the design of radiation shields on the distribution of temperature and thermal stresses in the sapphire tube and hemisphere were investigated. The axisymmetric two-dimensional and three-dimensional models were coupled and calculation of temperature in the crystallization zone for simultaneous growing of sapphire plates was performed. The obtained results are consistent with practically accumulated information and are applicable for the development of shaped sapphire growing technologies.