Effects of void-induced convection on interface morphology and segregation during low-g solidification

Recent microgravity experiments have been hampered by convection caused by unwanted voids and/or bubbles in the melt. In this work, a numerical model is developed to describe how thermocapillary convection generated by a void can affect a typical Bridgman solidification process in microgravity. The model is based on the quasi-steady Navier–Stokes equations for a Newtonian fluid coupled with the conservation equations for transport of energy and species. Numerical solutions for a variety of operating conditions indicate that void-generated thermocapillary convection can have a drastic effect on both interface morphology and solutal transport.