Numerical simulation is a comprehensive tool in modern process development which is extensively used for promotion of crystal growth processes. The melt flow in the crucible has significant effects on the formation of micro - defects and segregation of impurity concentration in the grown crystals which are studied to control the flow pattern. The control of grains as well as the grain boundaries is particularly important to the crystal quality and thus the solar cell efficiency. The computations are carried out in three dimensional (3D) axisymmetric model by the finiteelement numerical technique. The melt flows and its thermodynamic properties like temprature distribution, stream line flow, X-velocity field and convective heat flux are accurately simulated to analyze at constant Prandtl number for two various Rayleigh numbers. The aim is to increase average grain size in silicon multi-crystals and reduce dislocation density through control of the melt flow pattern to laminar.

Keywords: Solar cell, Heat transfer, Simulation, Directional solidification.