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US 2014/0178286 A1Published application
Device for removing liquid silicon from a crucible
AssigneeSolarworld Industries America, Inc.
InventorNathan STODDARD
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for taking up a silicon melt comprises at least one block of a refractory with a capillary structure.
Claims15
A device (12) for removing liquid silicon from a crucible, the device comprising
- a. at least one block (13) of a refractory with a capillary structure.
A method for manufacturing silicon blocks (4) comprising the following steps:
- a. providing an apparatus (24) for solidifying a silicon melt, the apparatus comprising
- i. a crucible (1),
- ii. a temperature controller (23) connected to at least one heating device (26, 27), and
- ii. a device (12) for removing liquid silicon from a crucible, the device comprising at least one block (13) of a refractory with a capillary structure,
- b. providing a silicon melt within the crucible (1),
- c. partly solidifying the silicon melt,
- d. bringing the at least one block (13) of the refractory in contact with liquid silicon on top of the solidified silicon in a contacting step,
- e. taking up at least a predetermined amount of the liquid silicon with help of the at least one block (13) in a taking up step, and
- f. bringing the at least one block (13) of the refractory out of contact with the silicon in the crucible (1) in a removal step.
6 more elements
A silicon block (4) manufactured according to a method comprising the following steps:
- a. providing an apparatus (24) for solidifying a silicon melt, the apparatus comprising
- i. a crucible (1),
- ii. a temperature controller (23) connected to at least one heating device (26, 27), and
- ii. a device (12) for removing liquid silicon from a crucible, the device comprising at least one block (13) of a refractory with a capillary structure,
- b. providing a silicon melt within the crucible (1),
- c. partly solidifying the silicon melt,
- d. bringing the at least one block (13) of the refractory in contact with liquid silicon on top of the solidified silicon in a contacting step,
- e. taking up at least a predetermined amount of the liquid silicon with help of the at least one block (13) in a taking up step, and
- f. bringing the at least one block (13) of the refractory out of contact with the silicon in the crucible (1) in a removal step.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.