Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Germanium Refining via Fractional Crystallization Based Innovative Rotary Cooling Device

Abstract

This paper focuses on the principle study and application of a fractional crystallization methodology using a rotating and internally gas cooled crystallizer (so called cooled finger, developed at IME/RWTH Aachen) first applied to the refining of germanium. For this purpose, a series of experimental trials were performed using a model metal—Aluminum—to gather the temperature profile needed for the numerical simulation that provides an initial process window used for the purification of germanium in a vacuum resistance furnace. The results of the simulation showed good agreement with the experimental results and the conducted trials based on that process window enabled the single step purification of germanium from an initial purity of 98.8% up to 99.9%.