Simulation of the flow and mass transfer for KDP crystals undergoing 2D translation during growth

Abstract

In this study, a novel motion mode for crystals during growth, i.e., 2D translation, is proposed. Numerical simulations of flow and mass transfer are conducted for the growth of large-scale potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystals subjected to the new motion mode. Surface supersaturation and shear stress are obtained as functions of the translational velocity, distance, size, orientation of crystals. The dependence of these two parameters on the flow fields around the crystals is also discussed. The thicknesses of the solute boundary layer varied with translational velocity are described. The characteristics of solution flow and surface supersaturation distribution are summarized, where it suggests that the morphological stability of a crystal surface can be enhanced if the proposed 2D translation is applied to crystal growth.