The following notes describe some of the issues which need to be addressed to ensure the best possible results from any of the simulators.
- The accuracy of any of the simulators with regard to operating parameters is very dependent on how well the furnace parameters are characterized. Factors such as internal furnace resistance, base contact resistance, power factor (for ESR), and side arc characteristics (for VAR) all influence the net power available for melting and will affect the absolute accuracy.
- Results from calculations performed during the startup phase of melting are likely to be quite variable and may not be representative of reality. Results from the steady-state and the hottop phases of melting are more reproducible and suitable for comparison between various melt scenarios.
- The fluid flow module is not a full blown CFD model equivalent to those often described in the current literature, but is simply a laminar flow model used to predict approximately when the flow regime transitions from predominantly buoyancy-driven flow to predominantly electromagnetically-driven flow with the likely adverse effect on ingot quality.