Solvent refining of silicon from Al-Si melts assisted by a centrifugation was investigated for three alloys in the Al-Si system. Silicon was successfully separated from aluminum-rich phase in the form of a foam by centrifugation. As the silicon content increased, the recovery decreased because less aluminum-rich phases remained in the silicon foam. The weight ratio before and after acid leaching of the silicon foam was inversely related to its apparent density before acid leaching. The purity of the extracted silicon decreased slightly with increased silicon content. The purity of the silicon flakes obtained from the Al - 30% Si alloy was 4N, except aluminum. Boron and phosphorus in the silicon flakes could be lowered effectively by decreasing the silicon content in the Al-Si alloys

Various metallurgical refining processes of SOG (Solar Grade)-Si are being developed aiming its cost reduction for the PV (Photovoltaic) market. High purity silicon can also be obtained from Al-Si alloys using solidification theory. Since the solubility of impurity elements in silicon decreases rapidly with temperature decrease much above the Al-Si eutectic temperature, the removal of impurities from silicon at low temperature is expected to be effective. Most of impurity elements with small segregation coefficient can be removed during solidification. Key technology in this process is to separate the primary solid silicon from the liquid eutectic matrix during solidification. Some methods by an electromagnetic force or by combining flocculation and filtration techniques have been proposed to separate the solid silicon. The present study describes a new way to extract the primary silicon crystal from Al-Si alloys using centrifugal force during solidification for a silicon solar feedstock. Primary silicon was separated in the shape of foam during solidification, and pure Si flakes after acid leaching could be obtained.

Alloying elements such as Fe, Zr and Mg in Cu were added by direct addition of powders and by feeding of cored alloy wire filled with alloying element powder in a lab scale furnace. The yield of Fe was the highest for both addition methods. Cored wire feeding was significantly more effective than the direct powder addition into the copper melt. Though the yield of Mg was almost zero by the addition of Mg powder, it was increased remarkably by the Mg cored wire feeding. Through the calculation of the model which was designed based on an industrial scale line, it was confirmed that the yield of the alloying elements was affected by the wire feed rate and the thickness of the copper tube that envelops an alloy powder.