Control of Temperature Distribution and Separation Efficiency of a New Zone Melting Process

A new type of zone melting process was developed, in which an axial temperature distribution alone was moved while both heaters and a sample container were fixed. The controller for moving temperature distribution was designed based on the method previously proposed by authors for distributed parameter systems. The controller performance was satisfactor for various operation conditions. Experimental results with an eutectic organic compound show that the separation efficiency of the present process bears comparison with that of the conventional process and depends on the temperature gradient at the crystallizing interface, as well as the length of melting zone.