Patent ID: 8580036

Claim:
A method of refining a material, which comprises the steps of: forming a melt of the material in a vessel; lowering a vertically, progressively movable temperature controlled horizontal plate having at least three horizontal layers comprising a bottom contact layer, a top heat conductive layer and a first intermediate layer between the top heat conductive layer and the bottom contact layer, the bottom layer forming a horizontal contact surface, the plate vertically, progressively movable into and out of the top of the vessel; and a plurality of horizontal cooling pipes which are vertically, progressively movable with the heat conductive layer and running parallel to the horizontal contact surface, and slightly submerging the temperature controlled horizontal contact surface beneath the surface of the melt such that the temperature controlled horizontal contact surface is in contact with the melt below the surface of the melt, said temperature controlled horizontal contact surface having no contact with the vessel sidewalls; allowing the molten material to solidify and adhere to the temperature controlled horizontal contact surface thereby forming a surface of solidified material below the temperature controlled horizontal contact surface; raising the temperature controlled horizontal contact surface above the level of the melt while leaving the surface of solidified material submerged in the melt; and progressively solidifying the molten material downwards from the surface of solidified material formed below the temperature controlled contact surface while progressively raising the temperature controlled horizontal contact surface above the surface of the melt such that the surface of solidified material remains below the surface of the melt and molten material solidifies onto the surface of solidified material which is below the surface of the melt so as to grow a solid ingot downwards from the horizontal contact surface.