In this paper, a transient Finite Element (FE) method has been employed to solve the transport equations to investigate the heat transfer and fluid flow and the effect of thermodiffusion on vertical solidification of a binary molten metal alloy, forming a rod. The binary system considered in this study is Sn-Bi composed of 65% Sn and 35% Bi subjected to bottom cooling. It is found that the flow of molten metal at the boundary of the mushy region plays an important role in the shape and geometry

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... of the zone. The presence of thermodiffusion shows considerable difference in the composition of the solidified rod, compared with the one without considering the effect of thermodiffusion. Thermodiffusion also causes a faster solidification and a more uniform concentration distribution. The results of this study may be extended to similar binary and multicomponent systems in which a temperature gradient exists and the Soret coefficient is large enough so as to affect the fluid flow and concentration of the species.