The edge-defined film-fed (EFG) growth involves multi-physics and multiple time/length scales. A numerical model based on multi-block method and multi-grid technique is developed for induction heating and thermal transport in an EFG system. The magnetic potential is solved on a single block structured grid using V-cycle multi-grid method and a non-conformal multi-block system is employed to resolve the multi-length-scale phenomena in thermal transport. A local model, which can reveal the EFG growth dynamics on the die top, is also developed integrated with the global model. Efficiency and accuracy of proposed integrated method is presented. The numerical model is applied to investigate the growth of large octagon silicon tubes up to 50 cm diameter. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.