# US 10,118,830 B2 · Method for producing granular polysilicon

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- Number: US 10,118,830 B2
- Document ID: US10118830B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/109,556
- Filed: 2014-12-11
- Published: 2016-11-10
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-01-08
- Assignees: Wacker Chemie AG
- Applicants: Wacker Chemie AG
- Inventors: Rainer Hauswirth; Robert Enggruber
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118830B2

## CPC

- C01B 33/03: by decomposition of silicon halides or halosilanes or reduction thereof with hydrogen as the only reducing agent
- B01F 25/84: {Falling-particle mixers comprising superimposed receptacles, the material flowing from one to the other, e.g. of the sandglass type}
- B05D 1/22: using fluidised-bed technique (fluidised-bed technique in general B01J8/24)
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06)
- B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02)

## Abstract

Segregation of silicon granules in the fluidized bed production of polycrystalline silicon is achieved by successively transferring granular polycrystalline silicon through a plurality of vessels designed for funnel flow of granular material. The transfers may occur prior to introduction of feed particles into the reactor, or the enlarged granules from the reactor may be thus transferred to improve product size uniformity.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for avoiding particle segregation by size in the handling of granular polysilicon after production of the granular polysilicon by a process comprising: fluidizing silicon particles by means of a gas flow in a fluidized bed which is heated to a temperature of 850-1100° C. by means of a heating apparatus, adding a silicon-containing reaction gas and depositing silicon on the silicon particles, and withdrawing granular polysilicon from the fluidized bed reactor, and before packing the granular polysilicon, transferring the granular polysilicon by means of a plurality of successive conical vessels designed for funnel flow, and wherein at least one of the plurality of vessels comprises filling distributor cones consisting of silicon of coated or lined with silicon, installed in at least one of the plurality of vessels.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of vessels comprise an emptying funnel, an emptying tube or a binsert, each of which consists of silicon or is coated or lined with silicon.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the silicon particles on which silicon is deposited in order to produce granular polysilicon are produced by grinding silicon and classifying by screening, wherein the silicon particles are transferred by means of a plurality of successive vessels designed for funnel flow between production of the silicon particles and supply of the silicon particles in the reactor.