Iron catalyzed hydrochlorination of silicon tetrachloride to trichlorosilane
AssigneesMitsubishi Polycrystalline Silicon America Corporation (MIPSA), High-Purity Silicon Corporation
InventorsMatthias A. Colomb, Bryan H. Nettles
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Abstract
In the hydrochlorination reaction, silicon tetrachloride (STC), metallurgical silicon, and hydrogen are converted to trichlorosilane (TCS) at about 540° C. Previously, a pilot-scale reactor was used to study the yield of TCS produced by the hydrochlorination reaction. The yield observed by experimentation compared favorably with a scalable mathematical model developed to predict the rate of TCS conversion. The model predicted that 90% of the final amount of TCS produced was achieved after the reactant gas traveled a quarter of the vertical distance in the reaction section of the reactor. The pilot-scale reactor was shortened to verify the model predictions. In addition, some catalytic effects on the reaction were studied.
Claims15
A reactor for producing trichlorosilane (TCS) from the hydrochlorination of silicon tetrachloride (STC) with hydrogen in the presence of metallurgical silicon (Me-Si) comprising:
- a reactor vessel comprising:
- a distributor plate at the bottom of the inside reactor vessel;
- internals inside the vertical length of the reactor vessel with the internals having a high surface area of iron;
- and
- a matrix on the distributor plate with a high surface area of iron to catalyze reactions on the surface of the matrix.
A reactor for producing trichlorosilane (TCS) from the hydrochlorination of silicon tetrachloride (STC) with hydrogen in the presence of metallurgical silicon (Me-Si) comprising:
- a reactor vessel comprising:
- walls formed of steel having at least 61 wt % iron;
- a distributor plate at the bottom of the inside reactor vessel;
- internals being vertically mounted and horizontally supported unfinished surface carbon steel chains with the internals formed of steel having at least 61 wt % iron;
- and
- a matrix on the distributor plate with iron diffusers with a surface area to volume ratio of 540 to 8583 m−1 and an iron content of at least 61 wt % to catalyze reactions on the surface of the matrix.
A method for producing trichlorosilane (TCS) from the hydrochlorination of silicon tetrachloride (STC) with hydrogen in the presence of metallurgical silicon (Me-Si) comprising:
- providing a fluidized bed reactor reaction vessel having internals with a high surface area of iron and having a matrix on a distributor plate with a high surface area of iron to catalyze reactions on the surface of those reactor parts;
- introducing metallurgical silicon into the fluidized bed reactor such that the iron area in the fluidized bed reactor to silicon weight ratio is between about 0.02-0.15 m2/kg;
- introducing hydrogen gas and silicon tetrachloride into the fluidized bed reactor;
- and
- discharging trichlorosilane, the product of a hydrochlorination reaction of silicon tetrachloride, hydrogen, and metallurgical silicon, from the fluidized bed reactor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.