Iron catalyzed hydrochlorination of silicon tetrachloride to trichlorosilane

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.