Apparatus for making molten silicon

A reactor apparatus for the production of molten silicon from a gas composition comprising a silicon-containing precursor gas, said apparatus comprising:

• a reactor having walls defining a reaction chamber for the substantially smooth axial flow of said gas composition;
• means for heating said reaction chamber above the melting point of silicon;
• inlet means located outside said reaction chamber such that the surface of said inlet means is not directly exposed to said reaction chamber, said inlet means fluidly communicating with said reactor for supplying a gas composition comprising a silicon-containing precursor gas to said reaction chamber, said inlet means including a jacket for receiving a circulating cooling medium for maintaining said gas composition below the decomposition temperature of said silicon-containing precursor gas;
• insulating septum means having one face and an opposite face, said septum means being disposed between said inlet means and said reaction chamber with said one face adjacent the reaction chamber and said opposite face adjacent said inlet means for passing the gas composition from said inlet means at a temperature below the decomposition temperature of said silicon-containing precursor gas to said reaction chamber at a temperature at or above the melting point of silicon, said septum means being capable of maintaining said one face adjacent the reaction chamber at or above the melting point of silicon and said opposite face adjacent said inlet means below the decomposition temperature of said silicon-containing precursor gas;
• outlet means positioned opposite said inlet means for receiving and removing by-product gas from said reaction chamber;
• and
• means at the bottom of the reaction chamber for collecting molten silicon.