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US 7,572,425 B2Granted
System and method for producing solar grade silicon
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsThomas Francis McNulty, Bruce Gordon Norman, Mark Philip D'Evelyn, Roman Shuba
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A starting material including silica and carbon is heated to form an intermediate material. The intermediate material includes silica and silicon carbide. The intermediate material is reacted to form silicon. At least some of the emissions that are generated by heating the starting material and reacting the intermediate material are collected and used to generate electric power.
Claims17
A method comprising:
- heating a material comprising silica and a hydrocarbon material to form a starting material comprising silica and carbon;
- reacting the starting material comprising silica and carbon to form an intermediate material comprising silica and silicon carbide;
- reacting the intermediate material to form silicon;
- collecting at least some of the emissions that are generated by forming the starting material and reacting the starting material or the intermediate material;
- and
- using the collected emissions to generate electric power.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.