High velocity continuous-flow reactor for the production of solar grade silicon
The feasibility of a high volume, high velocity continuous reduction reactor as an economical means of producing solar grade silicon was tested. Bromosilanes and hydrogen were used as the feedstocks for the reactor along with preheated silicon particles which function both as nucleation and deposition sites. A complete reactor system was designed and fabricated. Initial preheating studies have shown the stability of tetrabromosilane to being heated as well as the ability to preheat hydrogen to the desired temperature range. Several test runs were made and some silicon was obtained from runs carried out at temperatures in excess of 1180 K.