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Title: Development of a model and computer code to describe solar grade silicon production processes. Final report

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5227963· OSTI ID:5227963

Models and computer codes which may be used to describe flow reactors in which high purity, solar grade silicon is produced via reduction of gaseous silicon halides are described. A prominent example of the type of process which may be studied using the codes developed in this program is the SiCl/sub 4//Na reactor currently being developed by the Westinghouse Electric Corp. During this program two large computer codes were developed. The first is the CHEMPART code, an axisymmetric, marching code which treats two-phase flows with models describing detailed gas-phase chemical kinetics, particle formation, and particle growth. This code, based on the AeroChem LAPP (Low Altitude Plume Program) code can be used to describe flow reactors in which reactants mix, react, and form a particulate phase. Detailed radial gas-phase composition, temperature, velocity, and particle size distribution profiles are computed. Also, depositon of heat, momentum, and mass (either particulate or vapor) on reactor walls is described. The second code is a modified version of the GENMIX boundary layer code which is used to compute rates of heat, momentum, and mass transfer to the reactor walls. This code lacks the detailed chemical kinetics and particle handling features of the CHEMPART code but has the virtue of running much more rapidly than CHEMPART, while treating the phenomena occurring in the boundary layer in more detail than can be afforded using CHEMPART. These two codes have been used in this program to predict particle formation characteristics and wall collection efficiencies for SiCl/sub 4//Na flow reactors. Results are described.

Research Organization:
Aerochem Research Labs., Inc., Princeton, NJ (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
NAS-7-100-954862
OSTI ID:
5227963
Report Number(s):
DOE/JPL/954862-79/8; AeroChem-TP-392
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English