Feasibility of low-cost, high-volume production of silane and pyrolysis of silane to semiconductor-grade silicon. Quarterly progress report, April--June 1978. Low cost silicon solar array project

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6439762· OSTI ID:6439762

Breneman, W C; Farrier, E G; Morihara, H

The purpose of the silane production program is to determine the feasibility and practicality of high-volume, low-cost production of silane (SiH/sub 4/) as an intermediate for obtaining solar-grade silicon metal. The process is based on the synthesis of SiH/sub 4/ by the catalytic disproportionation of chlorosilanes resulting from the reaction of hydrogen, metallurgical silicon, and silicon tetrachloride. The goal is to demonstrate the feasibility of a silane production cost of under $4.00/kg at a production rate of 1000 MT/year. The objective of the silicon production program is to establish the feasibility and cost of manufacturing semiconductor grade polycrystalline silicon through the pyrolysis of silane. The silane-to-silicon conversion is to be investigated in a fluid bed reactor and in a free space reactor. The process design program is to provide JPL with engineering and economic parameters for an experimental unit sized for 25 metric tons of silicon per year and a product-cost estimate for silicon produced on a scale of 100 metric tons per year. The purpose of the capacitive fluid-bed heating program is to explore the feasibility of using electrical capacitive heating to control the fluidized silicon-bed temperature during the heterogeneous decomposition of silane. In addition, a theoretical fluid-bed silicon deposition model was developed for use in the design of a fluid-bed pyrolysis scheme. Progress is reported in each of these areas. (WHK)

• Research Organization: Union Carbide Corp., Sistersville, WV (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: NAS-7-100-954334
• OSTI ID: 6439762
• Report Number(s): DOE/JPL/954334-7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601 -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DECOMPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EFFICIENCY
ELEMENTS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FLUIDIZED BED
FLUIDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HELIUM
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGENATION
MATERIAL BALANCE
NONMETALS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PROCESSING
PRODUCTION
PYROLYSIS
RARE GASES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SAMPLING
SEMIMETALS
SILANES
SILICON
SILICON CHLORIDES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES