Simulation Study of Solar-Grade Silicon Hydrochlorination to Trichlorosilane in a Gas–Solid Spouted Bed via the MP-PIC Method

Abstract

The production of silicon is crucial for advancing the solar industry. This study employs the multiphase particle-in-cell technique to investigate the mechanism of heat and mass transfer between gas and solid phases during the trichlorosilane production process. The studied reactor is subjected to multiphysics analysis in three-dimensional space. Moreover, the effects of various operating conditions on the gas–solid flow and trichlorosilane production are fully explored. The simulation results are compared against the experimental data to confirm the reliability of the model. The results show that the annular regions exhibit low concentrations of silicon particles and heat transfer coefficients, whereas the spout regions exhibit high concentrations. The internal circulation of the reactor results in a symmetrical distribution of the axial mass fluxes of gases and particles. The axial dispersion coefficient of the silicon particle in the reactor significantly exceeds the radial dispersion coefficient. Furthermore, the wall temperature exerts an obvious effect on the distribution of silicon particle temperature compared to the inlet HCl flow rate and particle size. The three operating conditions have limited influence on the axial distribution of the heat transfer coefficient of silicon particles. Compared to the wall temperature, the HCl flow rate and silicon particle size have a greater impact on the production of SiHCl3.