SiC Fluidized Bed Reactor Prevents Wear During Granule Growth

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Solution Overview

Problem

The production of high purity granular Silicon Carbide (SiC) is challenging due to the hardness of SiC, which causes significant wear during mechanical size reduction, leading to contamination.

Innovation Solution

A CVD SiC production reactor, specifically a SiC fluidized bed reactor, is designed with a process chamber surrounding a reaction zone, a gas inlet unit for feeding feed-mediums, and a seed material particles providing unit. This configuration allows for the growth of SiC granules without mechanical crushing, maintaining purity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If mechanical size reduction (crushing) is used to produce granular SiC, then the desired granular form is achieved, but wear and contamination occur due to the hardness of SiC

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegranular formVSAvoidwear and contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of reducing large SiC solids mechanically to obtain granular form, the invention inverts the approach by growing SiC granules directly from smaller seed particles through CVD. This avoids mechanical crushing entirely, eliminating wear and contamination while achieving the desired granular shape through controlled deposition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces the mechanical crushing system with a chemical vapor deposition system. Rather than using mechanical force to reduce SiC size, the process uses chemical reactions in the vapor phase to deposit SiC material onto seed particles, forming granules without mechanical contact and thus without wear.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If CVD process is used to grow SiC on seed particles, then high purity granular SiC is produced without mechanical treatment, but the process requires high temperature and complex gas flow control

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovepurityVSAvoidprocess complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention utilizes extreme temperature conditions (high temperature CVD) to enable the chemical reactions necessary for pure SiC deposition. By changing the temperature parameter to very high values, the process achieves high purity granular SiC that cannot be obtained through mechanical methods, accepting the trade-off of more complex process control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution prevents wear and contamination by avoiding mechanical treatment of SiC, enabling the production of high purity granular SiC.

Implementation Method 1

a gas inlet unit for feeding one feed-medium or multiple feed-mediums into the reaction zone of the process chamber for generating or providing a source medium and for generating a fluid flow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow:

Implementation Method 2

a heating unit, in particular an inductive heating unit, at least partially arranged in sections around the reaction zone and preferably entirely surrounding the reaction zone for heating the source medium and the seed material particles inside the reaction zone to a temperature in the range between 1300°C and 2000°C

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 3

a reaction zone for growing SiC... for forming SiC granules by accumulating SiC

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChemical vapor deposition: Chemical Vapour Deposition

Implementation Method 4

The reaction zone is according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention at least partially surrounded by one or multiple insulating sections

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentEP4570756A1CVD sic production reactor for the production of sic granules, system and method for the production of sic granules
Publication Date: 2025.06.18 ZADIENT TECH SAS
  • EP4570756A1 patent drawingFigure 1a
  • EP4570756A1 patent drawingFigure 1b~1c
  • EP4570756A1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The present invention refers to a SiC and Chlorosilane production system 2540, comprising at least one CVD SiC production reactor 850, in particular SiC fluidized bed reactor 850a, in particular according to claim 4, and a Chlorosilane production unit 2550, wherein the Chlorosilane production unit 2550 comprises at least a bed reactor 2416, in particular a fixed bed reactor or a fluidized bed reactor, for generating Chlorosilanes by reacting at least one fraction of the vent gas mixture provided via the vent gas outlet 216 of the CVD SiC production reactor 850 and Si, wherein further fractions of the vent gas mixture at least comprise H2 and a C-bearing molecule, in particular methane, and wherein Si is provided as solid 2398 inside the bed reactor 2416.