Air separation of polysilicon

• US 6,260,712 B1
• Filed: 08/20/1999
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wacker-Chemie GmbH (Dr. Alexander Wacker Familiengesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung)
• Original Assignee: Wacker-Chemie GmbH (Dr. Alexander Wacker Familiengesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung)
• Inventors: Heiss, Johann, Schantz, Matthäus, Flottmann, Dirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan N.
• Application Number:
  US09/378,039
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 209/133, 209/134, 209/135, 209/638, 209/639, 209/644, 209/932
• US Class Current: 209/639
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 4/02 while the mixtures fall
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 33/02 Silicon forming single crystals or homogeneous polycrystalline material with defined structure C30B
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/932 Fluid applied to items

Abstract

A separation device which has at least one blower device and at least one deflector device can be used to separate large fragments of semiconductor material from small fragments of semiconductor material.

Claims

1. A separation device for separating small fragments from large fragments of semiconductor material, comprising

an apparatus having at least one blower means and at least one deflector means for guiding fragments of semiconductor material into and through an active separation zone containing said blower means which provides an initial separation of the small fragments from the large fragments;

said deflector means providing a final separation of the small fragments from the large fragments;

wherein the blower means has a plurality of nozzles arranged one above another in a nozzle vertical channel; and

said nozzle vertical channel having means for vertical displacement of said nozzles.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the deflector means has means for horizontal displacement and has means for vertical displacement.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said blower means has means for horizontal displacement of the nozzles, and said blower means has means for pivotable displacement of the nozzles.

4. A method for separating small fragments from large fragments of semiconductor material, comprising

guiding fragments of semiconductor material into and through an active separation zone containing a blower means which provides an initial separation of the small fragments from the large fragments;

providing a final separation of the small fragments from the large fragments by using a deflector means; and

wherein the blower means has a plurality of nozzles arranged one above another in a nozzle vertical channel;

said nozzle vertical channel having means for vertical displacement of said nozzles.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, comprising removing a defined weight fraction of a defined fragment size.

6. A separation device for separating small fragments from large fragments of semiconductor material, comprising

an apparatus having at least one blower means and at least one deflector means for guiding fragments of semiconductor material into and through an active separation zone containing said blower means which provides an initial separation of the small fragments from the large fragments;

and said deflector means providing a final separation of the small fragments from the large fragments;

wherein the deflector means has means for horizontal displacement and has means for vertical displacement; and

wherein the deflector means comprises a roof having arms connected to bearing pins; and

said bearing pins fitting within vertical bearing channels to permit vertical displacement of said roof.

7. A method for separating small fragments from large fragments of semiconductor material, comprising

guiding fragments of semiconductor material into and through an active separation zone containing a blower means which provides an initial separation of the small fragments from the large fragments;

and

providing a final separation of the small fragments from the large fragments by using a deflector means;

wherein the deflector means has means for horizontal displacement and has means for vertical displacement; and

wherein the deflector means comprises a roof having arms connected to bearing pins; and

said bearing pins fitting within vertical bearing channels to permit vertical displacement of said roof.