Silicon CVD on powders in fluidized bed: Experimental and multifluid Eulerian modelling study

The Computational Fluid Dynamics code MFIX was used for transient simulations of silicon Fluidized Bed Chemical Vapor Deposition (FBCVD) from silane (SiH4) on coarse alumina powders. FBCVD experiments were first performed to obtain a reference database for modelling. Experimental thermal profiles existing along the bed were considered in the model. 3D simulations provide better results than 2D ones and predict silane conversion rate with a mean deviation of 9% compared to experimental values. The model can predict the temporal and spatial evolutions of local void fractions, gas and particle velocities, species gas fractions and silicon deposition rate. We aim at mid term to model FBCVD treatments of submicronic powders in a vibrated reactor since we have performed experiments proving the efficacy of the process to treat submicronic particles.