Abstract
The SiH2 process is a concept for production of silicon by H2 as reductant. The idea is to produce SiO gas by reaction between SiO2 and internal recycled Si. Produced SiO is reduced by H2 to Si and H2O. The two reactions take place at different temperatures. To realise the proposed concept, knowledge about the kinetics for the involved reactions is needed. Reaction between SiO2 and Si to produce SiO is discussed here. In the experiments, flow of warm SiO gas from the reaction has been measured continuously by a new method. This method shows that the reaction rate varies with time and have a peak with very high SiO generation that start as the temperature reach around 1750 °C to 1800 °C and then reduces rapidly until a lower rate is reached. Effects on reaction SiO2 + Si ⇄2SiO of various other parameters such as gas composition, gas flow rates, temperature and properties of SiO2 and Si source is also discussed.