US 7,490,785 B2
Process and apparatus for comminuting silicon
Dieter Weidhaus, Burghausen (Germany)
Assigned to Wacker Chemie AG, Munich (Germany)
Filed on Aug. 15, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/504,156.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2005 039 118 (DE), filed on Aug. 18, 2005.
Prior Publication US 2007/0040056 A1, Feb. 22, 2007
Int. Cl. B02C 19/06 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 241—5  [241/19; 241/39] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for producing silicon seed particles of an average size of from 50 μm to 1000 μm from silicon granules of a larger average size of from 300 μm to 5000 μm, comprising a vertically disposed jet chamber with a first cross section, having a jet nozzle at the base of the jet chamber to introduce a milling gas stream into the jet chamber; a first countercurrent gravity separator of a second cross section, adjoining the jet chamber; an inlet for silicon granules, and an outlet for comminuted silicon seed particles, wherein the jet chamber has a length which is sufficient to allow the milling gas stream to widen to the cross section of the jet chamber, and wherein the jet chamber has a smaller cross section than the cross section of the countercurrent gravity separator.