Gassing During Tapping of Silicon

Abstract

During tapping of metal from silicon furnaces, a significant amount of gas is often released through the tap-hole. The gas is combustible, and a flame jet is created which poses a safety threat to operators. Due to the high temperatures involved, thermal NOx is also produced. This is a threat to the environment and the health of the operators. These phenomena, known as gassing, have been studied here by a mathematical model for reactive turbulent flows. The results show that the flame jet can extend several meters out from the tap-hole, and that the strength of the flame jet increases with the amount of gassing. The simulations also show that the NOx production increases with the amount of gas exiting the tap-hole, and that the thermal NOx formation does not substantially impact the length of the gas jet.