Fire problems during the synthesis and maintenance of trichlorosilane
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During the maintenance work for the synthesis of trichlorosilane, when cleaning the pipes and equipment, the substances inside emit sparks as soon as they come into contact with air. The mixture containing chlorosilanes and silicon powder that falls to the ground is particularly prone to exploding and catching fire. This is different from trichlorosilane and dichlorodihydrosilane, as those had already been purged with nitrogen for a day or two; substances with lower boiling points should have been almost completely removed by then. Those of you who have experience in the synthesis of trichlorosilane, let’s discuss what exactly this residue that catches fire so easily is How did everyone handle it?
We’ve encountered it! These are silicon dust resulting from the reaction; it contains phosphorus, which causes it to emit smoke when exposed to water and makes it very slippery!
There are many such situations; everyone has encountered them. There’s no special solution – just be careful, and ensure a thorough replacement
Since trichlorosilane is flammable and explosive and classified as a hazardous chemical, there may be residual liquid in some pipes during maintenance. It is best to purge these pipes thoroughly with nitrogen before carrying out any maintenance work. Additionally, metal tools should not be used to tighten bolts; if such tools are used, water should be sprayed to prevent static electricity from generating sparks that could ignite flammable materials. In short, great caution must be exercised when maintaining equipment that uses trichlorosilane.
Fire outbreaks are quite common; this is mainly due to the presence of dichlorodihydrosilicon in certain solid impurities, as well as impurities containing phosphorus, which have very low ignition points. Our current main approach is to use large amounts of water, but water reacts with AlCl3 and expands, which can easily lead to explosions. Therefore, it’s clear that trichlorohydrosilicon is extremely dangerous
:) Maintenance work in the synthesis section is relatively more dangerous compared to other sections.
Who can provide a theoretical explanation? :)
I’ve encountered that too; it’s a hydrolysate. Could someone please explain what it is exactly?
It should be phosphorus and residual trichlorosilane
If the phosphorus content in the silicon powder is too high, you need to control its phosphorus level
White phosphorus: We have had people get burned by white phosphorus during maintenance work; it’s best to wear a mask during such tasks, and to keep your face away from the outlet or other directions from which the substance is sprayed