Stephen C Lord

US Patent:

6368568, Apr 9, 2002

Filed:

Feb 18, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/507154

Inventors:

Stephen M Lord - Encinitas CA 92024

International Classification:

C01B 3302

US Classification:

423350, 423342, 423348, 423349

Abstract:

A Method for Improving the efficiency of a silicon purification process is by controlling the temperature and composition of the effluent to a feedstock recovery composition and temperature, rapidly quenching the effluent at or near the recovery composition, separating the gases from the liquids, sending the gases to conventional hydrogen recovery and recycle facilities, separating the hydrohalosilanes from silicon tetrahalide, returning the hydrohalosilanes to the inlet of the deposition reactor, using all or some of the silicon tetrahalide to control the composition and temperature of the effluent and separately heating the hydrogen and any silicon tetrahalide returned to the decomposition reactor to a temperature greater than 400 C. and separately injecting them into the decomposition reactor.

US Patent:

6451277, Sep 17, 2002

Filed:

Jun 6, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/589563

Inventors:

Stephen M Lord - Encinitas CA 92024

International Classification:

C01B 3302

US Classification:

423349, 423342

Abstract:

Methods for Heating a Fluidized Bed Silicon Deposition Apparatus with the steps of: one or more heaters and entries to the reactor for the gas or gases which can be heated without decomposition separate from one or more heaters and entries for the gas or gases which decompose to form silicon when heated, heating the gas or gases which do not decompose to temperatures between 400-2000 C. , more preferably 800-1600 C. , heating the gases which do decompose thermally to temperatures less than the temperature at which they decompose, typically 25-400 C. , preferably 300-350 C. , and alternatively or in combination with the above steps also providing a means for removal of the silicon beads, heating the beads to a temperature between 800-1200 C. and preferably to a temperature between 900-1100 C. and returning the beads to the reactor.

US Patent:

6827786, Dec 7, 2004

Filed:

Dec 26, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/749988

Inventors:

Stephen M Lord - Encinitas CA 92024

International Classification:

C23C 1600

US Classification:

118716, 422110, 422129, 422139, 422145, 422146, 422147, 422194, 422198

Abstract:

A fluidized bed reactor with one or more stages each stage having a heating section located below a reacting section and a mechanism that pulses granules back and forth between the heating and reacting sections, separate injectors for silicon containing gases non silicon containing gases, heaters to heat the non silicon containing gases above the reaction temperature and the silicon containing gases to a temperature just below their decomposition temperature. The heater for the silicon containing gases controls the condensing vapor of a heat transfer fluid to a temperature below the decomposition temperature of the silicon containing gases. An enclosed noncontaminating sieving device selectively removes product and recycles undersize material. A weigh cell with frequency analysis capability provides information on the weight of the reactor and the force exerted by the pulsing action of the granules.

US Patent:

7150353, Dec 19, 2006

Filed:

Aug 1, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/633462

Inventors:

Stephen Michael Lord - Encinitas CA, US

International Classification:

B65D 85/00

US Classification:

206 06, 220900

Abstract:

A method for safely handling unstable hydrides, such as germane, in an enclosure which has one or more openings, by partitioning the enclosure into smaller but interconnected volumes and providing heat storage and transfer within the enclosure to rapidly remove heat from any incipient hot spot before it can reach a temperature where it could rapidly propagate to the rest of the enclosure. A preferred embodiment includes where the partitioning material comprises part or all of the means to store the heat and has a large surface area to rapidly adsorb heat from the gases in the smaller volume. An even more preferred embodiment is where the partitioning material comprises materials that can be poured into the enclosure. The use of sensible heat, phase change or chemical reactions are feasible ways to store the heat.

US Patent:

7736614, Jun 15, 2010

Filed:

Apr 7, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/080918

Inventors:

Stephen Michael Lord - Encinitas CA, US

Assignee:

Lord Ltd., LP - San Diego CA

International Classification:

C01B 33/107
B01D 9/02

US Classification:

423342, 423341, 210714, 210718, 23301, 23305 A

Abstract:

A process for removing aluminum and other metal chlorides from liquid chlorosilanes with the steps of: introducing a source of seed into a source of impure liquid chlorosilanes, initiating the crystallization of aluminum and other metal chlorides on the seed from the liquid chlorosilanes in a first agitated vessel, passing the resulting mixture of liquid and solids through a cooler into a second agitated vessel for additional crystallization, transferring the resulting mixture of liquid and solids into a solids removal device, transferring the liquid with reduced solids content to a further process or vessel and transferring the liquid with high solids content into a waste concentration device, passing the resulting liquid with reduced solids content to a further process or vessel and passing the resultant liquid with very high solids content to a waste storage vessel with agitation.

US Patent:

7790129, Sep 7, 2010

Filed:

Jul 29, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/193734

Inventors:

Stephen Michael Lord - Encinitas CA, US

Assignee:

Lord Ltd., LP - San Diego CA

International Classification:

B01D 53/50

US Classification:

423240R, 423210, 423240 S

Abstract:

Two low cost processes for removing boron, phosphorus, carbon and titanium during the process of converting metallurgical grade silicon to electronic grade silicon are described. A first process removes boron and titanium by using one or more high temperature solids removal devices for the removal of solid titanium diboride from a halosilane reactor effluent stream where the high temperature is greater than about 200 C. A second process removes carbon as methane and phosphorus as phosphine by means of a membrane separator which processes all or part of a hydrogen recycle stream to recover hydrogen while rejecting methane and phosphine.

US Patent:

8178051, May 15, 2012

Filed:

Nov 5, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/291115

Inventors:

Stephen Michael Lord - Encinitas CA, US

International Classification:

B01J 8/24
C01B 33/107

US Classification:

422139, 422145, 422146, 423342

Abstract:

A reactor for hydrogenation of a silicon tetrahalide and metallurgical grade silicon to trihalosilane includes a bed of metallurgical silicon particles, one or more gas entry ports, one or more solids entry ports, one or more solids drains and one or more ports for removing the trihalosilane from the reactor. Fresh surfaces are generated on the bed particles by internal grinding and abrasion as a result of entraining feed silicon particles in a silicon tetrahalide/hydrogen feed stream entering the reactor and impinging that stream on the bed of silicon particles. This has the advantages of higher yield of the trihalosilane, higher burnup rate of the MGS, removal of spent MGS as a fine dust carryover in the trihalosilane effluent leaving the reactor and longer times between shutdowns for bed removal.

US Patent:

8260126, Sep 4, 2012

Filed:

Dec 17, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/653694

Inventors:

Stephen Michael Lord - Encinitas CA, US
Kurt Lund - Del Mar CA, US

Assignee:

Lord Ltd., LP - San Diego CA

International Classification:

F24H 1/10
A47J 31/00

US Classification:

392486, 392465

Abstract:

A dual wall axial flow electric heater for leak sensitive applications provides an improved corrosion and leak resistant assembly and includes protective tubes over electrical heater rods, double tubesheets spaced apart by a plenum and leak detectors positioned to sensor leaks through the walls of the protective tubes. The design includes the option of two or more tube bundles with each inserted into opposite ends of a shell surrounding the tube sheets and heaters. The design provides ease of maintenance since each heater rod can be replaced independently while the unit is in service. Variable heat flux is provided from standard single flux heater rods by providing protective tubes of varying diameters. A built-in thermowell is provided to allow the rod temperatures to be monitored directly. Hot spots are avoided by the use of turning baffles and vibration is avoided by use of spider baffles to support the tubes.