A Numerical Investigation of SiC Production from SiO2 and Carbon in an Industrial Scale

In the present study, a one-dimensional unsteady-state model is developed to investigate an industrial Acheson reactor for producing SiC. The mechanisms of the SiO2 melting and converting to SiC are investigated using the experimental data of previous works. Additionally, the obtained models are utilized in the developed mathematical model. The finite difference method is used for the simulation of the developed model. The accuracy of the presented model is validated by empirical data. The complete discussions of the reaction progress, melting process, variations of the bed, and also the temperature inside the bed are presented. Attending to the importance of the existing competition between the melting of SiO2 and converting to SiC, these mechanisms are investigated using the presented data in previous relevant studies and the obtained models are utilized in the developed mathematical model. The model predictions show that the final produced cylinder of SiC at the center line of the reactor occupies 8.05% of the reactor diameter and has 8.16% weight loss during the production process.