Filtering and inerting of combustible dusts in the process off-gas

1. A method for avoiding the spontaneous ignition of combustible dusts in process off-gases of crucible pulling installations for the pulling of silicon single crystal installations; comprising

during a process retaining the dusts, without adversely affecting process parameters;

arranging at least one sintered filter element in a pressure vessel, and said filter element is able to withstand temperatures of up to at least 250° C.;

and after the process has ended the dusts are inerted by blasting oxygen-containing gas back into the pressure vessel.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the dusts contain oxides selected from the group consisting of silicon, boron, phosphorus, arsenic and antimony and oxide mixtures thereof.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the filter rate of at least one sintered filter elements, which is able to withstand temperatures of up to at least 250° C., is 0.3 to 15 μm.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one sintered filter element, which are able to withstand temperatures of up to at least 250° C. in the pressure vessel, is selected from the group consisting of ceramic and stainless steel.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein a pressure of from 10 to 500 mbar is used in the process.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein inert shielding gases selected from the group consisting of nitrogen and argon are used in the process with a gas flow rate of from 300 to 10,000 liters (s.t.p.) per hour.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein after the process is ended, carrying out the steps of

(a) evacuating the pressure vessel; and

(b) ventilating the pressure vessel with oxygen-containing gas in a direction opposite to filtering the dusts which have collected at the filter elements flowing into the pressure vessel chamber and in the process being inerted by reacting with oxygen; and

said steps (a) and (b) are carried out alternately in succession, in each case at least once.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 ,

wherein the oxygen-containing gas is selected from the group consisting of compressed air.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein outgoing air from the at least one sintered filter element is fed to the process outgoing air.

10. A silicon wafer obtainable from a method as claimed in claim 1 .

11. A method for avoiding the spontaneous ignition of combustible dusts in process off-gases; comprising

during a process retaining the dusts, without adversely affecting process parameters;

arranging at least one sintered filter element in a pressure vessel, and said filter element is able to withstand temperatures of up to at least 250° C.;

and after the process has ended the dusts are inerted by blasting oxygen-containing gas back into the pressure vessel;

wherein the process is melting a substance selected from the group consisting of silicon and silicon which contains dopants.

12. A device for carrying out a method for avoiding the spontaneous ignition of combustible dusts in process off-gases, which device comprises

(a) a process installation, in which off-gases containing highly reactive, spontaneously igniting and toxic dusts are formed;

(b) an off-gas discharge, which can be closed off with respect to the process installation, including at least one valve for supplying fresh air;

(c) a pressure vessel with discharge flange, in which at least one sintered filter element, which is able to withstand temperatures of up to at least 250° C., is arranged,

(d) a vacuum system;

(e) a ventilation line; and

(f) a nonreturn valve, which is connected to the pressure vessel, the vacuum system and the ventilation, line.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the process installation is a crucible pulling installation.