Patent ID: 8038961

Claim:
An apparatus for preparing silanes of the general formula H n SiCl 4 , where n=1, 2, 3 and/or 4 by dismutation of at least one chlorinated silane in the presence of a catalyst, wherein said apparatus comprises: at least one distillation column comprising a column bottom, a column top, at least one feed inlet, a plurality of product offtakes, and at least one chimney tray; and at least one side reactor comprising a catalyst bed having an upper edge, the side reactor being connected to the distillation column via at least three pipes comprising a first pipe, a second pipe, and a third pipe, wherein the side reactor, the catalyst bed, the first pipe, the second pipe, and the third pipe are positioned in relation to the chimney tray and the distillation column, the first pipe is connected to the distillation column at a position higher than the upper edge of the catalyst bed to discharge a condensate from the chimney tray into the catalyst bed, the first pipe comprises a branch pipe which has an opening in the distillation column at a position below the chimney tray and is configured to regulate a flow of the condensate, the second pipe is connected to the distillation column at a position below the chimney tray and the upper edge of the catalyst bed to discharge a liquid phase from the side reactor to the distillation column, and the third pipe is connected to the distillation column at a position higher than the chimney tray to discharge a gas phase from the side reactor to the distillation column.