The modified Siemens process, which is the major process of producing polycrystalline silicon through current technologies, is a high temperature, slow, semi-batch process and the product is expensive primarily due to the large energy consumption. Therefore, the zinc reduction process, which can produce solar-grade silicon in a cost effective manner, should be redeveloped for these conditions. The SiCl 2 generation ratio, which stands for the degree of the side reactions, can be decomposed to SiCl 4 and ZnCl 2 in gas phase zinc atmosphere in the exit where the temperature is very low. Therefore, the lower SiCl 2 generation ratio is profitable with lower power consumption. Based on the thermodynamic data for the related pure substances, the relations of the SiCl 2 generation ratio and pressure, temperature and the feed molar ratio n Z n / n SiCl 4 are investigated and the graphs thereof are plotted. And the diagrams of K p Θ – T at standard atmosphere pressure have been plotted to account for the influence of temperature on the SiCl 2 generation ratio. Furthermore, the diagram of K p Θ – T at different pressures have also been plotted to give an interpretation of the influence of pressure on the SiCl 2 generation ratio. The results show that SiCl 2 generation ratio increases with increasing temperature, and the higher pressure and excess gas phase zinc can restrict SiCl 2 generation ratio. Finally, suitable operational conditions in the practical process of polycrystalline silicon manufacture by gas phase zinc reduction of SiCl 4 have been established with 1200 K, 0.2 MPa and the feed molar ratio n Z n / n SiCl 4 of 4 at the entrance. Under these conditions, SiCl 2 generation ratio is very low, which indicates that the side reactions can be restricted and the energy consumption is reasonable.