Disassembly of the upper components of photovoltaic panels

What is the recycling process of a PV module?

Recycling process The end-of-life PV module (Fig. 16) was collected and cleaned using water and allowed to dry. The spent modules consist of a junction box, cables, a back sheet, an aluminum frame, tempered glass, semiconducting material and polymers , , .

What is the difference between upcycling and downcycling of PV panels?

Currently, the recycling of PV panels is divided into upcycling and downcycling. In the downcycling process, only the aluminum frame, glass, junction box, and cables are recycled, while the rest is landfilled. Upcycling, on the other hand, involves the recycling of all materials of the PV panel.

How a PV panel is processed?

The processing flow is as follows: the dismantling of the PV panel aluminum frame, junction box, and cables; separation of the glass (furnace heat treatment, medium- and short-wave infrared heating), cutting, incineration, or pyrolysis; hydrometallurgical processing for bottom ash or cell scrap to recover various metals.

What is the recycling process for silicon-based PV panels?

In this review article, the complete recycling process is systematically summarized into two main sections: disassembly and delamination treatment for silicon-based PV panels, involving physical, thermal, and chemical treatment, and the retrieval of valuable metals (silicon, silver, copper, tin, etc.).

What is a photovoltaic (PV) module?

The Photovoltaic (PV) module is one of the greenest, most highly efficient, sustainable, renewable, and non-polluting power generator associated with solar energy . Currently, it has attracted incessant attention due to its potential application in alternative energy generation.

How a solar PV panel is heated?

•Laminated solar PV panels are heated at 300 °C in the presence of oxidants to decompose plastic layer. •Metals are further transported for quenching process. 4.1. Mechanical treatment process