Mechanical treatment plays a crucial role in preparing PV panels for recycling by efficiently separating the various components found in solar panels. This process involves physical methods to dismantle and sort the materials, making it a viable alternative to more complex chemical processes. Here’s how mechanical treatment works:
Mechanical Treatment Steps
- Shredding and Crushing: The PV panels are shredded or crushed into smaller pieces. This can be achieved through cutting, grinding, or crushing to break down the panels into manageable components.
- Material Separation: The pulverized components are then separated using mechanical equipment such as vibrating screens and air separation systems. This step helps isolate different materials like silicon wafers, metal electrodes (copper, aluminum), and glass substrates.
- Sorting and Handling: Once separated, the materials are sorted and collected separately. This step ensures that each component can be further processed or reused, maximizing the efficiency of the recycling process.
Benefits and Challenges
- Benefits: Mechanical treatment is currently the only method available on an industrial scale. It avoids the use of harsh chemicals, making it a more environmentally friendly option compared to chemical recycling methods.
- Challenges: Despite its benefits, mechanical treatment often results in a lower yield, as the physical process can damage some components, thereby limiting their reuse potential.
Innovative Processes
Newer processes, such as thermo-mechanical treatments, aim to improve efficiency and yield by combining mechanical steps with heat treatments to more effectively separate materials like EVA encapsulants from the glass and silicon components.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/how-does-mechanical-treatment-prepare-pv-panels-for-recycling/
