Development of Recycling Process of Photovoltaic Ribbon in Spent Solar Module Using Water Vapor Generated by Waste

Wang, J., Jang, Bo-Yun, Kim, Joon-Soo, Ahn, Young-Soo, Kang, Gi-Hwan, Wang, Jei-Pil

ISES Solar World Congress 2015 · Daegu, Korea · 2015-11-08
Published by International Solar Energy Society (ISES)
DOI: 10.18086/swc.2015.05.05

Abstract

New recycling process was attempted to recover copper substrate and to remove coating layer consisting of tin (Sn) and lead (Pb) of photovoltaic ribbon in spent solar module by means of oxidation using water vapor generated by waste heat. The oxidation behavior of the photovoltaic ribbon was studied under two different conditions of dry and moist atmosphere. The rate of oxidation was compared at 500°C in given conditions and the oxidized coating layer consisting of lead of 68.99wt% and tin of 31.21wt% was taken off from the substrate at room temperature. The chemical composition of copper ribbon after oxidation was analyzed using ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry) and the purity of copper obtained was found to be about 99.5wt%. Further process using zone-melting furnace was consequently carried out fabricate high-purity copper and 4N grade of copper (≥ 99.99%) was finally obtained. The component of coating layer was safely stabilized as oxide forms of PbO and SnO.

Keywords

Photovoltaic ribbon, Oxidation, Water vapor, Zone melting, Copper

← All proceedings papers