Crystalline Silicon PV Module Recycling Line

The typical material mass distribution in commercial decommissioned crystalline silicon modules is as follows:

• Single-Glass Panels: Front glass 68% – 72%; Silicon wafers 4% – 5%; Copper ribbons 0.8% – 1.5%; Precious silver 0.05% – 0.06% (aluminum frames and polymers account for the remainder).
• Double-Glass Panels: Dual glass sheets 82% – 85%; Silicon wafers 3.5% – 4.5%; Copper ribbons 0.6% – 1.2%; Precious silver 0.03% – 0.05%.

Glass Specifications: Single-glass modules use fully tempered glass (high surface compression for hail resistance), whereas double-glass modules utilize heat-strengthened (semi-tempered) glass sheets.

Secondary Re-Utilization Pathways:

1. Foam Glass: Premium lightweight thermal and acoustic insulation building blocks (ideal application for recovered PV glass cullet).
2. Architectural Ceramics: High-permeability paving bricks, outdoor plaza pavers, ceramic bodies, ceramic glazes, and engineered microcrystalline stone.
3. Structural Aggregates: High-performance concrete aggregates, asphalt road base aggregate, self-leveling industrial floor screeds, and terrazzo tiles.
4. Industrial Abrasives & Fillers: Reflective glass micro-beads, sandblasting grit, and micronized functional filler for construction mortars, sealants, and anticorrosive coatings.

Henan Yushunxin heavy continuous tunnel pyrolysis engineering achieves verified commercial recovery benchmarks:

• Recovery Rates: Silicon wafers ≥ 95% – 98%; Clean glass cullet ≥ 95% – 98%; Copper ribbons (busbars and interconnects) 95% – 98%.
• Output Purity: Silicon wafers/powder ≥ 98%; Clean glass cullet ≥ 98% (free of polymer residue); Copper fraction ≥ 98% metallic purity.

Precious silver (Ag) accounts for the highest economic value per ton of e-waste PV modules. It is strictly concentrated in two specific locations:

• Cell Surfaces & Gridlines: Front contact silver fingers, busbar lines, and rear silver/aluminum soldering pads screen-printed on the crystalline silicon wafers.
• Copper Ribbon Coatings: The solder-coated contact surfaces of copper interconnect wires and main busbars that bridge individual cells.

Our disassembly line provides two standardized frame removal systems:

• Semi-Automatic Frame Stripper: Requires manual positioning and panel turning for hydraulic corner-clamping detachment.
• Fully Automatic Frame Stripper: Integrates motorized continuous conveyor chains, automatic panel centering, multi-directional 4-corner hydraulic clamping, and automatic scrap ejection without manual operator intervention.

The continuous chain-plate tunnel furnace is designed for complete cross-compatibility across solar industry standards:

• Processing Width: 800 mm to 1,300 mm (fully accommodates standard 156mm, 166mm, 182mm, and 210mm wafer modules up to 72/78-cell bifacial layouts).
• Module Length: No length limitation, accommodating standard and oversized utility-scale modules seamlessly.

Residence Processing Time: Exactly 15 to 20 minutes per module inside the continuous thermal degradation reaction zone.

Oxygen Ingress Prevention: The kiln incorporates an engineered dual-stage mechanical seal combined with an inert gas curtain seal at both the infeed and discharge airlocks. This dual barrier prevents ambient air penetration and preserves kiln pressure stability.

Electric auxiliary heating is incorporated for dynamic thermal compensation and precision multi-zone temperature trimming. While syngas combustion and hot flue gas circulation provide the baseline heat, electric elements ensure the core reaction chamber maintains a uniform, strictly controlled temperature profile under varying feedstock feed rates.

Operating Temperature: Strictly regulated between 550°C and 650°C.

Targeted Polymers: Completely gasifies and strips cross-linked EVA encapsulant film, POE encapsulant film, and composite polymer backsheets, liberating clean glass sheets and intact silicon cells without slagging or melting the silicon matrix.

Atmosphere Specifications: Operates under a low-oxygen inert atmosphere (chamber O² concentration ≤ 4%), utilizing oxygen-deficient carbon dioxide (CO²) and nitrogen recirculated from the combustion chamber, continuously monitored by online zirconia/laser oxygen analyzers.

Primary Objectives:

• Suppresses Material Combustion: Eliminates open flames and uncontrollable runaway inside the kiln.
• Prevents Silver Oxidation: Prevents precious silver from oxidizing into insoluble compounds, safeguarding high extraction yields in hydrometallurgical refining.
• Solves Temperature Control Bottlenecks: Overcomes the instability of pure electric heating at industrial multi-ton scales.

Core Functions of the TO Furnace:

1. Clean Hot Air Supply: Recirculates high-temperature thermal energy back into the kiln pre-heating zones.
2. Dioxin & VOC Destruction: Destroys gasified polymer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and fluorinated compounds at high thermal intensity.
3. System Temperature Modulation: Stabilizes kiln draft and thermal equilibrium across operational cycles.

Compatible Burner Fuels: Natural gas (NG), Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG – paired with external vaporizer), Diesel, Heavy fuel oil, and Biomass pellets.

Our proprietary continuous tunnel design delivers 4 decisive engineering advantages:

• Superior Material Dissociation & High Intact Value: Modules move on horizontal chain plates without abrasive tumbling, leaving silicon wafers, glass sheets, and copper ribbons intact with premium commodity value.
• Minimized Silver Loss: Sub-4% low-oxygen inert protection prevents silver vaporization and oxidation losses.
• Outstanding Thermal Uniformity & Safety: Multi-zone PID control prevents localized hot spots, suitable for both single-glass and bifacial double-glass modules.
• High Thermal Efficiency: Syngas generated from EVA/POE decomposition is recirculated for self-sustaining heating, minimizing fuel consumption.

Complete Thermal Destruction: Dioxins require exposure to temperatures ≥ 850°C with a minimum gas residence time of 2.0 seconds in an oxidizing thermal chamber.

Re-Synthesis (De Novo Synthesis) Window: Dioxins re-form rapidly in the presence of chlorine and catalytic fly ash within the 400°C to 250°C window. Our system integrates a high-efficiency spray quench tower that drops flue gas temperature from above 400°C to below 200°C in under 1 second, completely bypassing the re-synthesis range.

Our industrial demonstration and customer trial testing line features verified heavy-duty engineering:

• Heating Chamber Length: 6.0 meters effective heating tunnel.
• Chain-Plate Conveyor: Heavy-duty SS304 stainless steel chain-plates with 5.0 mm plate thickness.
• Conveyor Drive Chains: High-temperature heat-resistant 310S stainless steel roller chains, ensuring continuous dimensional stability without sagging or binding under continuous 650°C operating temperatures.