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Implementation of parametric design philosophy into industrial production

line simulation for c-Si PV modules

Article · January 2016

DOI: 10.1504/IJDSS.2016.081739

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Implementation of Parametric Design Philosophy into Industrial
Production Line Simulation for c-Si PV Modules

Meletios Rentoumis1, Ilias Athanailidis1, Pavlos Koulouridakis1, Yiannis

Katsigiannis1, Nikolaos Bilalis1
1
Technical University of Crete – University Campus, Kounoupidiana, 73100, Crete, Greece

Abstract Power generation from photovoltaic (PV) cells is a well-established and

promising technology that takes full advantage of solar energy, which is a renew-
able energy source. Although numerous methods of PV recycling have been pro-
posed worldwide, Greece has not taken any serious corresponding action until
now. Moreover, estimations expect that the overall quantity of c-Si PV waste in
Europe will reach 3.500.000 tones until 2040 (Bio Intelligence Service, 2011)
while in Greece, until 2038 the amount will be in the range of 264.000 tones
(Katsigiannis et al., 2014). As a result, it is essential to propose a unified manage-
ment of PV end-of-life (EOL) process, in order to achieve a successful recovery of
materials such as silicon, aluminum, silver and glass. The scope of this paper is
the simulation of an integrated c-Si PV recycling process with the use of CATIA
software. The design of this recycling process is parametric, in order to allow the
location and sizing configuration of each machine and installation type that can be
used.

Keywords: End-of-life (EOL) treatment, photovoltaic technology, recycling,

machine design, parametric design

1 INTRODUCTION

The constant development of renewable energy technologies alongside with the

ever increasing demand for power generation, inevitably leads to a considerable
amount of industrial waste. PV industry, being dominant in the field of renewable
energy generation, is considered to realize the above mentioned hypothesis in the
near future. PV panels, as a main product of the particular industry, will become
the leading components of the waste not only due to mechanical failure, but also
to the degraded efficiency of the integrated materials and associated cabling. Life
expectancy of dominant PV technologies is estimated at around 25-30 years.
Nowadays, panels that utilize c-Si as a semiconductor (monocrystalline & poly-
crystalline PV technology) account for the lion’s share of the corresponding mar-
ket, globally. (Granata et al., 2014; Takuya et al., 2001)
Product life cycle management (PLM), sustainable development and industrial
symbiosis, i.e., the transformation from a linear extraction-use-throw away model
of production and consumption to a circular one, are concepts of vital importance
around the industry. The necessity of massive recovery of non-functional PV pan-
els has been proven by numerous researchers and recently the European Directive
2012/19/EU (European Parliament, 2012) on waste electrical and electronic
equipment (WEEE) dictated the management of PVs end-of-life (EOL) and spe-
cifically:
• Minimum collecting rate as average weight of PV panels is 45% of total elec-
tronic devices by 2016 and 65% by 2019.
• Minimum target as recovery and recycling are respectively 75% of and 65% as
average weight by 2015.

In addition to the above directives a new approach is the concept of Industrial

Symbiosis. Through Industrial symbiosis, utilities and waste materials from one
industry are becoming useful feedstock for another one. There are a lot of rare and
valuable materials in PV panels that can be useful to other sectors, but their ex-
traction and treatment is still in its infancy as it is with most of the PV panels’
treatment.
Various recycling methods have already been introduced concerning the PV
panels. Among them, some utilize acidic/alkaline compounds in order to success-
fully recover most of the Si from the PV cells and the use of organic solutions
(Takuya et al., 2001) or pyrolytic approaches for the removal of the Ethylene-
Vinyl-Acetate (EVA) encapsulation. Moreover, glass, and metals such as Al and
Ag from the electrical contacts are also being recovered. A combined approach of
physical and chemical treatments is also applied, depending on the occasion.
Until today, a small number of valid recycling strategies for PV panels has
been presented. Deutsche Solar is considered to be a pioneer in the field, regarding
the recycling of c-Si panels (1st generation) and as far as thin film technology (2nd
generation) is concerned, First Solar introduced a recycling method for panels
containing CdTe. SolarWorld followed, amongst other strategies of smaller scale.
None of the above mentioned strategies is considered to be sustainable in Greece,
albeit the technical knowledge exists, since the quantity of PV scrap is insufficient
to economically support a corporation that focuses entirely on PV waste recycling.
Furthermore, the recycling operations are neither automated nor unified due to the
vast variety of PV technology that needs to be recycled. (Larsen, 2009)
This paper aims to introduce a unified recycling method for c-Si PV panels in a
simulated three dimensional environment, allowing potential investors in Greece,
to get familiar with the specific recycling process. The design of the simulation is
parametric, allowing the sizing and location configuration of each machine and in-
stallation type that can be implemented, providing flexibility in terms of in-
put/output quantity requirements, funding and space limitations.
The paper is organized as follows: Section 2 presents the main components of
c-Si PV cells. Section 3 describes the main recycling procedures for c-Si PV cells.
Section 4 provides details for the proposed unified PV recycling procedure. Sec-
tion 5 concludes the paper.

2 THE CRYSTALLINE SILICON MODULE – MECHANICAL

STRUCTURE

The crystalline structured PV cells that use Si as semiconductor, compose the first
generation of PV technologies. Mono-crystalline (m-Si) and Poly-crystalline (p-
Si) cells belong to this generation. The summary of the main components are
shown in Figure 1, while the typical c-Si module composition is presented in Ta-
ble 1. (Choi and Fthenakis, 2014; Kang et al., 2012)
• The Si wafer of about 200μm thick, which is the key component, essential for
the production of such modules. This substrate of semiconductor material un-
dergoes numerous microfabrication steps before being integrated into the cell
and efficiently convert sunlight into DC electricity.
• The p-n junction is then covered by an anti-reflective coating (ARC), most
commonly composed of a single layer of a Si nitride (SiNx) (Grunow and
Krauter, 2006) in an effort to cut down on the optical losses due to Si’s high re-
flectivity.
• The surface’s electrical contacts are silver and the cells are connected with Cu
ribbons.
• The encapsulation is concluded with a double layer of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate
(EVA). The EVA apart from protection is also used as an adhesive between the
glass and the Si wafer.
• ARC encapsulation and composite glass protect the module from damage.
Sometimes, blackout material can be implemented so as to prevent pre-
energizing of the cells. On the other hand, when solar activation is not of any
significant concern, a transparent protective film can be used. Moreover, the
use of a UV enhancement material may increase the efficiency of the cell in the
UV region.
• Plastic backing consisting of Polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) and Polyethylene (PET)
makes the module weatherproof alongside with the Al framing.
• The junction box is then added to the structure in order to connect the panels
electrically.
According to researches, the 65% of the total cost of the PV module concerns
the manufacturing of the PV cell. Currently, recycling of c-Si modules allows the
recovery of about 60% of the total amount of Si (Kang et al., 2012). However,
there is still room for improvement.
Protective film/
Solar cell array Blackout material

Glass

Plastic Backing
EVA

Junction Box
Frame (Aluminum)

Fig. 1. An exploded view of a typical c-Si module (1.6m x 1m)[CATIA V5]

Table. 1 A typical c-Si module composition (215Wp) (Sander, 2007)

Material Percentage Kg/kWp

Glass cover 74.16% 77.3
Al Frame 10.30% 10.7
EVA 6.55% 6.8
Solar cells 3.48% 3.3
Plastic Backing (Tedlar) 3.60% 3.8
Adhesive, potting compound 1.16% 1.2
Cu (PV panel, cabling) 0.57% 0.59
Total weight (22kg/ PV module) 102.3

3 PV RECYCLING PROCEDURES

As PV recycling is still being in its infancy, companies with interest in the field
have created an organizational association in order to promote innovations and en-
able the industry’s viability. PV CYCLE (PV Cycle, 2015) and its partners con-
tribute to the European Union’s environmental targets, setting a goal for 80% of
successful recycling until 2015 and 85% by 2020.
Nowadays, companies that excelled in the field of c-Si PV panel recycling are
Deutsche Solar AG, SolarWorld AG, Solar Cells Inc. (SSI) and Pilkington Solar
International (PSI), among others. The main steps of the procedure are (Appleyar,
2009): (1) The preparation phase that includes the removal of the Al frame, the
junction box and the cabling, (2) Pyrolysis, if necessary, and then Shredding of the
wafers still attached to the plastic backing and (3) Chemical etching for the recov-
ery of Si and other precious materials, such as Ag.
3.1 Deutsche Solar AG

Deutsche Solar (Müller et al., 2009) introduced its method for the first time in
2003 addressing the recycling needs of a variety of types and sizes of c-Si PV
panels. The division of the company, undertaken the recycling procedure is So-
larMaterial. The recycling protocols include the treatment of: (1) Waste arisen
during Si wafer production, (2) Non-functional Si wafers, (3) PV modules that
failed at quality testing after production or reached their end-of-useful life due to
low efficiency or damage.
In the first stage of the procedure, the PV modules are placed into a furnace
that facilitates the manual disassembly, leading to the separation of metallic parts
from the cover glass and the Si wafers. The metallic parts and the glass are for-
warded to several partners that have to carry out the recycling while the wafers
remain for further chemical treatment. The chemical treatment includes applica-
tion of several acidic solutions that remove the Anti-Reflective Coating (ARC)
and the p-n junction. The Si wafers are then isolated and melted into Si ingots and
by extension, integrated into evolved and more efficient Si PV technologies.
Environmental researches carried out by Deutsche solar, showed that produc-
tion of new Si ingots is by far, more energy demanding (306kWh) than that result-
ed from the recycling process (92kWh).

3.2 SolarWorld AG

SolarWorld (Solar World, 2009) presented its pilot recycling program in 2001,
separating itself from any previous techniques by using a pyrolytic method in or-
der to remove the organic parts before the chemical treatment of Si wafers. The
recovered Si is then utilized from the company itself, while the other recovered
components are sold to partners. Furthermore, SolarWorld has established its own
“bring-in” system for the collection of PV waste.
Estimations show that 84% of the initial input weight can be recovered while
preserving the purity of the materials. Glass is recovered by over 90%, while the
percentage of semiconductors re-used reaches 95%. It is also worth mentioning,
that after the thermal treatment, 80-96% of the PV cells is being recovered intact.
To summarize, chemical treatment (Appleyar, 2009) can bring up to 98% recovery
of cells, depending on the level of prior inflicted damage.
3.3 Solar Cells Inc. (SSI), Pilkington Solar International (PSI)

These companies share many similarities, thus they are presented together
(Bohland et al., 1998; Wambach, 1998). They include recovery techniques for
both Si fractions and functional PV cells from the respective modules.
SSI specializes in fraction treatment and not in whole modules. Its method re-
covers most of the backing film and a portion of the functional PV cells. The pro-
cedure begins with the gradual increase of the temperature and the manual remov-
al of the Tedlar. At 500oC, the EVA encapsulation is being pyrolyzed. As a result,
new cells are produced based on recycled materials with a minor loss, in compari-
son with the initial efficiency.
On the other hand, PSI uses pyrolysis for the removal of the organic compo-
nents with a successful recovery of 60% of the PV cells imported (Wambach,
1998). Yet, the method is not realized in a noble gas environment and consequent-
ly, surface Ag contacts are being oxidized, hampering the procedure. It’s been es-
timated that PSI pyrolysis method lasts about four hours due to potential surface
charring unlike SSI’s technique that takes no longer than an hour and a half.

4 PROPOSED PV RECYCLING PROCEDURE

In this section, a novel unified recycling process (see also Figure 2) for c- Si PV
panels is being presented. Our main goal is to familiarize the Greek investor with
the field, while simultaneously providing the appropriate flexibility in terms of
funding, procedure requirements and space limitations due to the parametric na-
ture of the simulated environment (see also Tables 2-5 for an indicative parameter-
ization of the designed machines).

Fig. 2 The proposed recycling process for c-Si cells and modules.

The procedure concerns both fractions and whole c-Si PV modules and begins
with the physical disassembly (see also Figure 3) of the input waste by removing
the Al framing, the junction box and the cabling.
 Roller conveyors

Al framings, junction boxes &

cabling
Fig. 3. The physical disassembly area [CATIA V5].

The delamination stage follows, with the pyrolysis of the modules (see also
Figure 4) and the subsequent removal of the organic EVA in a noble gas environ-
ment. In case of shattered glass, the pyrolyzed module is shredded (see also Figure
5), contrary to the intact cover glass case, where after pyrolysis the physical disas-
sembly is facilitated and the glass is easily recovered. The shredding step leads to
a desired granulometry which is necessary for the mechanical separation (see also
Figure 6) of the glass and the Si fractions.

Gas treatment

Pyrolytic reactor

Fig. 4. Thermal treatment equipment (pyrolysis reactor) [CATIA V5].

Last but not least, the chemical treatment includes the adjusted use of various
acidic/alkaline solutions in accordance with the type of input panels through
which Ag and Al are recovered whilst ARC and p-n junction are removed. As a
final stage, the post processing of the recovered Si into ingots can be fostered (see
also Figure 7). Note that the Al, Ag, glass fragments and junction boxes can be
forwarded to partners.
Twin shaft shredder

Belt conveyors

Impact crusher

Fig. 5. Shredding machinery [CATIA V5].

Along the proposed procedure, machinery has been parametrically designed in

order to enable a flexible configuration for the respective industrial requirements.
The thermal treatment/delamination is realized with the presence of a pyrolytic
reactor in continuous operating mode with a spiral horizontal rotational capability
that allows the configuration of its length, diameter and process time (through ad-
justment of rotation speed). Moreover, into the assembly have also been integrated
an afterburner, cyclones, wet scrubbers and proper piping. Hot gases can also be
used in power generation.
In terms of shredding, the process includes the utilization of two different set-
ups of shredding machinery. The first one, Twin Shaft Shredder, is a common ma-
chine found in recycling sites that allows the decrease of size of PV waste through
rotating motion. The main design parameters include the useful shredding width
and the diameter of the rotating axis. The number and width of the blades are ad-
justed accordingly. The second type of shredding machinery is commonly found
in plastic shredding. Based on this initial type of use, the Impact Crusher allows
the configuration of the mesh. Specifically, Impact Crusher’s most crucial design
parameters include the width of the mesh screen and the diameter of the rotating
axis.
The mechanical separation is realized with the use of an inclined cascade
screening machine. The user is allowed to modify the useful width, length and op-
erating angle of the machinery alongside with the number of cascade screens and
mesh output type.
Fig. 6. Cascade Inclined Screens [CATIA V5].

Chemical treatment of the c-Si wafers is adjusted according to the chemical re-
covery methods decided to be applied. Also, a furnace was designed for the re-
melting of wafers into ingots for further use. To conclude, roller conveyors and
belt conveyors were parametrically designed in order to facilitate the transports
within the recycling site.

Cascade Inclined Screens

Chemical treatment

Furnace

Fig. 7. An overview of the industrial assembly [CATIA V5].

Table. 2 Indicative parameterization of the Pyrolytic Reactor based on Z.M’s Industrial
Co., Ltd design

Pyrolytic Reactor
Small Medium Large
Length (mm) 5000 6000 6600
Diameter Of Reactor (mm) 2200 2600 2800
Thickness (mm) 38 46 46
Reactor Rotating Speed (rpm) 0.4 0.4 0.8
Heating System Directly Directly Directly
Capacity (tons) 5 8 12
Power (kW) 11 16 19

Fig. 8. Starting from left to right: the large, medium & small Pyrolysis Reactor assemblies
[CATIA V5].
Table. 3 Indicative parameterization of the Twin Shaft Shredder based on Huanchuang
Technology Co., Ltd design
Twin Shaft Shredder
Small Medium Large
Shaft Diameter (mm) 100 150 200
Height (mm) 2600 3800 5100
Length (mm) 2000 2200 4100
Width (mm) 1500 2700 3600
Cutting Area Width (mm) 1500 2000 3000
Rotor Speed (rpm) 41 41 41
Mesh Size (mm)(max) 48x75 65x110 97x200
Blade Thickness (mm) 20 26 40
Machine Power (kW) 7.5-11 45-75 90-132
Number of Blades (pcs/axis) 30 30 30

Fig. 9. Starting from left to right: the large, medium, small & custom Twin Shaft Shredder
assemblies [CATIA V5].
Table. 4 Indicative parameterization of the Impact Crusher based on Nanjing Harsle’s
Machine Tool Co., Ltd design

Impact Crusher
Small Medium Large
Diameter Of Axis (mm) 200 245 290
Useful Width (mm) 1400 1740 1740
Length (mm) 2000 2000 2000
Height (mm) 1500 1500 1500
Mesh Size (mm) 5x5 5x5 5x5
Rotary Blades (pcs) 3 3 3
3
Useful Volume (mm ) 150 372 410
Motor Power (kW) 15 30 45
Rotary Speed (rpm) 16-25 16-25 16-25
Stationary Blades (pcs) 2 2 2

Fig. 10. Starting from left to right: the custom, small, medium & large Impact Crusher as-
semblies [CATIA V5].
Table. 5 Indicative parameterization of the Inclined Cascade Screens based on KPI-JCI’s
design
Cascade Inclined Screens
Small Medium Large
Height (mm) 1000 1300 1600
Width (mm) 1080 1580 2080
Screen Size (mm x mm) 1000x2000 1500x3000 2000x4500
Inclination-Installation Slope (deg) 15 15 20
Number of Screens 3 3 3
Mesh Size (mm) 0.5-20 0.5-20 0.5-20
Vibrating Frequency 13-16 16.2 16.2
Power (kW) 11 22 30

Fig. 11. Starting from left to right: the small, medium & large Cascade Inclined Screens as-
semblies [CATIA V5].

5 CONCLUSIONS

The amount of PV waste is expected to dramatically increase in the near future. A

unified recycling procedure for c-Si PV modules and fragments addressing the is-
sue is introduced for the first time in Greece, while the parametric design of the
 simulation enables the improved visualization and customization of the machin-
ery.

Acknowledgments This research has been co-financed by the European Union (European Re-
gional Development Fund – ERDF) and Greek national funds through the Operational Program
“Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship” of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF)
– Research Funding Program: “COOPERATION 2011 – Redesign and Recycling of PV Panels”.

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