Sintering apparatus

Abstract

The application provides a sintering device for processing photovoltaic devices, comprising a sintering section (102), a light processing section (104) and a cooling section (103) arranged between the sintering section (102) and the light processing section (104) for cooling the photovoltaic devices processed by sintering to a temperature required for light processing; the cooling section (103) comprises a first cooling subzone (112) and a second cooling subzone (113), wherein the first cooling subzone (112) is connected with the sintering section (102), the first cooling subzone (112) is configured to radiatively cool the photovoltaic devices, and the second cooling subzone (113) is configured to convectively cool the photovoltaic devices. The cooling section of the sintering device in the application can effectively reduce the temperature of the photovoltaic devices to the temperature required for the light processing section (104).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a sintering apparatus, and more particularly to a sintering apparatus for use in the manufacture of solar cells. Background Technology

[0002] In the production of photovoltaic devices such as crystalline silicon solar cell wafers, sintering furnaces are used to sinter the photovoltaic devices. A sintering furnace typically includes a drying section, a sintering section, a cooling section, and a light treatment section. The photovoltaic devices are conveyed by a conveyor belt through these sections sequentially. At each stage, the temperature of the photovoltaic devices needs to be controlled within a specific range to ensure the effectiveness of the sintering process. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a sintering apparatus, comprising:

[0004] The photovoltaic device is sintered in a sintering section; a light processing section is applied to the sintered photovoltaic device; and a cooling section is located between the sintering section and the light processing section. The cooling section includes a first cooling partition and a second cooling partition, wherein the first cooling partition is connected to the sintering section, the first cooling partition is configured to cool the photovoltaic device using radiation cooling, and the second cooling partition is configured to cool the photovoltaic device using convection cooling. The first cooling partition cools the photovoltaic device to a first temperature range, and the second cooling partition cools the photovoltaic device to a second temperature range.

[0005] According to the sintering equipment described above, the second temperature range is 180℃-250℃.

[0006] According to the sintering equipment described above, the first temperature range is 280℃-350℃.

[0007] According to the sintering equipment described above, the first cooling zone includes at least one radiation cooling module, the radiation cooling module includes a first upper heat exchanger and a first lower heat exchanger, a spacing between the first upper heat exchanger and the first lower heat exchanger that allows photovoltaic devices to pass through, and the surfaces of the first upper heat exchanger and the first lower heat exchanger are black.

[0008] According to the sintering equipment described above, the black color on the surfaces of the first upper heat exchanger and the first lower heat exchanger is formed by an aluminum oxidation process or by a coating.

[0009] According to the sintering equipment described above, the first upper heat exchanger and the first lower heat exchanger are finned tube heat exchangers. The finned tube heat exchanger includes a coil and a plurality of fins arranged in sequence. There is a gap between adjacent fins, and the coil passes through the fins.

[0010] According to the sintering equipment described above, the second cooling zone includes at least one convection cooling module, the convection cooling module includes a second upper heat exchanger and a second lower heat exchanger, a spacing between the second upper heat exchanger and the second lower heat exchanger is provided to allow photovoltaic devices to pass through, and at least one fan is provided above the second upper heat exchanger, the at least one fan being configured to allow airflow from the second upper heat exchanger to the second lower heat exchanger;

[0011] The distance between the bottom of the fan and the top of the second upper heat exchanger is not less than 25 cm.

[0012] According to the sintering equipment described above, the second upper heat exchanger and the second lower heat exchanger are finned tube heat exchangers. The finned tube heat exchanger includes a coil and a plurality of fins arranged in sequence. There is a gap between adjacent fins, and the coil passes through the fins.

[0013] According to the sintering equipment described above, the at least one fan is a plurality of fans, which are evenly distributed above the second upper heat exchanger, and the power of the plurality of fans is adjustable; the second cooling zone includes a fan bracket, and the plurality of fans are mounted on the fan bracket.

[0014] According to the sintering equipment described above, the distance between the second cooling zone and the sintering section is not less than 0.85m.

[0015] The cooling section provided in this application includes two cooling zones, employing radiative cooling and convection cooling respectively. The combination of these two methods achieves excellent cooling performance, enabling the cooling section to effectively reduce the temperature to the ideal range. This combination of cooling methods also allows the cooling section to maintain a compact size while ensuring effective cooling, thus saving space. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the sintering equipment in this application;

[0017] Figure 2A yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the cooling section 103 of the intermediate sintering equipment 100;

[0018] Figure 2B yes Figure 2A A perspective view of the intermediate cooling section 103 without the front cover plate;

[0019] Figure 3A yes Figure 2B A perspective view of the cooling component 201 in the intermediate cooling section 103;

[0020] Figure 3B yes Figure 3AA cross-sectional view of the cooling component 201 taken along line AA;

[0021] Figure 4A yes Figure 3A A perspective view of the intermediate radiation cooling component 221;

[0022] Figure 4B yes Figure 4A Exploded view of the intermediate radiation cooling assembly 221;

[0023] Figure 5 yes Figure 4A A perspective view of the heat exchanger support of the intermediate radiation cooling assembly 221;

[0024] Figure 6A yes Figure 3A A perspective view of the convection cooling assembly 222;

[0025] Figure 6B yes Figure 6A Exploded view of the convection cooling assembly 222;

[0026] Figure 7 yes Figure 6A A cross-sectional view of the convection cooling assembly 222 along line BB. Detailed Implementation

[0027] Various specific embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification. It should be understood that although terms indicating direction, such as "front," "rear," "up," "down," "left," and "right," are used herein to describe various exemplary structural parts and elements, their use is merely for illustrative purposes and is based on the exemplary orientations shown in the accompanying drawings. Since the embodiments disclosed herein can be arranged in different orientations, these terms indicating direction are illustrative only and should not be considered limiting.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the sintering equipment 100 in this application, such as... Figure 1As shown, the sintering equipment 100 includes a drying section 101, a sintering section 102, a cooling section 103, a light treatment section 104, and a re-cooling section 105. The photovoltaic device to be processed (not shown) is conveyed by a conveyor belt, passing sequentially through the drying section 101, sintering section 102, cooling section 103, light treatment section 104, and re-cooling section 105 in the direction indicated by arrow 108, completing the sintering process. The drying section 101 is equipped with a heating device configured to heat the photovoltaic device to a drying temperature (e.g., 200°C-300°C), causing the organic solvent on the photovoltaic device to evaporate. The dried photovoltaic device enters the sintering section 102, which is also equipped with a heating device configured to heat the photovoltaic device to a sintering temperature (e.g., 700°C-900°C), causing the photovoltaic device to undergo high-temperature sintering. After sintering, the photovoltaic device enters the cooling section 103, which is equipped with a cooling device configured to cool the photovoltaic device to a cooling temperature (e.g., 200℃-250℃) to meet the temperature requirements of the light processing section 104. The light processing section 104 irradiates the photovoltaic device to bring its light decay to an equilibrium state. The light processing section 104 is equipped with a heating device configured to maintain a temperature range of 180℃-250℃. The re-cooling section 105 cools the photovoltaic device, after treatment in the light processing section 104, to a lower temperature (e.g., 20℃-70℃).

[0029] exist Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the cooling section 103 is provided with a first cooling zone 112 and a second cooling zone 113. The first cooling zone 112 contains a heat exchanger configured to cool the photovoltaic device using radiative cooling, i.e., the heat exchanger directly absorbs the heat radiated from the photovoltaic device into the air. The second cooling zone 113 also contains a heat exchanger configured to cool the photovoltaic device using convective cooling, i.e., the heat exchanger absorbs the heat dissipated by the photovoltaic device due to air convection, thereby cooling the photovoltaic device. According to an embodiment of this application, when the photovoltaic device enters the first cooling zone 112 from the sintering section 102, the temperature of the photovoltaic device is between 700°C and 900°C; when the photovoltaic device leaves the first cooling zone 112, the temperature of the photovoltaic device near the outlet of the first cooling zone 112 is reduced to around 300°C (300°C-350°C). When the photovoltaic device moves from the first cooling zone 112 into the second cooling zone 113, the temperature of the photovoltaic device is around 300°C (300°C-350°C); when the photovoltaic device leaves the second cooling zone 113, the temperature of the photovoltaic device is reduced to around 200°C (200°C-250°C). The temperature range of the photovoltaic device leaving the second cooling zone 113 matches the temperature required by the light processing section 104.

[0030] In existing sintering equipment, the cooling section 103 has a first cooling zone 112 for radiation cooling, but no second cooling zone 113 for convection cooling. Consequently, the cooling section of the existing sintering equipment cools the photovoltaic devices entering from the sintering section 102 from 800℃-900℃ to around 300℃ (300℃-350℃). Photovoltaic devices manufactured using the existing sintering equipment can meet current usage requirements, but there are areas for improvement in the parameters of the photovoltaic devices during the manufacturing process. For example, the required light treatment time for the photovoltaic devices will be longer. If the light treatment time is insufficient, the finished photovoltaic device will not reach light decay equilibrium. If the newly manufactured photovoltaic device is used immediately, the light conversion efficiency will be affected. Through observation, testing, and use of the photovoltaic devices, the applicant recognizes that the photovoltaic device temperature being around 300℃ (300℃-350℃) during light treatment in the light treatment section 104 is the reason why the finished photovoltaic device requires a longer light treatment time. Therefore, this application is in Figure 1 The illustrated embodiment includes a second cooling zone 113, used to reduce the temperature of the photovoltaic device output from the second cooling zone 113 from around 300°C (300°C-350°C) to around 200°C (200°C-250°C). Reducing the temperature of the photovoltaic device from around 300°C (300°C-350°C) to around 200°C (200°C-250°C), and then subjecting the photovoltaic device to illumination treatment in the light processing section 104, allows for a shorter light processing time required for the photovoltaic device to reach light attenuation equilibrium.

[0031] Figure 2A yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the cooling section 103 of the intermediate sintering equipment 100. Figure 2B yes Figure 2A The perspective view of the cooling section 103, which conceals the front panel, is used to show the internal structure of the cooling section 103. (As shown...) Figure 2A and Figure 2BAs shown, the cooling section 103 includes a housing 202 and a cooling assembly 201. The housing 202 is generally a box with an opening at the bottom and has an upper plate 211, a front plate 212, a rear plate 213, a left plate 214, and a right plate 215. The side of the housing 202 near the left plate 214 is connected to the sintering section 103, and the side near the right plate 215 is connected to the light processing section 104. The upper parts of the left plate 214 and the right plate 215 have openings 218 to allow the conveyor belt to pass through. The cooling assembly 201 is disposed on the upper part of the housing 202 and arranged near the conveyor belt. The cooling assembly 201 includes a radiation cooling assembly 221 and a convection cooling assembly 222. The radiation cooling assembly 221 is located in the first cooling zone 112, and the convection cooling assembly 222 is located in the second cooling zone 113. The bottom of the housing 202 is provided with a bracket or pulley 271 so that there is a certain gap between the lower opening and the ground, thereby allowing the lower opening to communicate with the outside.

[0032] Figure 3A yes Figure 2B A perspective view of the cooling component 201 in the middle. Figure 3B yes Figure 3A A sectional view of the cooling component 201 along line AA. (See attached image.) Figure 3A and 3B As shown, the radiative cooling component 221 and the convection cooling component 222 in the cooling assembly 201 are connected by a connector 305. The radiative cooling component 221 includes two identical radiative cooling modules 311.1 and 311.2, and the convection cooling component 222 includes two identical convection cooling modules 312.1 and 312.2. The radiative cooling modules 311.1 and 311.2 have conveying spaces 315.1 and 315.2, and the convection cooling modules 312.1 and 312.2 have conveying spaces 316.1 and 316.2. The conveying spaces 315.1 and 316.1 are aligned to form a first conveying channel, and the conveying spaces 315.2 and 316.2 are aligned to form a second conveying channel. The first and second conveying channels are independent of each other and each has a conveyor belt inside, forming two photovoltaic device processing lines. In other embodiments, only one radiation cooling module and one convection cooling module can be provided to form a processing line, or multiple one-to-one radiation cooling modules and convection cooling modules can be provided to form multiple processing lines. The radiation cooling component 221 is located near the sintering section 102, and the convection cooling component 222 is located near the light processing section 104.

[0033] Figure 4A yes Figure 3A A perspective view of the radiation cooling component 221 in the image. Figure 4B yes Figure 4A An exploded view of the radiation cooling component 221. (See diagram below.) Figure 4A and Figure 4BAs shown, in addition to the two radiant cooling modules 311.1 and 311.2, the radiant cooling assembly 221 also includes a heat exchanger support 405. The specific structure of the two radiant cooling modules will be described below using the radiant cooling module 311.2 located at the front of the figure as an example. The radiant cooling module 311.2 includes a first upper heat exchanger 401 and a first lower heat exchanger 402. The first upper heat exchanger 401 and the first lower heat exchanger 402 are respectively installed on opposite sides of the heat exchanger support 405, and there is a certain distance between the first upper heat exchanger 401 and the first lower heat exchanger 402 to form a transfer space 315.1. Both the first upper heat exchanger 401 and the first lower heat exchanger 402 are finned tube heat exchangers, each including multiple fins 432 and 433 arranged side by side, and coils 435 passing through the fins 432 and 433. Coil 435 has a cooling water inlet and a cooling water outlet. The cooling water inlet is connected to the cooling water supply, and the cooling water entering coil 435 flows out from the cooling water outlet after heat exchange. The surfaces of fins 432 and 433 form heat exchange surfaces, which exchange heat with the air.

[0034] The coils 435 of the first upper heat exchanger 401 and the first lower heat exchanger 402 in each heat exchanger module are connected by a coil connection section 436. Cooling water flows from the cooling water inlet of the upper heat exchanger 401 into the coil 435 of the upper heat exchanger 401, then flows through the coil connection section 436 into the coil 435 of the lower heat exchanger 402, and flows out from the cooling water outlet of the lower heat exchanger 402. The arrangement of the cooling water flow direction is for better heat exchange. Specifically, since hot air flows upward, the air near the first upper heat exchanger 401 is relatively hotter than the air near the first lower heat exchanger 402. Because the cooling water enters the first upper heat exchanger 401 first and then the first lower heat exchanger 402, the cooling water temperature in the first upper heat exchanger 401 is lower, which is conducive to heat exchange with the hotter air near the first upper heat exchanger 401.

[0035] Each fin 433 extends vertically, with spacing between adjacent fins 433. The fins 433 increase the heat exchange area. The outer surface of the fins 433 is black, made using an aluminum anodizing process, or coated with a black material such as Teflon. The black surface facilitates heat absorption by the heat exchanger, improving heat exchange efficiency. The outer surface of the coil 435 can also be black. In other embodiments, the first upper heat exchanger 401 and the first lower heat exchanger 402 can also be plate heat exchangers, with the heat exchange surface being a flat plate. Since the heat exchange area of ​​the flat plate in a plate heat exchanger is smaller than the heat exchange area of ​​the fins in a finned tube heat exchanger, in order to obtain a heat exchange capacity similar to or the same as that of a finned heat exchanger, the length of the cooling section 103 using the plate heat exchanger can be set to be greater than the length of the cooling section 103 using the finned tube heat exchanger.

[0036] Figure 5 yes Figure 4B A perspective view of the heat exchanger support of the radiant cooling assembly 221, as shown in the figure. Figure 5 As shown, the heat exchanger bracket 405 has two hollow portions 508.1 and 508.2. Radiant cooling modules 311.1 and 311.2 are respectively disposed in hollow portions 508.1 and 508.2, making it easy for radiant cooling modules 311.1 and 311.2 to have direct contact with air without being blocked by the heat exchanger bracket 405. The heat exchanger bracket 405 has a pair of first side openings 415.1 and 415.2 and a pair of second side openings 416.1 and 416.2 on opposite sides of the radiant cooling modules 311.1 and 311.2. The first side openings 415.1 and 416.1 are aligned with the conveying space 315.1 of the radiant cooling module 311.1 to form a first conveying channel; the first side openings 415.2 and 416.2 are aligned with the conveying space 315.2 of the radiant cooling module 311.2 to form a second conveying channel.

[0037] Figure 6A yes Figure 3A A perspective view of the convection cooling assembly 222. Figure 6B yes Figure 6A Exploded view of the convection cooling assembly 222. (See diagram below.) Figure 6A and Figure 6BAs shown, in the two convection cooling modules 312.1 and 312.2 of the convection cooling assembly 222, each convection cooling module includes a fan assembly 603, a second upper heat exchanger 601, and a second lower heat exchanger 602. The specific structure of the two convection cooling modules is described below using convection cooling module 312.2 as an example. In addition to the two convection cooling modules 312.1 and 312.2, the convection cooling assembly 222 also includes a heat exchanger bracket 617 for supporting the two convection cooling modules 312.1 and 312.2. The heat exchanger bracket 617 and heat exchanger in the convection cooling assembly 222 are similar to or the same as the heat exchanger bracket and heat exchanger in the radiation cooling assembly 221, and will not be described in detail here.

[0038] A conveyor space exists between the second upper heat exchanger 601 and the second lower heat exchanger 602, and a conveyor belt is disposed between them. A fan assembly 603 is disposed above the second upper heat exchanger 601. The fan assembly 603 includes a fan bracket 609 and three fans 605. The fan bracket 609 includes a support plate 713 and a connecting plate 714 extending downward from the periphery of the support plate 713. The support plate 713 has three fan mounting holes for mounting the three fans 605. The connecting plate 714 is used to connect the fan bracket 609 to the heat exchanger bracket 617 or the second upper heat exchanger 601. A fluid space is formed between the bottom of the three fans 605 and the second upper heat exchanger 601, allowing fluid to flow through. The second upper heat exchanger 601 and the second lower heat exchanger 602 are finned tube heat exchangers. The second upper heat exchanger 601 and the second lower heat exchanger 602 each have multiple fins 632 and 633, arranged side-by-side in a horizontal direction, with each fin extending vertically. Three fans 605 are positioned above the second upper heat exchanger 601 and blow air downwards to cause the airflow near the conveyor belt to flow downwards. This downward airflow near the conveyor belt prevents the lightweight photovoltaic devices being processed on the conveyor belt from moving due to the influence of lateral and upward airflow. The downward airflow provided by the fans 605 passes through the gaps between the fins 632 of the second upper heat exchanger 601 and the fins 633 of the second lower heat exchanger 602, thereby increasing the airflow velocity. In one embodiment of this application, the three fans 605 evenly distributed above the second upper heat exchanger 601 enable a more uniform airflow distribution among the heat exchangers. In other embodiments, the number and power of the fans above the second upper heat exchanger 601 can be configured according to actual needs.

[0039] Figure 7 yes Figure 6A A cross-sectional view of the convection cooling assembly 222 along line BB, as shown below. Figure 7As shown, the fan bracket 609 creates a certain gap between the top of the fan 605 and the second upper heat exchanger 601 to form an airflow space. This gap is, for example, greater than 25 cm; in one embodiment, it is 30 cm. The gap between the top of the fan 605 and the second upper heat exchanger 601 allows the airflow from the fan 605 to diffuse evenly over the fins of the second upper heat exchanger 601 within the airflow space formed by this gap, ensuring uniform airflow across the fins. If the distance between the top of the fan 605 and the second upper heat exchanger 601 is too small, most of the airflow from the fan 605 will pass through the fins of the second upper heat exchanger 601 directly below the fan 605 before it has a chance to diffuse further, resulting in uneven heating of the second upper heat exchanger 601. The outer surfaces of the heat exchanger fins and coils of the convection cooling assembly 222 can be machined black or left untreated.

[0040] According to this application, in the first cooling zone 112, the heat exchanger directly absorbs the heat radiated from the photovoltaic device into the air, thereby cooling the photovoltaic device. In the second cooling zone 113, the heat exchanger absorbs the heat dissipated by the photovoltaic device due to air convection, thereby cooling the photovoltaic device. Both the first cooling zone 112 and the second cooling zone 113 achieve cooling through heat exchange with the air surrounding the photovoltaic device via heat exchangers. The difference lies in the airflow conditions in the first cooling zone 112 and the second cooling zone 113: the air in the first cooling zone has little or no flow, while the air in the second cooling zone 113 flows extensively.

[0041] exist Figures 1-7In the illustrated embodiment, this application does not use methods that increase the total heat exchange capacity of the heat exchanger in the first cooling zone 112 (e.g., increasing the cooling water flow rate or decreasing the cooling water temperature) to enhance the effect of the first cooling zone 112 on the photovoltaic device. In the first cooling zone 112, the heat exchanger reduces the temperature of the photovoltaic device by absorbing the energy emitted by the photovoltaic device through radiation. In existing designs, further increasing the cooling water flow rate to enhance the cooling effect on the photovoltaic device provides little further cooling. This is because in the first cooling zone 112, the temperature of the cooling water at the inlet of the heat exchanger is the same as the ambient temperature, and the heat exchanger reduces the temperature of the heat exchange surface through heat conduction between the cooling water and the heat exchange surface. During the operation of the heat exchanger, the heat exchange surface of the heat exchanger has a heat exchange surface temperature, and the air surrounding the heat exchange surface of the heat exchanger has an air temperature. The heat exchange surface temperature is affected by the cooling water temperature, and the air temperature is affected by the heat emitted by the photovoltaic device through thermal radiation. Since the heat exchanger surface temperature is close to the air temperature, after heat exchange between the heat exchanger and the air surrounding the heat exchanger surface, the temperature difference between the cooling water inlet and outlet is small. Increasing the cooling water flow rate further has little effect on absorbing the heat generated by the photovoltaic device, thus offering little help in further reducing the photovoltaic device temperature, and cannot further lower the photovoltaic device temperature to around 200℃ (200℃-250℃). Lowering the cooling water temperature to enhance the cooling effect on the photovoltaic device could further reduce its temperature, but this requires cooling the cooling water first, which is a complex and costly process. Furthermore, the lower cooling water temperature can easily cause condensation on the cooling water pipe surface, affecting the lifespan of the heat exchanger.

[0042] Furthermore, in Figures 1-7 In the illustrated embodiment, this application does not use the method of increasing the length of the first cooling partition 112 (i.e., adding more heat exchangers in the first cooling partition) to reduce the temperature of the photovoltaic device within the first cooling partition 112 to around 200°C (200°C-250°C). Similar to the reasons mentioned above, when the inlet temperature of the cooling water is the same as the ambient temperature, the difference between the inlet and outlet temperatures of the cooling water in the heat exchangers of the first cooling partition 112 is small. Therefore, further increasing the length of the first cooling partition 112 would provide little additional assistance in absorbing heat. If the method of increasing the length of the first cooling partition 112 were used to continue cooling the photovoltaic device, it would likely require a much longer first cooling partition 112, for example, several times the original length, to reduce the temperature of the photovoltaic device to around 200°C (200°C-250°C). This design would excessively increase the volume of the sintering furnace and significantly increase costs.

[0043] Furthermore, in Figures 1-7In the embodiment shown, convection cooling is not arranged in the first cooling zone 112 because the first cooling zone 112 is adjacent to the sintering section 102, and the air fluctuations generated by convection cooling may interfere with the operation of the sintering section 102.

[0044] exist Figures 1-7 In the illustrated embodiment, the first cooling zone 112, using radiative cooling, cools the photovoltaic device within it from 800°C-900°C to around 300°C (300°C-350°C). The power of heat radiated by an object is proportional to the fourth power of its absolute temperature; the power of heat radiated by an object is greater in higher temperature ranges and less in lower temperature ranges. In this application, the photovoltaic device radiates a greater amount of heat in the range of 800°C-900°C to around 300°C. The first cooling zone 112, using radiative cooling, can absorb this portion of heat, thereby cooling the photovoltaic device from 800°C-900°C to approximately 300°C (300°C-350°C). Photovoltaic devices have relatively low heat dissipation power in the range of 300℃ to 200℃. This application uses the convection cooling method of the second cooling zone 113 to increase the air circulation near the photovoltaic device, accelerate the heat dissipation speed of the photovoltaic device, and improve the heat dissipation power of the photovoltaic device. The heat exchanger in the second cooling zone 113 can absorb the heat dissipated by the photovoltaic device, so that the photovoltaic device can be cooled down from around 300℃ (300℃-350℃) to around 200℃ (200℃-250℃) more quickly.

[0045] Figures 1-7The illustrated embodiment includes two cooling zones with different operating modes: a first cooling zone 112 and a second cooling zone 113. The first cooling zone 112 primarily uses a heat exchanger to directly absorb the heat emitted by the photovoltaic device, reducing its temperature. The second cooling zone 113 enhances airflow near the photovoltaic device through convection, primarily absorbing heat emitted by the convection near the photovoltaic device to lower its temperature. In the first cooling zone 112, the photovoltaic device temperature is higher, resulting in greater radiative heat dissipation; radiative cooling is a relatively efficient method. In the second cooling zone 113, the photovoltaic device temperature has decreased, reducing its radiative heat dissipation; convection can increase its heat dissipation, making convection cooling a relatively efficient method. The combination of the first cooling zone 112 and the second cooling zone 113 meets the cooling requirements of the photovoltaic device, cooling it to a reasonable temperature range suitable for the temperature requirements of the light processing section 104. Furthermore, the combination of the first cooling zone 112 and the second cooling zone 113 not only satisfies the requirement of cooling the photovoltaic device to the ideal temperature range, but also results in a shorter cooling section 103, a smaller volume, and lower manufacturing cost.

[0046] Through observation and experimentation, the inventors discovered that higher temperatures in the light processing section 104 weaken the light processing effect, requiring a longer processing time to reach a state of light decay equilibrium. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the photovoltaic devices entering the light processing section 104 reach an ideal temperature range to save processing time. The combined use of convection cooling component 222 and radiation cooling component 221 enables the cooling section 103 to lower the temperature to the required level for the light processing section 104. Thus, the photovoltaic devices, after light processing in the light processing section 104, achieve light decay equilibrium.

[0047] In this application, there is a significant temperature difference between the sintering section 102 and the cooling section 103. The sintering section 102 needs to maintain a certain temperature to prevent temperature fluctuations from affecting the sintering quality. Therefore, air from the cooling section 103 should be prevented from entering the sintering section 102. The distance between the second cooling zone 113 and the sintering section 102 is no less than 0.85m to prevent airflow generated by the fan from entering the sintering section 102, lowering the temperature near the sintering zone outlet, and causing significant fluctuations in the maximum temperature of the photovoltaic device, thus affecting the sintering effect. The temperature of the light processing section 104 is close to the outlet temperature of the convection cooling module 222. Even if airflow enters the light processing section 104, it will not affect the temperature of the light processing section 104. That is, the second cooling zone 113, which uses convection cooling, can be arranged adjacent to the light processing section 104, but not adjacent to the sintering section 102. The first cooling zone 112 separates the second cooling zone 113 from the sintering section 102 to prevent airflow from affecting the sintering section 102.

[0048] In this application, the conveyor belt speed is 6-10 m / min, and the total length of the first cooling zone 112 and the second cooling zone 113 is approximately 1.5-2 m. The first cooling zone 112 is arranged adjacent to the sintering section 102 so that the photovoltaic devices sintered in the sintering section 102 can quickly enter the first cooling zone 112 for cooling, thereby ensuring the light conversion efficiency of the finished photovoltaic devices. If the cooling speed of the sintered photovoltaic devices is too slow, it will affect the light conversion efficiency of the finished photovoltaic devices.

[0049] In this application, for the heat exchangers arranged in the first cooling zone 112 and the second cooling zone 113, during use, the heat exchanger in the first cooling zone 112 typically operates at its designed maximum heat exchange power to rapidly reduce the temperature of the photovoltaic devices. The power of the heat exchanger and the fan power in the second cooling zone 113 will be adjusted according to usage to cool the photovoltaic devices to a suitable temperature range, preventing the photovoltaic devices from becoming too cold and affecting subsequent solar processing. The heat exchanger power can be adjusted by regulating the water flow rate in the heat exchange coils. The fan power can be adjusted by regulating the fan speed.

[0050] Although only some features of this application have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it should be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and variations that fall within the essential spirit and scope of this application.

Claims

1. A sintering apparatus for processing photovoltaic devices, characterized in that... include: The sintering section (102) is used for sintering photovoltaic devices; The light processing section (104) is used to perform light processing on the sintered photovoltaic device; A cooling section (103) is disposed between the sintering section (102) and the light processing section (104). The cooling section (103) includes a first cooling partition (112) and a second cooling partition (113). The first cooling partition (112) is connected to the sintering section (102), and the second cooling partition (113) is connected to the light processing section (104). The first cooling partition (112) is configured to cool the photovoltaic device by radiation cooling, and the second cooling partition (113) is configured to cool the photovoltaic device by convection cooling. The first cooling partition (112) cools the photovoltaic device to a first temperature range, and the second cooling partition (112) cools the photovoltaic device to a second temperature range. The first temperature range is 280°C-350°C, the second temperature range is 180°C-250°C, and the temperature range in the light processing section (104) is 180°C-250°C.

2. The sintering equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The first cooling zone (112) includes at least one radiative cooling module, which includes a first upper heat exchanger (401) and a first lower heat exchanger (402). A gap is provided between the first upper heat exchanger (401) and the first lower heat exchanger (402) to allow photovoltaic devices to pass through. The surfaces of the first upper heat exchanger (401) and the first lower heat exchanger (402) are black.

3. The sintering equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The black color on the surfaces of the first upper heat exchanger (401) and the first lower heat exchanger (402) is formed by an aluminum oxidation process or by a coating.

4. The sintering equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The first upper heat exchanger (401) and the first lower heat exchanger (402) are finned tube heat exchangers. The finned tube heat exchanger includes a coil and a plurality of fins arranged in sequence. There is a gap between adjacent fins, and the coil passes through the fins.

5. The sintering equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The second cooling zone (113) includes at least one convection cooling module, which includes a second upper heat exchanger (601) and a second lower heat exchanger (602). A gap is provided between the second upper heat exchanger (601) and the second lower heat exchanger (602) to allow photovoltaic devices to pass through. At least one fan (605) is provided above the second upper heat exchanger (601), which is configured to allow airflow from the second upper heat exchanger (601) to the second lower heat exchanger (602). The distance between the bottom of the fan (605) and the top of the second upper heat exchanger (601) is not less than 25 cm.

6. The sintering equipment as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The second upper heat exchanger (601) and the second lower heat exchanger (602) are finned tube heat exchangers. The finned tube heat exchanger includes a coil and a plurality of fins arranged in sequence. There is a gap between adjacent fins, and the coil passes through the fins.

7. The sintering equipment as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The at least one fan (605) is a plurality of fans, which are evenly distributed above the second upper heat exchanger (601), and the power of the plurality of fans is adjustable; The second cooling zone (113) includes a fan bracket on which the plurality of fans are mounted.

8. The sintering equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The distance between the second cooling zone (113) and the sintering section (102) is not less than 0.85m.

9. The sintering equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When the photovoltaic device leaves the second cooling zone (113), the temperature of the photovoltaic device is reduced to 200°C-250°C.

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