A multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding ribbon

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of welding ribbon cleaning technology and discloses a multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding ribbons. The photovoltaic welding ribbon is transported sequentially to a pretreatment module, a first-stage cleaning tank, a second-stage cleaning tank, and an evaporation cylinder via guide wheels. The pretreatment module is equipped with brush wheels for cleaning the surface of the welding ribbon and a cavity for collecting debris. An air outlet is provided on the side of the pretreatment module, facing the evaporation cylinder. The air outlet generates airflow, causing debris on the surface of the welding ribbon to enter the cavity in the pretreatment module for collection. The airflow finally moves towards the evaporation cylinder. The evaporation cylinder has air inlets arrayed along the edge on its side and an upward-moving airflow within it. A transition section is provided between the first-stage cleaning tank and the second-stage cleaning tank. The transition section is located horizontally between the pretreatment module and the evaporation cylinder. The welding ribbon is immersed in the first-stage cleaning tank via guide wheels and then fed into the second-stage cleaning tank after passing through the transition section.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of welding strip cleaning technology, specifically a multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding strips. Background Technology

[0002] Photovoltaic ribbon cleaning tanks are key auxiliary equipment in photovoltaic module production. They are primarily used to remove residual flux, oxides, and oil impurities from the surface of the ribbons. Typically made of stainless steel, they are equipped with an ultrasonic generator, a circulating filtration system, and a temperature control module. The cleaning tank uses a specific ratio of alkaline or acidic solution, utilizing ultrasonic cavitation to remove contaminants from the ribbon surface. Combined with mechanical spraying or immersion, deep cleaning is achieved. The circulating filtration system removes suspended impurities in real time, maintaining solution cleanliness, while the temperature control function ensures the cleaning process meets process parameter requirements. Cleaned ribbons effectively improve welding reliability, preventing problems such as incomplete or over-welded connections caused by contamination, thereby improving the current conduction efficiency and overall lifespan of photovoltaic modules. Some advanced cleaning tanks also integrate intelligent monitoring functions, allowing real-time adjustment of cleaning parameters and early warning of solution fatigue, further ensuring cleaning quality. As a pre-treatment step in the photovoltaic manufacturing process, this equipment plays an irreplaceable role in improving product yield and long-term stability.

[0003] Existing photovoltaic ribbon cleaning equipment requires surface pretreatment devices and drying devices to be installed before and after the cleaning tank, which greatly increases the equipment footprint for small and medium-sized enterprises. At the same time, the airflow generated during the operation of the ribbon surface pretreatment and drying devices will cause airflow near the cleaning tank, causing the acid in the cleaning tank to evaporate rapidly, increasing costs. Furthermore, the airflow will cause the acid to corrode other equipment, resulting in increased maintenance costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] (I) Technical problem to be solved: In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, the present invention provides a multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding strips, which has the advantages of compact structure, small footprint and orderly gas flow, and solves the problems in the pretreatment and drying process of welding strips.

[0005] (II) Technical Solution: To achieve the aforementioned goals of compact structure, small footprint, and orderly gas flow, this invention provides the following technical solution: A multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding ribbons, comprising a pretreatment module, a first-stage cleaning tank, a second-stage cleaning tank, an evaporation cylinder, and guide wheels. The photovoltaic welding ribbon is sequentially transported to the pretreatment module, the first-stage cleaning tank, the second-stage cleaning tank, and the evaporation cylinder via the guide wheels. The pretreatment module is equipped with brush wheels for cleaning the surface of the welding ribbon and a cavity for collecting debris. An air outlet is located on the side of the pretreatment module, facing the evaporation cylinder. The air outlet generates airflow, causing... The welding strip surface debris enters the cavity of the pretreatment module for collection. The airflow finally moves to the evaporation cylinder. The evaporation cylinder has air inlets arrayed along the edge on its side and an upward airflow inside. The first-stage cleaning tank and the second-stage cleaning tank are located below the pretreatment module, and a transition section is provided between the first-stage cleaning tank and the second-stage cleaning tank. At the same time, the transition section is located horizontally between the pretreatment module and the evaporation cylinder. The welding strip is immersed in the first-stage cleaning tank through the guide wheel, and enters the second-stage cleaning tank after passing through the transition section. The transition section is provided with a welding strip drain trough with a shape consistent with the welding strip path.

[0006] Preferably, the bottom of the air outlet has a downward chamfer.

[0007] Preferably, the height of the first-stage cleaning tank is higher than the height of the second cleaning tank, and the transition section is inclined, with the side closer to the first-stage cleaning tank being higher than the side farther away from the first-stage cleaning tank.

[0008] Preferably, the air inlet is inclined upwards, the outer air inlet is at a lower horizontal height than the connected inner air inlet, and the air inlet as a whole is deflected toward the axis of the evaporator.

[0009] Preferably, a reflux plate is provided above the first-stage cleaning tank. The reflux plate has a notch in the middle for the welding strip to pass through. The reflux plate is an acrylic plate with a gap in the middle, and cooling water passes through the gap.

[0010] Preferably, the return plate is inclined, with the side closer to the transition section having a lower horizontal position.

[0011] Preferably, the bottom of the reflux plate is provided with wavy protrusions.

[0012] Preferably, an overflow port is provided between the first-stage cleaning tank and the transition section. The overflow port is vertically arranged and has a notch in the middle for the welding strip to pass through.

[0013] Preferably, the welding strip drainage channel has transition drainage channels on both sides that are perpendicular to itself.

[0014] Preferably, the evaporator is fixed above the second-stage cleaning tank by a fixing member, and the fixing member is detachable.

[0015] (III) Beneficial Effects: Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding strips, which has the following beneficial effects: 1. In this multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding strips, the pretreatment module physically scrubs the surface of the welding strip with a high-speed rotating brush wheel, directly removing metal debris and dust. The simultaneously activated air outlet adsorbs the airflow to suck the debris into the cavity, avoiding secondary pollution and preventing the debris from being carried into the cleaning tank, which would increase the consumption of acid. The synchronous design of the brush wheel and airflow solves the problem of debris scattering in the traditional process. The first-stage cleaning tank uses hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid to remove oxides, and the second-stage cleaning tank uses sodium bicarbonate to neutralize the residual acid, forming a closed-loop reaction chain of "acid washing-neutralization". The graded treatment avoids excessive consumption of acid. At the same time, the salts generated by the neutralization reaction are soluble in water, reducing surface residues. The upward airflow inside the evaporation cylinder is driven by an air pump to accelerate the evaporation of moisture on the surface of the welding strip. The array of air inlets on the side ensures uniform airflow distribution, and the drying efficiency is higher than that of traditional hot air. Significant improvements have been made. The dried airflow carrying volatile substances is collected and treated centrally, meeting environmental emission standards. The air outlet of the pretreatment module guides the airflow after adsorbing debris to the evaporator. Utilizing the air pressure difference generated on the outside and inside of the evaporator, the airflow from the outside enters the evaporator through the air inlet to assist in the drying of the welding strip. Because the airflow from the pretreatment module's outlet increases the air pressure outside the evaporator, the power requirement of the air pump inside the evaporator is reduced. At the same time, the pretreatment module and the evaporator can be set up adjacent to each other. The pretreatment module and the evaporator are located above the cleaning tank, making full use of vertical space. The overall footprint is reduced by 50% compared to the traditional horizontal layout, making it especially suitable for the compact workshops of small and medium-sized enterprises. The negative pressure airflow of the evaporator and the acid environment of the cleaning tank are separated by a transition section to prevent the drying airflow from disturbing the liquid surface of the cleaning tank or accelerating acid evaporation. This design solves the problem of mutual interference between the drying zone and the cleaning zone in traditional equipment, significantly improving process stability.

[0016] 2. This multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding strips features a first-stage cleaning tank that is higher than the second. The welding strip naturally slides down into the transition section under gravity, reducing the need for mechanical traction and preventing stretching deformation due to excessive tension. The transition section is higher on the side closest to the first-stage cleaning tank, forming a 5°–10° angle. The welding strip enters the second-stage cleaning tank in a "gentle slope" manner, avoiding liquid splashing caused by sharp turns or vertical drops. The air inlet is deflected towards the evaporator cylinder axis, with the outer air inlet lower than the inner one. The airflow naturally forms a spiral upward trajectory, covering the entire surface of the welding strip. This significantly improves drying uniformity compared to traditional vertical airflow, eliminating localized damp dead zones. The spiral airflow creates a low-pressure zone at the center of the evaporator cylinder, accelerating the replenishment of external air through the air inlet, further reducing the power requirement of the air pump. In the spiral airflow, acid mist particles are concentrated and treated more effectively in the recovery device due to the aggregation effect of the airflow. Simultaneously, the spiral airflow effectively washes the cylinder wall, reducing maintenance costs.

[0017] 3. This multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding strips features a reflux plate above the first-stage cleaning tank. The reflux plate has a notch in the middle for the welding strip to pass through. The reflux plate is an acrylic plate with a gap in the middle through which cooling water passes, allowing the volatile acid mist to be pre-cooled and condensed at the bottom of the reflux plate. This significantly reduces the amount of acid mist escaping compared to traditional open designs. The reflux plate is inclined, with the side near the transition section being lower in horizontal position. The bottom of the reflux plate has wavy protrusions. The wavy structure at the bottom of the plate prolongs the contact time of the acid mist and guides the condensate to flow directionally along the troughs into the tank. The reflux plate is inclined towards the transition section side, and the condensate and uncondensed acid mist slide along the plate surface into the cleaning tank under the action of gravity. An overflow port is provided between the first-stage cleaning tank and the reflux plate. The overflow port is vertically arranged and has a notch in the middle for the welding strip to pass through, reducing the movement of the airflow on the surface of the first-stage cleaning tank towards the transition section. At the same time, it prevents the welding strip from splashing out acid. The welding strip drainage tank has transition section drainage tanks perpendicular to itself on both sides. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention. Figure 1 .

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of airflow motion according to the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention. Figure 2 .

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the air inlet of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the airflow in the evaporator of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a detailed schematic diagram of the overflow plate of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a detailed schematic diagram of the reflux plate of the present invention.

[0025] In the diagram: 1. Pretreatment module; 2. First-stage cleaning tank; 3. Second-stage cleaning tank; 4. Evaporator; 5. Transition section; 11. Air outlet; 21. Return plate; 41. Fixing component; 42. Air inlet; 51. Overflow port; 52. Welding strip drain trough; 53. Transition section drain trough; 101. Guide wheel. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] Please see Figures 1-3 A multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding ribbons includes a pretreatment module 1, a first-stage cleaning tank 2, a second-stage cleaning tank 3, an evaporation cylinder 4, and guide wheels 101. The photovoltaic welding ribbons are sequentially transported to the pretreatment module 1, the first-stage cleaning tank 2, the second-stage cleaning tank 3, and the evaporation cylinder 4 via the guide wheels 101. The pretreatment module 1 is equipped with brush wheels for cleaning the surface of the welding ribbons and a cavity for collecting debris. An air outlet 11 is located on the side of the pretreatment module 1, facing the evaporation cylinder 4. The air outlet 11 generates airflow, causing debris from the surface of the welding ribbons to enter the cavity of the pretreatment module 1 for collection. Simultaneously, a filter screen is installed between the cavity and the air outlet 11 to prevent debris from being ejected along with the airflow. The airflow from the air outlet 11 finally moves towards the evaporator 4. The evaporator 4 has air inlets 42 arrayed along its edge on its side and an upward-moving airflow inside. The first-stage cleaning tank 2 and the second-stage cleaning tank 3 are located below the pretreatment module 1, and a transition section 5 is provided between the first-stage cleaning tank 2 and the second-stage cleaning tank 3. At the same time, the transition section 5 is located horizontally between the pretreatment module 1 and the evaporator 4. The welding strip is immersed in the first-stage cleaning tank 2 through the guide wheel 101, and enters the second-stage cleaning tank 3 after passing through the transition section 5. The transition section 5 is provided with a welding strip drain trough 52 with a shape consistent with the welding strip path. The bottom of the air outlet 11 is provided with a downward chamfer.

[0028] The photovoltaic welding ribbon is transported to the pretreatment module 1 via guide wheel 101. The pretreatment module 1 removes residual metal debris and dust from the surface of the welding ribbon using brush wheels, and generates an adsorption airflow through the air outlet 11 to collect the metal debris and dust. The discharged airflow flows towards the evaporator 4. After leaving the pretreatment module 1, the welding ribbon enters the first-stage cleaning tank 2 for acid washing. The first-stage cleaning tank 2 contains 5%–15% hydrochloric acid or 10%–20% sulfuric acid to dissolve the oxides on the surface of the welding ribbon. Subsequently, the welding ribbon passes through the transition section 5 into the second-stage cleaning tank 3 for neutralization. The second-stage cleaning tank 3 contains sodium bicarbonate to neutralize the residual acid on the surface of the welding ribbon. An upward airflow is generated in the evaporator 4 by an air pump. Because the airflow moves upward and the evaporator 4 has air inlets 42 on its side, the negative pressure causes only air to remain at the bottom of the evaporator 4. The gap for the welding strip to pass through allows the airflow from the outlet 11 to pass through the air inlet 42 of the evaporator 4 and enter the interior, drying the welding strip in the evaporator 4. The dried airflow is then carried upwards for collection. The transition section 5 is located between the pretreatment module 1 and the evaporator 4, and the lower side of the outlet 11 is chamfered, allowing some of the airflow that does not flow into the evaporator 4 to flow downwards, applying downward airflow to the welding strip and reducing the residual acid on the surface of the welding strip. At the same time, the volatilized acid is discharged into the welding strip drain trough 52. The overall structure has a more orderly airflow movement. Furthermore, by placing the pretreatment module 1 and the evaporator 4 above the cleaning tank, the footprint is greatly reduced, which is more space-saving for small and medium-sized enterprises. The interference between the various devices is also minimal, and there is no need to worry about the airflow from the evaporator 4 affecting the volatilization of the acid in the cleaning tank.

[0029] The height of the first-stage cleaning tank 2 is higher than that of the second-stage cleaning tank 3, and the transition section 5 is inclined, with the side closer to the first-stage cleaning tank 2 being higher than the side farther away from the first-stage cleaning tank 2, forming an inclination angle of 5° to 10°. The welding strip enters the second-stage cleaning tank 3 in a "gentle slope" manner, so that the welding strip can enter the second-stage cleaning tank 3 more smoothly and reduce liquid splashing.

[0030] See Figures 4-5 The air inlet 42 is inclined upwards, and the horizontal height of the outer air inlet 42 is lower than that of the inner air inlet 42. The air inlet 42 is deflected towards the axis of the evaporator cylinder 4, so that the airflow entering the evaporator cylinder 4 can naturally form a spiral upward flow. The spiral airflow forms a low-pressure zone in the center of the evaporator cylinder 4, which accelerates the replenishment of external air through the air inlet, reduces the power consumption of the air pump in the evaporator cylinder 4, and increases the service life of the air pump. In the spiral airflow, acid mist particles are gathered by the airflow and can be more effectively concentrated and treated in the recovery device. At the same time, the spiral airflow can effectively flush the cylinder wall and reduce maintenance costs.

[0031] See Figures 6-7A reflux plate 21 is provided above the first-stage cleaning tank 2. The reflux plate 21 has a notch in the middle for the welding strip to pass through. The reflux plate 21 is an acrylic plate with a gap in the middle, and cooling water passes through the gap, so that the volatilized acid mist is pre-cooled and condensed at the bottom of the reflux plate 21. The amount of acid mist escape is significantly reduced compared with the traditional open design. The reflux plate 21 is inclined, with the side closer to the transition section 5 having a lower horizontal position. The bottom of the reflux plate 21 has a wavy protrusion. The wavy structure at the bottom of the plate prolongs the contact time of the acid mist and guides the condensate to flow directionally into the tank along the trough. The reflux plate 21 is inclined towards the transition section side, and the condensate and uncondensed acid mist slide along the plate surface into the cleaning tank under the action of gravity.

[0032] See Figure 6 An overflow port 51 is provided between the first-stage cleaning tank 2 and the transition section 5. The overflow port 51 is vertically arranged and has a gap in the middle for the welding strip to pass through, which reduces the movement of the airflow on the surface of the first-stage cleaning tank 2 towards the transition section 5. At the same time, it prevents the welding strip from splashing out acid. The welding strip drainage trough 52 has transition section drainage troughs 53 on both sides that are perpendicular to itself.

[0033] The evaporation cylinder 4 is fixed above the second-stage cleaning tank 3 by a fixing member 41, and the fixing member 41 is detachable.

[0034] Working Principle: The photovoltaic welding ribbon is transported to the pretreatment module 1 via guide wheel 101. The pretreatment module 1 removes residual metal debris and dust from the surface of the welding ribbon using brush wheels, and generates an adsorption airflow through the air outlet 11 to collect the metal debris and dust. The discharged airflow flows towards the evaporation cylinder 4. After exiting the pretreatment module 1, the welding ribbon enters the first-stage cleaning tank 2 for acid washing. The first-stage cleaning tank 2 contains 5%~15% hydrochloric acid or 10%~20% sulfuric acid to dissolve the oxides on the surface of the welding ribbon. Subsequently, the welding ribbon passes through the transition section 5 into the second-stage cleaning tank 3 for neutralization. The second-stage cleaning tank 3 contains sodium bicarbonate to neutralize the residual acid on the surface of the welding ribbon. The evaporation cylinder 4... An upward-flowing airflow is generated by an air pump. Because the airflow moves upward and the evaporator 4 has an air inlet 42 on its side, the negative pressure causes the airflow blown out of the outlet 11 to pass through the air inlet 42 of the evaporator 4 and enter the interior, drying the solder strip in the evaporator 4. The dried airflow is then carried upward and collected. The transition section 5 is located between the pretreatment module 1 and the evaporator 4, and the lower side of the outlet 11 has a chamfer, which causes some of the airflow that does not flow into the evaporator 4 to flow downward, applying downward airflow to the solder strip and reducing the acid residue on the surface of the solder strip. At the same time, the volatilized acid is discharged into the solder strip drain trough 52, making the overall airflow movement more orderly.

[0035] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0036] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding ribbon, comprising a pretreatment module (1), a first-stage cleaning tank (2), a second-stage cleaning tank (3), an evaporation cylinder (4), and guide wheels (101), wherein the photovoltaic welding ribbon is sequentially transported to the pretreatment module (1), the first-stage cleaning tank (2), the second-stage cleaning tank (3), and the evaporation cylinder (4) via the guide wheels (101), characterized in that: The pretreatment module (1) is equipped with a brush wheel for cleaning the surface of the solder strip and a cavity for collecting debris. The pretreatment module (1) has an air outlet (11) on its side, and the air outlet (11) faces the evaporation cylinder (4). The air outlet (11) generates airflow, which causes the debris on the surface of the solder strip to enter the cavity in the pretreatment module (1) for collection. The airflow finally moves towards the evaporation cylinder (4). The evaporation cylinder (4) has air inlets (42) arrayed along the edge on its side, and the evaporation cylinder (4) has an upward airflow. The first-stage cleaning tank (2) The first-stage cleaning tank (2) and the second-stage cleaning tank (3) are located below the pretreatment module (1), and a transition section (5) is provided between the first-stage cleaning tank (2) and the second-stage cleaning tank (3). At the same time, the transition section (5) is located between the pretreatment module (1) and the evaporation cylinder (4) in the horizontal direction. The welding strip is immersed into the first-stage cleaning tank (2) through the guide wheel (101), and then enters the second-stage cleaning tank (3) after passing through the transition section (5). The transition section (5) is provided with a welding strip drain trough (52) with a shape consistent with the welding strip path.

2. The multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding strips according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the air outlet (11) has a downward chamfer.

3. A multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding strips according to claim 1, characterized in that: The height of the first-stage cleaning tank (2) is higher than the height of the second-stage cleaning tank (3), and the transition section (5) is inclined, with the side closer to the first-stage cleaning tank (2) being higher than the side farther away from the first-stage cleaning tank (2).

4. A multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding strips according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air inlet (42) is inclined upward, and the horizontal height of the outer air inlet (42) is lower than that of the inner air inlet (42) that is connected. The air inlet (42) as a whole is deflected toward the axis of the evaporator (4).

5. A multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding strips according to claim 1, characterized in that: A return plate (21) is provided above the first-stage cleaning tank (2). The return plate (21) has a notch in the middle for the welding strip to pass through. The return plate (21) is an acrylic plate with a gap in the middle, and cooling water passes through the gap in the middle.

6. A multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding strips according to claim 5, characterized in that: The return plate (21) is inclined and the horizontal position is low on the side near the transition section (5).

7. A multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding strips according to claim 5, characterized in that: The bottom of the reflux plate (21) is provided with wavy protrusions.

8. A multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding strips according to claim 2, characterized in that: An overflow port (51) is provided between the first-stage cleaning tank (2) and the transition section (5). The overflow port (51) is vertically arranged and has a gap in the middle for the welding strip to pass through.

9. A multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding strips according to claim 8, characterized in that: The welding strip drain trough (52) has transition drain troughs (53) on both sides that are perpendicular to itself.

10. A multi-stage cleaning tank for photovoltaic welding strips according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that: The evaporation cylinder (4) is fixed above the second-stage cleaning tank (3) by a fastener (41), and the fastener (41) is detachable.

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