Method and system for recycling waste single-glass assembly

Abstract

The invention discloses a method for recycling a waste single-glass assembly and a recycling system, and relates to the technical field of photovoltaic assembly resource recycling, the recycling method comprises the following steps: providing the waste single-glass assembly which is free of frames and glass and is composed of a backboard layer, a first binder layer, a battery material layer and a second binder layer which are stacked in sequence; the waste single-glass assembly is heated, so that the first binder layer and the second binder layer are heated to be softened, and meanwhile the temperature of the back plate layer is controlled to be lower than the critical temperature of fluorine-containing gas generated through pyrolysis of the back plate layer; the heated waste single-glass assembly is moved to a friction platform with specific roughness, so that the second binder layer is in contact with the friction platform; and applying pressure to the waste single-glass assembly, and enabling the waste single-glass assembly and the friction platform to generate relative friction motion, so that the battery material layer and the adhesive layer are separated from the back plate layer. According to the method, the characteristic that the viscosity of the adhesive layer is reduced after the adhesive layer is heated is utilized, the friction platform with specific roughness is combined, pressure friction is matched, the battery material and the adhesive layer are completely stripped from the back plate together rapidly and effectively, breaking and layering of the back plate are avoided, and the recovery purity of the battery material and the complete recovery rate of the back plate are remarkably improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of photovoltaic module recycling, in particular to a method and system for recycling waste single-glass modules. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the rapid growth of global photovoltaic installed capacity, how to handle the retired photovoltaic modules has become a key challenge to be solved. Among them, single-glass modules, as one of the mainstream products, their structure mainly includes an aluminum frame, a junction box and a photovoltaic module board, wherein the photovoltaic module board is obtained by sequentially laminating a glass layer, an adhesive layer, a cell material layer, an adhesive layer and a backboard. Currently, the mainstream recycling process of waste single-glass modules mainly includes (1) material crushing method; the material crushing method disassembles the module into mixed particles through mechanical crushing, and then performs subsequent sorting; (2) thermal method; the thermal method realizes the separation of each layer by melting or pyrolyzing the adhesive layer through high-temperature heating; (3) chemical method; the chemical method realizes the separation of each layer by dissolving the adhesive layer with a solvent.

[0003] However, in actual recycling scenarios, due to the high instant realization value of the aluminum frame, the junction box and the glass, there is a priority to disassemble the glass layer and the aluminum frame of the waste single-glass module, resulting in the accumulation of inventory or direct waste of the waste single-glass module without a frame and a glass. Such a waste single-glass module without a frame and a glass is referred to as a "module skin" (as shown in Figure 11 The recycling difficulty of such a waste single-glass module without a frame and a glass is much higher than that of a waste single-glass module, and the difficulties are as follows: (1) after the waste single-glass module loses the hard structures such as the glass and the aluminum frame, it lacks rigid support, and the cell material layer is easily deformed as a whole due to insufficient hardness and deformed irregularly in each region due to the deformation of the backboard, resulting in uneven heating of each region when treated by pyrolysis, which cannot achieve the purpose of peeling off the backboard without producing harmful fluorine-containing gas. (2) The backboard is generally a TPT backboard, and the pyrolysis critical temperature of the TPT backboard is about 220℃, and the pyrolysis temperature of the adhesive layer is above 400℃; when treated by pyrolysis, the backboard will be preferentially pyrolyzed to produce harmful fluorine-containing gas. (3) The thickness of the backboard is only 200-350μm, and when the physical method such as tearing, scraping and the like is used to separate the adhesive layer and the cell sheet, the backboard is easily broken and layered, which makes it more difficult to achieve green component recycling in subsequent processing. (4) The material crushing method easily causes the backboard and the cell material layer to be crushed, resulting in multi-component mixing pollution, which makes it difficult to sort and has a low recovery rate. The chemical method has a long processing period and high processing cost, and the chemical waste liquid needs to be treated for environmental protection.

[0004] Therefore, it is urgent to develop an efficient, environmentally friendly and low-cost recycling method that can separate the cell material and the backboard without damaging the chemical structure of the backboard and producing fluorine-containing pollution. SUMMARY

[0005] The first aspect of this application discloses a method for recycling waste single-glass modules, comprising the following steps: The waste single-glass module is provided. The waste single-glass module is frameless and glassless, and is composed of a back sheet layer, a first adhesive layer, a battery material layer and a second adhesive layer stacked in sequence. The waste single-glass module is heated to soften the first and second adhesive layers, while the temperature of the backsheet layer is controlled to be below the critical temperature at which it pyrolyzes to produce fluorine-containing gas. The heated waste single-glass module is moved to a friction platform with a specific roughness, so that the second adhesive layer comes into contact with the friction platform; Pressure is applied to the waste single-glass module, causing it to move relative to the friction platform, thereby separating the battery material layer from the adhesive layer from the backsheet layer.

[0006] In one alternative approach, the temperature of the backsheet layer is controlled between 100°C and 200°C. Preferably, the heating component is preheated to 300℃~400℃, and then the waste single-glass component is placed on the heating component for heating for 1-5 minutes.

[0007] In one alternative embodiment, the specific roughness Ra of the friction platform is 3 μm to 15 μm; preferably, the specific roughness Ra of the friction platform is 5 μm to 10 μm.

[0008] In one alternative approach, the temperature of the friction platform is controlled between 50°C and 150°C while the frictional motion is being performed. Preferably, the temperature of the friction platform is controlled between 80°C and 120°C.

[0009] In one alternative approach, the pressure applied to the waste single-glass module is 15N~50N. Preferably, the pressure applied to the waste single-glass module is 20N~30N.

[0010] In one alternative approach, the speed of the relative frictional motion is 5 cm / s to 15 cm / s; Preferably, the speed of the relative frictional motion is 6 cm / s to 10 cm / s; The second aspect of this application discloses a recycling system that implements the method for recycling waste single-glass modules disclosed in the first aspect of this application; comprising: A heating assembly includes a support platform and a first heating device. The support platform is used to place the waste single-glass module, and the first heating device is used to heat the waste single-glass module on the support platform as a whole. The friction assembly includes a friction platform, a second heating device, a pressure mechanism, and a drive mechanism; the friction platform is used to carry the waste single-glass module heated by the first heating device; the second heating device is used to preheat and control the temperature of the friction platform; the pressure mechanism is used to apply positive pressure to the waste single-glass module during the friction process.

[0011] The drive mechanism is used to cause the heated waste single-glass module to undergo relative frictional motion with the friction platform.

[0012] In one alternative embodiment, the specific roughness Ra of the friction platform is 3 μm to 15 μm; Preferably, the specific roughness Ra of the friction platform is 5μm~10μm.

[0013] In one alternative embodiment, the friction platform is a planar structure and is made of a high-temperature resistant hard material.

[0014] In an alternative embodiment, the system further includes a temperature sensor for monitoring the temperature of the backsheet layer to ensure that it is below a preset critical temperature. Preferably, the recycling system further includes a control system, and the temperature sensor is connected to the control system. The control system receives the temperature sensor readings and issues alarm prompts or adjusts the power of the first heating device and / or the second heating device.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, this application: (1) By using heating and pressure friction on deformed or irregular frameless and glassless waste components, the battery material and adhesive layer are effectively peeled off from the backing plate, avoiding the breakage and delamination of the backing plate, and significantly improving the recycling purity of the battery material and the complete recycling rate of the backing plate.

[0016] (2) The mixture of battery fragments and adhesive obtained by this application is small in size and can be directly recycled without additional crushing, and the metal recovery rate is better.

[0017] (3) Throughout the recycling process, the temperature of the backing layer is controlled below the critical temperature at which it pyrolyzes to produce fluorine-containing harmful gases, thereby completely avoiding the release of fluorine-containing gases during the entire recycling process. This eliminates the need for expensive waste gas treatment facilities and greatly reduces environmental costs and risks.

[0018] (4) The process of this application is simple and does not require the use of chemical solvents or ultra-high temperature pyrolysis, which greatly reduces energy consumption and material consumption, and significantly reduces the overall recycling cost of waste photovoltaic modules. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of this application and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings: Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating a method for recycling waste single-glass modules according to this application is shown; Figure 2 A cross-sectional SEM image of a waste single-glass module is shown; Figure 3 A frontal view of the original sample of the waste single-glass module is shown; Figure 4 A back view of the original sample of a waste single-glass module is shown; Figure 5 A photograph of the sample during the friction process in Example 1 is shown; Figure 6 The actual sample during the friction process of Example 1 is shown. Figure 2 ; Figure 7 A physical image of the mixture of the adhesive layer and battery fragments after friction in Example 1 is shown; Figure 8 A structural block diagram of the recycling system of this application is shown; Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the heating assembly of this application is shown; Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the friction assembly of this application is shown; Figure 11 A physical image of a component skin in the prior art is shown.

[0020] Figure label: 1- Used single-glass modules; 10 - Backsheet layer; 20 - First adhesive layer; 20a - Softened first adhesive layer; 30 - Battery material layer; 40 - Second adhesive layer; 40a - Softened second adhesive layer; 50 - Glass layer; 100-Heating component; 101-Bearing platform; 102-First heating device; 200-Friction component; 201-Friction platform; 202-Second heating device; 203-Driving device; 204-Pressure device. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that these descriptions are exemplary only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known structures and technologies are omitted in the following description to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concepts of the present disclosure.

[0022] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise expressly specified. "Several" means one or more, unless otherwise expressly specified.

[0023] The first aspect of this application provides a method for recycling waste single-glass modules, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes the following steps: We provide used single-glass modules, which are frameless and glassless, and consist of a backsheet layer, a first adhesive layer, a battery material layer, and a second adhesive layer stacked in sequence. In this step, the complete waste single-glass module includes a laminate of a back sheet layer, a first adhesive layer, a battery material layer, a second adhesive layer, and glass, which are stacked in sequence; it also includes a frame and a junction box; in this application, since the frame and junction box are removed and the glass layer is removed, only the waste single-glass module including the back sheet layer, the first adhesive layer, the battery material layer, and the second adhesive layer, which are stacked in sequence, remains.

[0024] The backsheet layer is generally a TPT backsheet, TPE backsheet, or KPE backsheet; the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer are generally EVA adhesive layer or POE adhesive layer; the battery material layer is mainly a photovoltaic panel obtained by connecting and / or paralleling battery cells (such as PERC cells, TOPCon cells). This application does not limit the type of battery cells.

[0025] Figure 3 A front view of a discarded single-glass module is shown; as follows: Figure 3 As shown, a transparent adhesive layer, also known as the second adhesive layer, can be seen on the front of the waste single-glass module. Below the adhesive layer is a blue battery material layer, which also includes white solder ribbons. Figure 4 The image shown is a photograph of the back of a discarded single-glass module; as shown. Figure 4 As shown, the backplate is white and has some damage, revealing a transparent adhesive layer underneath, which is the first adhesive layer and the battery material layer. Figure 3 and Figure 4 It can be seen that the old single-glass components, after the frames and glass were removed, lacked rigid support and were severely deformed.

[0026] The waste single-glass modules are heated to soften the first and second adhesive layers, while the temperature of the backsheet layer is controlled to be below the critical temperature at which it pyrolyzes to produce fluorine-containing gas. In this step, the waste single-glass modules are heated at a temperature that softens the first and second adhesive layers but is below the pyrolysis temperature of the backsheet layer.

[0027] The first and second adhesive layers are mainly made of EVA or POE, both of which are thermoplastic adhesive layers. The thermoplasticity is mainly manifested in its gradual softening upon heating to a certain temperature, eventually melting into a fluid state upon reaching its melting point. This is because during heating, the thermal motion of molecules intensifies, weakening the intermolecular forces and allowing molecules to move relatively freely. At room temperature, there are strong interactions between the molecular chains in the adhesive layer, limiting their range of motion. They are entangled together, giving the material a certain rigidity and low fluidity, exhibiting high viscosity. When the adhesive layer is heated, the molecules gain additional energy, intensifying their thermal motion. The molecular chain segments begin to move, rotate, and vibrate more freely. The originally tightly entangled molecular chains gradually untangle, increasing the distance between molecules and weakening the intermolecular forces. This allows molecules to slide relatively easily, increasing the material's fluidity and giving it a liquid-like state.

[0028] Figure 2 A cross-sectional SEM image of a waste single-glass module is shown; Figure 2 The image contains cross-sectional SEM images of the first and second adhesive layers in two states. The left side shows the cross-sectional SEM images of the first and second adhesive layers in their thermally melted state, while the right side shows the cross-sectional SEM images of the first and second adhesive layers in their cured state. As can be seen from the image, at low temperatures, the adhesive layer exhibits a certain degree of crystallinity, with ordered molecular chains forming crystalline regions. These crystalline regions restrict molecular movement, making the material hard and highly viscous. However, when the adhesive layer is heated to near its melting point, the crystalline regions begin to melt gradually, the ordered molecular arrangement is disrupted, and it transforms into a disordered amorphous structure. In the amorphous structure, molecular mobility is enhanced, the material's viscosity decreases, and its fluidity increases.

[0029] In one alternative approach, the temperature of the backsheet layer is controlled between 100°C and 200°C; for example, it could be 100°C, 110°C, 120°C, 130°C, 140°C, 150°C, 160°C, 170°C, 180°C, 190°C, or 200°C. At this temperature, the adhesive layer begins to soften, but does not reach the pyrolysis temperature of the backsheet, thus preventing the generation of fluorine-containing gases.

[0030] Preferably, the temperature of the backing layer is controlled between 150°C and 180°C. When the temperature is below 150°C, the EVA adhesive is not completely melted; when the temperature is above 180°C, although the backing layer has not reached the pyrolysis temperature, it will soften and be easily damaged during friction.

[0031] In one optional method, the heating element is preheated to 300℃~400℃, for example, 300℃, 310℃, 320℃, 325℃, 330℃, 335℃, 340℃, 345℃, 350℃, 355℃, 360℃, 365℃, 370℃, 375℃, 380℃, 385℃, 390℃, 395℃, or 400℃. Preferably, the heating element is preheated to 340℃~360℃, for example, 340℃, 345℃, 350℃, 355℃, or 360℃. The waste single-glass module is then placed on the heating element and heated for 1-5 minutes; for example, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, or 5 minutes. This allows the temperature of the backsheet layer to be controlled between 100℃ and 200℃.

[0032] The heated waste single-glass module is moved onto a friction platform with a specific roughness, so that the second adhesive layer comes into contact with the friction platform; In this step, the heated waste single-glass modules, that is, the waste single-glass modules with a backsheet layer temperature between 100℃ and 200℃, are placed on the friction platform, and the second adhesive layer is ensured to be in contact with the friction platform; that is, the backsheet layer is on the side away from the friction platform, thus preparing for the removal of the adhesive layer and the battery material layer.

[0033] Pressure is applied to the waste single-glass module, causing it to move relative to the friction platform, thereby separating the battery material layer and the adhesive layer from the backsheet layer.

[0034] In this step, pressure is applied to the waste single-glass module placed on the friction platform, and at the same time, the waste single-glass module is subjected to frictional movement on the friction platform. Under the pressure, the second adhesive layer rubs back and forth on the friction platform, thereby realizing the separation of the battery material layer and the adhesive layer (the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer) from the backsheet layer.

[0035] In one alternative approach, the temperature of the friction platform is controlled between 50°C and 150°C during the frictional motion; for example, it can be 50°C, 60°C, 70°C, 80°C, 90°C, 100°C, 110°C, 120°C, 130°C, 140°C, or 150°C. Preferably, the temperature of the friction platform is controlled between 80°C and 120°C. For example, it can be 80°C, 90°C, 100°C, 110°C, or 120°C. Continuous heating prevents the adhesive layer from cooling and hardening, ensuring that the second adhesive layer remains softened throughout the entire frictional peeling process, maintaining low viscosity and good fluidity, thereby ensuring a smooth and efficient peeling process. If the temperature is too low, the adhesive layer is prone to cooling and hardening; if the temperature is too high, exceeding 200°C, it may cause the backing layer to pyrolyze and the adhesive layer to adhere to the friction platform.

[0036] In one alternative approach, the specific roughness Ra (arithmetic mean deviation) of the friction platform is 3 μm to 15 μm; for example, it can be 3 μm, 4 μm, 5 μm, 6 μm, 7 μm, 8 μm, 9 μm, 10 μm, 11 μm, 12 μm, 13 μm, 14 μm, or 15 μm; preferably, the specific roughness Ra of the friction platform is 5 μm to 10 μm. For example, it can be 5 μm, 6 μm, 7 μm, 8 μm, 9 μm, or 10 μm. Within this roughness range, the platform surface has sufficient micro-tooth structure, which effectively grips the adhesive layer when the softened second adhesive layer comes into contact with it, generating excellent adhesion and ensuring effective transmission of frictional force. If the roughness is too large, the friction platform may cut, puncture the backing plate, or embed itself in the adhesive layer, causing residue; if the roughness is too small, this may result in an overly smooth surface, leading to insufficient adhesion, slippage, low peeling efficiency, or even failure to achieve separation.

[0037] In one optional manner, the pressure applied to the waste single-glass module is 15N to 50N, for example, it can be 15N, 16N, 17N, 18N, 19N, 20N, 21N, 22N, 23N, 24N, 25N, 26N, 27N, 28N, 29N, 30N, 31N, 32N, 33N, 34N, 35N, 36N, 37N, 38N, 39N, 40N, 41N, 42N, 43N, 44N, 45N, 46N, 47N, 48N, 49N, or 50N. Preferably, the pressure applied to the waste single-glass module is 20N to 30N. For example, it can be 20N, 21N, 22N, 23N, 24N, 25N, 26N, 27N, 28N, 29N, or 30N. Pressure is the direct factor in generating friction; therefore, pressure is necessary for frictional motion. Since waste single-glass modules lack frames and glass, they exhibit some deformation and lack support. By controlling the pressure within a certain range, sufficient and stable friction can be effectively ensured between the softened adhesive layer and the friction platform surface, overcoming the bonding force between the adhesive layer and the backsheet. Insufficient pressure leads to insufficient friction, incomplete peeling, or failure to peel at all; excessive pressure may cause compression damage to the softened, rigidly supported battery material layer, while also increasing the risk of excessive stretching, deformation, or breakage of the backsheet.

[0038] In one alternative approach, the speed of the relative frictional motion is 5 cm / s to 15 cm / s; for example, it can be 5 cm / s, 6 cm / s, 7 cm / s, 8 cm / s, 9 cm / s, 10 cm / s, 11 cm / s, 12 cm / s, 13 cm / s, 14 cm / s, or 15 cm / s. Preferably, the speed of the relative frictional motion is 6 cm / s to 10 cm / s; for example, it can be 6 cm / s, 7 cm / s, 8 cm / s, 9 cm / s, or 10 cm / s. By controlling the frictional speed within this range, excessive speed can prevent the battery material layer from cracking due to inertia, while excessively slow speed can prevent inefficiency.

[0039] The second aspect of this application discloses a recycling system that implements the method for recycling waste single-glass modules disclosed in the first aspect of this application; such as Figure 8 As shown, the recycling system includes a heating assembly 100 and a friction assembly 200; like Figure 9As shown, the heating assembly 100 includes a support platform 101 and a first heating device 102; the support platform 101 is made of a material with high temperature resistance and good thermal conductivity, such as stainless steel, aluminum alloy or copper metal material; the support platform has a plate structure with a flat surface, which can stably place the waste single glass module 1; the first heating device 102 is integrated or set below or inside the support platform 101, and is used to preheat the support platform 101 and heat the waste single glass module 1 as a whole.

[0040] In one specific embodiment, the first heating device 102 is an electric heating tube, electric heating wire or heating plate built into the heating assembly, and its power is adjustable, thereby ensuring that the support platform 101 can be preheated and maintained at a set temperature of 300°C to 400°C.

[0041] In one specific embodiment, the heating assembly 100 may further include a first thermostat connected to the first heating device 102 for precisely controlling the heating temperature.

[0042] like Figure 10 As shown, the friction assembly 200 includes a friction platform 201, a second heating device 202, a pressure mechanism 204, and a drive mechanism 203. The friction platform 201 is used to support the waste single-glass assembly 1 after it has been treated by the heating assembly 100 and the temperature of the back sheet layer 10 is between 100°C and 200°C, and to ensure that its second adhesive layer 40 is in contact with the surface of the friction platform 201.

[0043] In one alternative approach, the specific roughness Ra of the friction platform is 3 μm to 15 μm; preferably, the specific roughness Ra of the friction platform is 5 μm to 10 μm.

[0044] In one alternative embodiment, the bearing surface of the friction platform is planar and made of a high-temperature resistant hard material. The friction platform 201 is made of a high-temperature resistant hard material, such as stainless steel, or surface-treated tool steel, stainless steel, or special ceramics; the surface of the friction platform is planar; compared to a mesh-structured friction platform, the planar structure provides a uniform contact surface and prevents material debris from remaining in the mesh structure, reducing friction. The planar structure of the friction platform is also more conducive to overall peeling.

[0045] The second heating device 202 is integrated into or located inside or below the friction platform 201, and is used to preheat and continuously control the temperature of the friction platform 201, so that its temperature is maintained in the range of 50°C to 150°C.

[0046] In one specific embodiment, the second heating device 202 is an electric heating tube, electric heating wire or heating plate built into the friction assembly, and its power is adjustable, thereby ensuring that the friction platform 201 can be preheated and continuously temperature controlled, so that its temperature is maintained in the range of 50°C to 150°C.

[0047] In one specific embodiment, the friction assembly 200 may further include a second temperature controller connected to the second heating device 202 for precisely controlling the temperature of the friction platform 201.

[0048] The pressure mechanism 204 is positioned above the friction platform 201 and is used to apply positive pressure to the waste single-glass module 1 placed on the friction platform 201 during the friction process.

[0049] In one alternative, the pressure mechanism 204 is a pneumatically, hydraulically, or electrically driven pressure plate or pressure head with adjustable pressure, thereby ensuring precise adjustment of the pressure in the range of 15N to 50N, ensuring sufficient friction while avoiding damage to the material.

[0050] The drive mechanism 203 is used to generate relative frictional motion between the waste single-glass module 1 and the friction platform 201.

[0051] In one alternative, the drive mechanism 203 connects to and drives the friction platform 201 to perform horizontal reciprocating or unidirectional linear motion, while the position of the waste single-glass module 1 held by the pressure mechanism 204 is relatively fixed.

[0052] In another embodiment, the drive mechanism 203 connects to and drives the pressure mechanism 204 and the waste single-glass assembly 1 it holds to perform horizontal reciprocating or unidirectional linear motion above the stationary friction platform 201.

[0053] The drive mechanism 203 can be a motor-driven lead screw and slider mechanism, a linear motor, or a cylinder, etc., and its movement speed is adjustable to control the friction speed within the range of 5cm / s to 15cm / s.

[0054] In one alternative approach, the recycling system also includes a temperature sensor, preferably a non-contact infrared temperature sensor, which is primarily used to monitor the surface temperature of the backsheet layer 10 of the waste single-glass module 1 in real time.

[0055] In one specific embodiment, the recycling system also includes a control system, to which a temperature sensor is connected. The control system receives readings from the temperature sensor and issues an alarm or adjusts the power of the first heating device 102 and / or the second heating device 202. When the backsheet layer temperature is detected to be close to the critical temperature for backsheet pyrolysis, such as 220°C, or a safe temperature threshold, such as 200°C, the control system may issue an alarm or automatically adjust the power of the first heating device 102 and / or the second heating device 202 to ensure that the backsheet layer temperature remains below the critical temperature at which it pyrolyzes to produce fluorine-containing gas.

[0056] The method and system for recycling waste single-glass modules according to this application are described in detail below with reference to several specific embodiments. It is to be understood that the following description is merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0057] Select waste single-glass PERC photovoltaic modules (module dimensions 1958mm×994mm×45mm). The first and second adhesive layers of the waste single-glass modules are EVA, and the backsheet layer is TPT backsheet. After removing the frame and junction box from the waste single-glass modules, remove the glass from the waste single-glass modules. Cut the waste single-glass modules into small-sized samples on a shearing machine (samples such as...). Figure 5 As shown, the sample size is approximately 100mm × 250mm × 45mm.

[0058] The heating component's support platform is preheated. The heating component uses a resistance wire as the first heating device and a stainless steel platform as the support platform. A temperature sensor is installed to measure the surface temperature of the support platform. Then, the power of the first heating device is intelligently adjusted through a PID temperature control system to ensure that the temperature of the support platform is within + / -10℃. At this time, the support platform is preheated and the temperature is controlled at 350℃.

[0059] After the support platform was preheated to 350℃, the sample was placed on the support platform, and the second adhesive layer was tightly bonded to the support platform. The heating time was 2 minutes. At this time, the temperature of the back plate was measured by a temperature gun and found to be 162.4℃, indicating that the back plate had not yet reached the temperature point where harmful fluorine-containing gases would be produced.

[0060] The sample is quickly transferred to the friction assembly, which uses tool steel as the surface of the friction platform. The surface has undergone mechanical treatment (sandblasting) to achieve a roughness Ra within the range of 5-10 μm. A high-temperature resistant cylindrical heating tube is located below the friction platform. A temperature sensor measures the surface temperature of the friction platform. A PID temperature control system intelligently regulates the power of the first heating device to ensure the temperature of the friction platform remains within + / -10℃. The friction platform is then preheated to 100℃. The entire friction platform is mounted on a drive mechanism, driven by a servo motor and ball screw, enabling reciprocating linear motion. A pressure mechanism, a pneumatic cylinder, is located above the drive mechanism. The pressure head primarily presses against the right side of the sample, leaving the left side unpressed. A pressure of 20N is applied. The drive mechanism is set to a single friction distance of 5cm (a total round trip of 10cm) and a motion frequency of 1 round trip / second, i.e., a relative friction speed of 10cm / s.

[0061] After 3 minutes of friction, as Figure 6 As shown in the figure, since there is no pressure from the indenter on the left side of the sample, there is actually no significant friction. Figure 6 The adhesive layer (first adhesive layer and second adhesive layer) and battery material layer on the right side of the sample have been largely removed; while the adhesive layer and battery material layer on the left side of the sample have not yet been removed.

[0062] Figure 7 The image shows a physical picture of the mixture of adhesive layer and battery fragments after friction treatment in Example 1. As can be seen from the figure, the adhesive layer and battery material layer have been reduced to fragments after the friction treatment. The blue fragments and solder ribbons in the battery material layer are clearly visible, and no backsheet layer is present. Subsequently, the adhesive layer can be removed simply by pyrolyzing the mixture of adhesive layer and battery fragments, leaving only the battery fragments. After testing, the size of these adhesive layer and battery material layer fragments is all within 5 mm.

[0063] In this application (1), by using heating and pressure friction on deformed or irregular frameless and glassless waste components, the battery material and adhesive layer are effectively and completely peeled off from the back sheet, avoiding the breakage and delamination of the back sheet, and significantly improving the recycling purity of the battery material and the complete recycling rate of the back sheet. (2) The size of the fragments of the adhesive layer and battery material layer obtained by this application is within 5 mm. These powder materials offer significant advantages in subsequent recycling. For example: ① Powder materials can achieve precise separation of components such as silicon, silver, copper, or aluminum through processes like airflow classification, magnetic separation, and acid washing, resulting in high purity of recovered silicon and metal materials. In contrast, fragmented materials, due to their larger particle size and interwoven components, require additional crushing and sorting, typically resulting in a 15%-20% lower metal recovery rate and lower purity compared to powder materials. ② Powder materials do not require secondary crushing and can directly enter the hydrometallurgical or physical purification process, shortening the processing cycle by more than 30% compared to steps involving fragmented materials. ③ The chemical leaching reaction of powder materials is more complete, leading to higher leaching rates of harmful substances such as lead and cadmium, facilitating centralized treatment. In contrast, fragmented materials, due to their dense structure, are prone to contaminant encapsulation and residue, increasing the difficulty of subsequent environmental disposal.

[0064] Although this application has been described herein in conjunction with various embodiments, those skilled in the art, by reviewing the accompanying drawings, disclosure, and appended claims, will understand and implement other variations of the disclosed embodiments in carrying out the claimed application. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other components or steps, and "a" or "an" does not exclude multiple instances. A single processor or other unit can implement several functions listed in the claims. While different dependent claims may recite certain measures, this does not mean that these measures cannot be combined to produce good results.

[0065] Although this application has been described in conjunction with specific features and embodiments, it is obvious that various modifications and combinations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Accordingly, this specification and drawings are merely exemplary illustrations of this application as defined by the appended claims, and are considered to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations, or equivalents within the scope of this application. Clearly, those skilled in the art can make various alterations and modifications to this application without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Thus, if such modifications and modifications of this application fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application is also intended to include such modifications and modifications.

Claims

1. A method for recycling waste single-glass modules, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The waste single-glass module is provided. The waste single-glass module is frameless and glassless, and is composed of a back sheet layer, a first adhesive layer, a battery material layer and a second adhesive layer stacked in sequence. The waste single-glass module is heated to soften the first and second adhesive layers, while the temperature of the backsheet layer is controlled to be below the critical temperature at which it pyrolyzes to produce fluorine-containing gas. The heated waste single-glass module is moved to a friction platform with a specific roughness, so that the second adhesive layer comes into contact with the friction platform; Pressure is applied to the waste single-glass module, causing it to move relative to the friction platform, thereby separating the battery material layer from the adhesive layer from the backsheet layer.

2. The method for recycling waste single-glass modules as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature of the backsheet layer is controlled between 100℃ and 200℃; Preferably, the heating component is preheated to 300℃~400℃, and then the waste single-glass component is placed on the heating component for heating for 1-5 minutes.

3. The method for recycling waste single-glass modules as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The specific roughness Ra of the friction platform is 3μm~15μm; preferably, the specific roughness Ra of the friction platform is 5μm~10μm.

4. The method for recycling waste single-glass modules as described in claim 1, characterized in that, While the frictional motion is being performed, the temperature of the friction platform is controlled between 50°C and 150°C; preferably, the temperature of the friction platform is controlled between 80°C and 120°C.

5. The method for recycling waste single-glass modules as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The pressure applied to the waste single-glass module is 15N~50N, preferably 20N~30N.

6. The method for recycling waste single-glass modules as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The speed of the relative frictional motion is 5 cm / s to 15 cm / s; preferably, the speed of the relative frictional motion is 6 cm / s to 10 cm / s.

7. A recycling system for implementing the method for recycling waste single-glass modules according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, include: Heating components; It includes a support platform and a first heating device. The support platform is used to place the waste single-glass module, and the first heating device is used to heat the waste single-glass module on the support platform as a whole. The friction assembly includes a friction platform, a second heating device, a pressure mechanism, and a drive mechanism; the friction platform is used to carry the waste single-glass module heated by the first heating device; the second heating device is used to preheat and control the temperature of the friction platform; the pressure mechanism is used to apply positive pressure to the waste single-glass module during the friction process. The drive mechanism is used to cause the heated waste single-glass module to undergo relative frictional motion with the friction platform.

8. The recycling system as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The specific roughness Ra of the friction platform is 3μm~15μm; Preferably, the specific roughness Ra of the friction platform is 5μm~10μm.

9. The recycling system as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The friction platform has a planar structure and is made of a high-temperature resistant hard material.

10. The recycling system as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The system also includes a temperature sensor for monitoring the temperature of the backsheet layer to ensure that it is below a preset critical temperature. Preferably, the recycling system further includes a control system, and the temperature sensor is connected to the control system. The control system can receive the readings from the temperature sensor and issue alarm prompts or adjust the power of the first heating device and / or the second heating device.

Images