Solar panel recycling system, and solar panel recycling method

Abstract

The present invention provides a solar panel recycling system capable of efficiently and stably recycling components of a solar panel. This solar panel recycling system for supporting recycling of parts constituting a solar panel is characterized by including: a first database for acquiring and storing information on recyclable parts; a second database for acquiring and storing request information from a customer; and a calculation unit for comparing the information on recyclable parts with the request information from the customer to determine at least whether or not to allow supply of recyclable parts, and sales channels thereof, the information on recyclable parts including at least quality information, dimension information, and quantity information.

Description

Solar panel recycling system, how to recycle solar panels

[0001] The present invention relates to a system and method for recycling components of solar panels efficiently and stably.

[0002] Due to growing environmental awareness, the introduction of solar power generation, a renewable energy source, is progressing, and it is predicted that this will continue to increase in the future. However, as solar panel usage increases and they age, there is a possibility that the amount of waste will increase sharply from the 2030s onwards. Recycling is desirable from an environmental perspective, but when recycling, it is necessary to separate the components contained in the panel and then select the appropriate components from among them depending on the intended use. In order to promote recycling, it is important to improve the efficiency of recycling processes and secure reuse destinations.

[0003] Background art in this technical field includes, for example, technology such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 discloses a recyclable resource trading support system that includes input terminals for waste generators, processors, and purchasers, and enables trading by matching sales conditions with purchase conditions for discarded and processed recyclable resources.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a component information management method for managing the history information of a component by directly attaching information about the component throughout its entire life cycle from its manufacture to its disposal or recycling.

[0005] JP 2021-105806 A JP 2005-165659 A

[0006] As mentioned above, when recycling solar panels, it is necessary to separate the components contained in the panel and then select the appropriate components from among them depending on the intended use. Solar panel components undergo a wide range of treatments to improve the efficiency of solar power generation and ensure durability, and when recycling, quality information, including the type of treatment and damage status, as well as dimensional information on the range of recyclable materials, are important, so a method is needed that allows customers to select the necessary components based on this information.

[0007] The above-mentioned Patent Documents 1 and 2 propose a method for managing information on recycled materials and a system for supporting transactions by matching with purchasing conditions.

[0008] However, there is no disclosure about providing customers with both quality and dimensional information, which is important for recycling solar panels, and enabling them to purchase recycled materials.

[0009] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a solar panel recycling system and method that can efficiently and stably recycle the components of solar panels.

[0010] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is a solar panel recycling system that supports the recycling of components that make up solar panels, and is equipped with a first database that acquires and stores information about recycled components, a second database that acquires and stores request information from customers, and a calculation unit that compares the information about the recycled components with the request information from customers and determines at least whether the recycled components can be supplied and the sales channels, and is characterized in that the information about the recycled components includes at least quality information, dimensional information, and quantity information.

[0011] The present invention also provides a solar panel recycling method that supports the recycling of components that make up solar panels, comprising the steps of: (a) acquiring and storing information about the recycled components; (b) acquiring and storing request information from customers; and (c) comparing the information about the recycled components with the request information from customers to determine at least whether the recycled components can be supplied and their sales channels, wherein the information about the recycled components includes at least quality information, dimensional information, and quantity information.

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a solar panel recycling system and method that can recycle the components of solar panels efficiently and stably.

[0013] This will promote the recycling of solar panel components, reduce the cost of solar panels, and contribute to the further spread of solar power generation.

[0014] Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments.

[0015] It is a figure which shows the outline structure of the recycling system of the solar panel based on Example 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the recycling method of the solar panel based on Example 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows typically the removal processing of the processing surface of the panel member. It is a figure which shows typically the cutting processing of the panel member.

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description of overlapping parts will be omitted.

[0017] First Embodiment A solar panel recycling system and recycling method according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a solar panel recycling system according to this embodiment.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, the solar panel recycling system 1 of this embodiment mainly comprises a memory device 2 (database 1) and a memory device 3 (database 2), a central processing unit (CPU) 4, an input device 5 and an input device 6, and an output device (display device) 7.

[0020] Storage device 2 (database 1) and storage device 3 (database 2) are devices that store data and commands, and acquire and store information about recycled solar panel components and customer request information, respectively. Note that while Figure 1 shows an example in which database 1, in which information about recycled solar panel components is registered, and database 2, in which customer request information is registered, are stored in separate storage devices 2 and 3, it is also possible to store both database 1 and database 2 in a single storage device.

[0021] The central processing unit (CPU) 4 is composed of a control unit 8 and an arithmetic unit 9, and reads data from the memory unit 2 (database 1) and the memory unit 3 (database 2) to determine the optimal recycling method for the components that make up the solar panel.

[0022] The control device 8 interprets the program set in the CPU 4 and issues instructions to and controls each device, such as the memory device 2 (database 1) and memory device 3 (database 2), the input device 5 and input device 6, the output device (display device) 7, and the arithmetic device 9.

[0023] The calculation device 9 calculates the optimal recycling method for the components that make up the solar panel based on information about the recycled components of the solar panel read from the storage device 2 (database 1) and customer request information read from the storage device 3 (database 2), in accordance with instructions in a program set in the CPU 4.

[0024] The input device 5 and the input device 6 are devices for inputting data and external information to the storage device 2 (database 1) and the storage device 3 (database 2), respectively.

[0025] The output device (display device) 7 outputs (displays) the processing results of the CPU 4, that is, the optimum recycling method for the components that make up the solar panel, and presents it to the customer.

[0026] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a method for recycling solar panels using the solar panel recycling system 1 of FIG.

[0027] The panels collected in the used solar panel collection step S101 are first separated into components such as glass, sealant, cells, frames, cables, etc. in a separation step S102.

[0028] The separated components are made of materials such as glass, metal, and resin, and in the inspection step S103, they are inspected according to the material to determine whether they can be recycled. During this inspection, the presence and location of scratches on the surface and resin adhesion are detected. Among the panel components, glass may have a treated surface that is water-repellent, hydrophilic, UV-reflecting, UV-absorbing, or anti-reflection for sunlight, so if there is peeling of the treated surface, the location of the peeling is inspected in the inspection step S103.

[0029] If it is determined in the inspection step S103 that scratches, resin adhesion, or peeling of the treated surface are widespread over the component (NG), the component is crushed and molded for recycling in the crushing or disposal step S104, or is discarded as is.

[0030] If it is determined in the inspection step S103 that the material is recyclable (OK), then in the material information acquisition step S105, material information such as quality, dimensions, quantity, storage location, and price is acquired.

[0031] The quality information can include appearance information such as transparency and color, composition information such as the amount and type of main components and impurities, the presence or absence and thickness of treated surfaces, the presence or absence and thickness of compressive stress surfaces, the presence or absence, roughness, and thickness of uneven surfaces, and the presence and location of scratches, resin adhesion, and peeling of treated surfaces detected in the inspection process S103. Dimensional information can also include information on the width, height, and thickness of the components. This component information can be obtained from the solar panel product information or in the inspection process S103.

[0032] The information acquired in the component information acquisition step S105 is stored in the database 1 (storage device 2) via the input device 6 in a component information storage step S106.

[0033] A customer who wishes to purchase recycled materials inputs desired information such as quality, dimensions, and quantity into the database 2 (storage device 3) via the input device 5 in the information input step S107.

[0034] The information input to Database 2 (Memory device 3) is compared with the information stored in Database 1 (Memory device 2), and then in step S108, which outputs the results of the comparison between Database 1 and Database 2, information such as the quality, dimensions, quantity, delivery date, and price of the parts that can be provided is output.

[0035] Regarding the quality information included in the customer's request information, if a component contains a processed surface, a compressive stress surface, or an uneven surface that the customer does not need, it is possible to present information on the dimensions, delivery date, and price when processing is performed to remove the processed surface, etc. Furthermore, if scratches, etc. are detected in the inspection process S103 and processing is performed to remove the scratches, etc. by polishing or cutting, it is possible to present information on the dimensions, delivery date, and price after processing. Even if no scratches, etc. are present, if the dimensional information of the component is larger than the dimensional information included in the customer's request information, it is possible to present information on the dimensions, delivery date, and price when processing is performed to cut the component to match the dimensional information included in the request information.

[0036] Regarding price information, the price includes not only the processing cost but also the transportation cost to the customer. Regarding delivery time information, the delivery time includes the time required for processing and transportation from the storage location to the customer.

[0037] Based on the component information output in the collation result output step S108, the customer decides whether or not to purchase the component, and if so, which component to purchase.

[0038] If the purchased components include any components that require processing, the components are provided to the customer in a shipping step S110 after undergoing a processing step S109. If the purchased components do not include any components that require processing, the processing step S109 can be omitted.

[0039] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the removal process of the treated surface of the panel member.

[0040] If the unprocessed member 201 includes a processed surface 202, the thickness t0 of the member includes the thickness of the processed surface. If the CPU 4 determines that the processed surface 202 is unnecessary based on the customer's request information, it can perform removal processing 203 of the processed surface 202. As a result, the thickness of the processed member 204 changes to t1.

[0041] 3, the case where there is one type of treated surface is described, but the surface to be removed may be a compressive stress surface or an uneven surface in addition to the treated surface, and it is also possible to remove multiple treated surfaces, compressive stress surfaces, and uneven surfaces. Furthermore, when scratches, resin adhesions, and peeling of the treated surface detected in the inspection process S103 are removed by polishing, the thickness of the component similarly changes.

[0042] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of cutting processing of the panel member.

[0043] If the unprocessed member 301 contains a flaw 302, the member can be cut so as not to include the flaw 302 by cutting the member 303. As a result, the member can be separated into two members whose height a0 has changed to a1 or a2.

[0044] In Fig. 4, the height a0 is changed by cutting, but the width b0 may also be changed and can be selected according to the customer's request information. Also, when cutting a member according to the customer's request information, the height and width of the member will change in the same way.

[0045] 2, the component information is stored in database 1, but the information acquired in the component information acquisition step S105 may also be recorded directly on the component. By recording the component information on the component, the component information can be read from the component, and it becomes possible to determine that the component is the same as the component stored in database 1. This makes it possible to prevent mix-ups of components during recycling. Furthermore, by recording the information directly on the component, rather than on packaging or affixing it, mix-ups due to peeling of the recorded portion, etc., can also be prevented.

[0046] Recording on components can be done by printing with ink or laser engraving. When printing with ink, use ink that is transparent while the component is in use and becomes visible when exposed to heat or ultraviolet light. This makes it visible only when the component information is to be acquired, and the component can be used without damaging its appearance while in use. When printing with ink, it is also possible to use ink that can be removed by heat or ultraviolet light. This makes it possible to read the component information while the component is in storage, and by removing the printing before use, the component can be used without damaging its appearance.

[0047] Furthermore, barcodes and QR codes (registered trademarks) can be used to record on components. By using barcodes and QR codes (registered trademarks), the area of ​​the component to be recorded can be reduced, thereby minimizing the impact on the component's appearance. Furthermore, by recording on a part that is not visible while the component is in use, such as the side of a glass plate, the component can be used without damaging its appearance.

[0048] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, it is possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, or to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations.

[0049] 1: Solar panel recycling system, 2: Storage device (database 1), 3: Storage device (database 2), 4: Central processing unit (CPU), 5, 6: Input device, 7: Output device (display device), 8: Control device, 9: Arithmetic device, 201: Pre-processed member, 202: Treated surface, 203: Removal processing of treated surface, 204: Post-processed member, 301: Pre-processed member, 302: Scratches, 303: Cutting processing of member, 304: Post-processed member, S101: Used solar panel recovery process, S102: Separation process, S103: Inspection process, S104: Crushing or disposal process, S105: Member information acquisition process, S106: Member information storage process in database 1, S107: Information input process in database 2, S108: Matching result output process, S109: Processing process, S110: Shipping process.

Claims

1. A solar panel recycling system that supports the recycling of components that make up solar panels, comprising: a first database that acquires and stores information about the recycled components; a second database that acquires and stores request information from customers; and a calculation unit that compares the information about the recycled components with the request information from customers to determine at least the availability of the recycled components and sales channels, wherein the information about the recycled components includes at least quality information, dimensional information, and quantity information.

2. A solar panel recycling system as described in claim 1, characterized in that the recycled materials are made of at least one material selected from the group consisting of glass, metal, and resin.

3. A solar panel recycling system as described in claim 1, characterized in that the information relating to the recycled materials includes at least one of storage location, price, and delivery date.

4. A solar panel recycling system as described in claim 1, characterized in that the quality information includes at least one of the following information: transparency, color, main components, type and amount of impurities, presence and thickness of treated surfaces for water repellency, hydrophilicity, UV reflection, UV absorption, and solar light anti-reflection, presence and thickness of compressive stress surfaces, presence and roughness and thickness of uneven surfaces, and the presence and position of scratches, resin adhesion, and peeling of treated surfaces as inspection results of the recycled materials.

5. A solar panel recycling system as described in claim 4, characterized in that, when the quality information includes information on a treated surface that is not included in the customer's request information, it is possible to select a process for removing the treated surface.

6. A solar panel recycling system as described in claim 1, characterized in that the quality information includes information on the presence and location of scratches, resin adhesion, and peeling of treated surfaces as inspection results of the recycled material, and if at least one of scratches, resin adhesion, and peeling of treated surfaces is present in the inspection results of the recycled material, it is possible to select processing to remove any of the existing scratches, resin adhesion, and peeling of treated surfaces, or to cut off the existing areas.

7. A solar panel recycling system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, when the dimensional information is larger than the dimensional information included in the customer's request information, it is possible to select a process for cutting the recycled material so that it meets the dimensions included in the customer's request information.

8. A solar panel recycling system as described in claim 1, further comprising an output device that outputs the calculation results of the calculation unit, and outputs to the output device dimensional information after processing when the recycled material is processed, a price including the processing cost and the transportation cost from the storage location to the customer, and a delivery date including the time required for processing and transportation from the storage location to the customer.

9. A solar panel recycling system as described in claim 1, characterized in that information regarding the recycled materials is also recorded directly on the recycled materials, and the recording is performed using at least one of ink printing and laser engraving, and at least one of bar codes and QR codes (registered trademark).

10. A solar panel recycling system as described in claim 9, characterized in that information about the recycled materials is printed using ink that is transparent while the recycled materials are in use and becomes visible when exposed to heat or ultraviolet light.

11. A solar panel recycling system as described in claim 9, characterized in that the information regarding the recycled materials is printed using ink that can be removed by heat or ultraviolet light.

12. A solar panel recycling system as described in claim 9, characterized in that when information about the recycled material is recorded directly on the recycled material, it is recorded on the side of the recycled material.

13. A method for recycling solar panels that supports the recycling of components that make up solar panels, comprising the steps of: (a) acquiring and storing information about the recycled components; (b) acquiring and storing request information from customers; and (c) comparing the information about the recycled components with the request information from customers to determine at least the availability of the recycled components and sales channels, wherein the information about the recycled components includes at least quality information, dimensional information, and quantity information.

14. A method for recycling solar panels according to claim 13, characterized in that the recycled material is made of at least one material selected from the group consisting of glass, metal, and resin.

15. The method for recycling solar panels according to claim 13, wherein the information about the recycled materials includes at least one of a storage location, a price, and a delivery date.

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