Universal PV Panel Deassembly System for Material Salvage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current deassembly methods for photovoltaic panels are inefficient and environmentally hazardous due to the need for customized thermal and chemical processes, resulting in high costs, long processing times, and the production of toxic gases.
Innovation Solution
A universal deassembly system that uses a cutting machine, oscillating hammer mill, and fixed hammer mill with sifting mechanisms to shred and separate photovoltaic panel components without requiring adjustments for different panel types, reducing the need for expensive chemical and thermal processes and minimizing environmental impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If thermal and chemical processes are customized for each photovoltaic panel type, then material salvage effectiveness is improved, but processing time and design costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a universal mechanical shredding process that can handle all types of photovoltaic panels without requiring customization. The shredding machine is designed to process panels with different layer compositions (glass, EVA, silicon, metals) through a single standardized mechanical process, eliminating the need for panel-type-specific thermal or chemical process design while achieving effective material separation and salvage
2Ease of manufacture
If thermal processes are used to separate layers, then detachment of layers is achieved, but toxic gases are produced requiring expensive elimination treatments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal processes with a purely mechanical shredding system. The shredding machine uses rotating blades and hammers to mechanically break down and separate the photovoltaic panel layers without applying heat, thereby completely avoiding the production of toxic gases while still achieving effective layer detachment and material separation
3Manufacturing precision
If chemical processes are used to salvage silicon and metals, then material recovery is improved, but environmental danger and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical leaching processes with mechanical shredding and sorting. The shredding machine physically breaks down the panel structure and separates materials based on their mechanical properties and densities, allowing silicon and metal recovery through physical separation rather than chemical dissolution, thereby eliminating environmental hazards associated with acid solutions while maintaining effective material recovery
4Productivity
If customized processes are developed for each panel type, then processing effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and design costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a single universal shredding machine design that can process all photovoltaic panel types regardless of their specific layer compositions, thicknesses, or dimensions. The machine incorporates adjustable parameters and robust mechanical components that adapt to different panel specifications without requiring fundamental design changes, thereby maintaining high processing effectiveness while minimizing device and process complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system significantly reduces processing time and costs while effectively salvaging original materials with a lower environmental impact by enabling the separation of glass, plastic, and metal components efficiently, with a high percentage of materials being salvaged and processed in a more environmentally friendly manner.
Implementation Method 1
a cutting machine (2) in turn comprising: a counter-blade (20); a mobile blade (21) for cooperating with the counter-blade (20) so as to shred a photovoltaic panel, forming a plurality of shredded pieces
Implementation Method 2
an oscillating hammer mill (3) comprising: a chamber (30) receiving the cut pieces; a plurality of facing teeth (31) which are arranged in a circular direction, which delimit the chamber (30) and which are solidly constrained to a frame (300) of the oscillating hammer mill (3); a drive shaft (32); a plurality of hammers (33) which are arranged in the chamber (30), which are drawn in rotation by the drive shaft (32) and which are freely rotatable with respect to the drive shaft (32) about rotation axes that are arranged along a portion of circumference which is concentric to the axis of the drive shaft (32); the hammers (33) and the teeth (31) being conformed and arranged to break up the cut pieces, forming fragments
Implementation Method 3
a fixed hammer mill (5) comprising: a chamber (50) receiving the pieces sifted by the first sifting means (4); a plurality of facing teeth (51) which are arranged in a circular direction, which delimit the chamber (50) and which are solidly constrained to the frame (500) of the fixed hammer mill (5); an activating drive shaft (52); a plurality of hammers (53) that are arranged in the chamber (50), which are drawn in rotation by the activating shaft (52) and which are solidly constrained to the activating shaft (52). In particular, the hammers (53) and the teeth (51) are conformed and arranged so as to break down the pieces, forming fragments
Implementation Method 4
first sifting means (4), which receive the fragments of glass and pieces; the first sifting means (4) comprising a sifting wall provided with a plurality of meshes; the meshes being dimensioned in such a way as to enable the glass fragments to cross the meshes so as to enable salvaging thereof and so as to enable the pieces to remain on the sifting wall
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1A
Figure 2
AI summary
A deassembling system of a photovoltaic panel for enabling salvage of original materials of the photovoltaic panel, comprising: a cutting machine (2) comprising: a counter-blade (20); a mobile blade (21 ) for cooperating with the counter-blade (20); the blade (21) and the counter-blade (20) being conformed so as to cut a photovoltaic panel, forming a plurality of cut pieces; an oscillating hammer mill (3) comprising: a chamber (30); a plurality of teeth (31) and a plurality of hammers (33), conformed and arranged such as to break up the cut pieces, forming fragments of glass and other broken pieces; first sifting means (4) comprising a sifting wall provided with a plurality of meshes dimensioned in such a way as to enable the glass fragments to cross the meshes so as to enable salvaging thereof and so as to enable the pieces to remain on the sifting wall; a fixed hammer mill (5) comprising: a chamber (50); a plurality of teeth (51) and a plurality of hammers (53), conformed and arranged such as to break up the pieces, forming fragments of plastic material and powder material comprising siliceous materials, plastic materials, copper and silver; second sifting means (6) which comprise a sifting wall provided with a plurality of meshes sized so as to enable the powder material to cross the meshes and so as to enable the fragments of plastic material to remain on the sifting wall in order to enable salvaging thereof.