Aluminium frame: provides a strong structure for the photovoltaic panel.
Tempered glass: forms the upper panel of the photovoltaic module and has high light transmission properties to allow light to pass through to the cells below.
Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA): EVA is a thermoplastic material used to seal and protect the photovoltaic cells inside the panel. It provides electrical insulation and protects the cells from moisture and environmental contamination.
Photovoltaic cell: this is the heart of the photovoltaic panel, where the conversion of solar energy into electricity takes place. Cells are usually made of semiconductor materials such as silicon and are designed to capture solar photons and generate electricity through the photovoltaic effect.
Junction box: contains the electrical protection devices and connectors required to connect the photovoltaic panels.
The Stokkermill photovoltaic panel recycling line allows for the recovery of 99.8% by weight of the input material. It is not necessary to remove the aluminum frame to proceed with processing.
The Stokkermilll recycling system does not require the aluminium frame to be removed, drastically reducing panel processing time. The quality of the output materials is excellent. For example, aluminum will be ready for the furnace, free from any contaminants and of the correct size, suitable for downstream metallurgical processing. Maximum material valorization and minimal energy impact during the final transformation process.
The glass resulting from treatment operations is of different granulometry and quality. Larger glass is clean, has a low iron content and is reused by the glass industry. A smaller fraction is still used in the glass or steel industry, where it can be used for the production of high quality silicon steels.
The finest fraction of glass will contain silicon, traces of silver and other metals. Although it already finds wide application in various industrial fields, this fraction is yet to be discovered in terms of value and recovery opportunities.
The back-sheet and EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) polymer fractions are recovered at the end of the process. These fractions are substantially free of glass and other contaminants and have a good calorific value, finding applications as alternative fuels.
Stokkermill XSC series of delamination mills has been perfected to industrialize the process, and it’also used for the processing of electrical cables and the crushing of electronic materials (WEEE), lithium batteries (LIBs), and laminated materials.The delamination mill offers the advantage of allowing complete surface delamination of the parts constituting the solar panels without improperly crushing the structures and avoiding material dispersion. This process allows for correctly separated fractions, ready for final transformation operations.The XSC delamination mill reduces human intervention and the associated operational risks as well as drastically reducing panel processing times.
Technical features:
• Mechanical reduction and separation: Stokkermill machinery performs the reduction and separation of panels completely mechanically, eliminating the need for costly chemical/thermal treatments and drastically reducing the environmental footprint.
• Energy efficiency and maintenance: the drives and other components are designed to minimise energy consumption and optimise maintenance operations. Through the use of PLCs and monitoring systems, operating parameters and energy consumption can be accurately adjusted and monitored.
• Granulometry flexibility: the delamination mill allows variable grain sizes to be obtained according to the mechanical characteristics of the material.The XSC series of delamination mills includes three base models with various power, capacities, and sizes. However, Stokkermill can design and create customized solutions on demand.
