Experts St. Experts of the St. Petersburg State Electrotechnical University VI Lenin “LETI” have created a new method of processing solar cell elements using steam. LETI told socialbites.ca about this.
Solar panels are made of a metal part and protect the metal from oxidation, ultraviolet radiation, etc. It consists of polymer materials that protect. Today, components are separated in a muffle furnace, a device used to heat materials to a predetermined, often very high, temperature. In such facilities, certain parts of the electronic structures burn due to the presence of oxygen in the furnace room. However, after such processing, metal parts oxidize and become unsuitable for reuse in technology. Additionally, high-temperature thermolysis is not environmentally friendly.
“A prototype of a facility that will separate the components of used solar panels has been developed at our university. The technique used makes it possible to separate insulators of metals and electronic structures in a high-temperature superheated steam environment. This solution ensures maximum safety of components, because, unlike high-temperature thermolysis, the environment in the chamber is close to inert,” Irina Vezhenkova, associate professor at the department of environmental engineering at St. Petersburg Electrotechnical University “LETI” and deputy head of the department for academic studies, told socialbites.ca.
As a result, the polymers dissolve in the steam environment and the metal parts do not oxidize and can be reused. Moreover, such a procedure does not produce ash, allowing scientists to analyze gas fractions and determine the impact of the technique on the environment.
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