Granted Patent
B2
US 12,397,331 · App. 18/304,052 · Granted Aug 26, 2025
Solar module recycling and testing
Assignee:
SOLARCYCLE, Inc.
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Abstract
Embodiments relate to one or more techniques that may be employed alone or in combination, in the refurbishment or recycling of used solar modules. In certain approaches, a (heated) wire may be used to cut through one or more layers (e.g., front encapsulant, back encapsulant, both front and back encapsulant, backsheet) of a solar module that is being recycled or refurbished. Some approaches may employ testing of a used solar module, alone or in combination with information (e.g., as part of a received package) regarding parameters of a used solar module such as panel size, width, length, height, thickness of glass, or others. According to specific embodiments, used solar modules may be subjected to various cleaning processes at one or more points during refurbishment/recycling.
Claims (28)
1. A method comprising:
performing a first phase shredding upon a photovoltaic module including a glass sheet and a polymer encapsulant;
separating broken glass from results of the first phase shredding including the polymer encapsulant;
following the separating, performing a second phase shredding upon the results of the first phase shredding including the polymer encapsulant;
prior to the first phase shredding, applying a fluid jet to the glass sheet; and
prior to the first phase shredding, testing the photovoltaic module.
2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the separating employs a sieve.
3. The method as in claim 2 wherein the sieve has openings of between about 2-50 mm.
4. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:
prior to performing the second phase shredding, delaminating the results of the first phase shredding.
5. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:
prior to performing the first phase shredding, removing a junction box and/or a frame from the photovoltaic module.
6. The method as in claim 1 wherein the first phase shredding involves application of a hammer and/or a knife.
7. The method as in claim 1 wherein the first phase shredding involves rotation.
8. The method as in claim 1 wherein the separating is based upon density.
9. The method as in claim 1 wherein the separating is based upon optical sorting.
10. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:
uniting results of the first phase shredding with results of the second phrase shredding in a same container.
11. The method as in claim 1 wherein conditions of the first phase shredding are different from conditions of the second phase shredding.
12. The method as in claim 1 wherein the fluid jet comprises water.
13. The method as in claim 1 wherein the testing is for wet leakage.
14. The method as in claim 1 wherein the applying comprises soap.
15. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:
prior to the applying, determining that the photovoltaic module is dirty.
16. The method as in claim 1 wherein a pressure of the fluid jet is between about 50-200 MPa.
17. The method as in claim 1 wherein the fluid jet is applied horizontally.
18. The method as in claim 1 wherein the fluid jet is applied at an angle of from between about 1-20° from horizontal.
19. The method as in claim 1 further comprising supporting the photovoltaic module on a belt during the applying.
Continuity (5)
Provisional Application
63333475
· Apr 21, 2022
Provisional Application
63333886
· Apr 22, 2022
Provisional Application
63389325
· Jul 14, 2022
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