SBIR Phase II: Environmentally Compatible Recycling Method for Cadmium Telluride Devices

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目将开发一种专门用于回收光伏组件的电化学方法，这些光伏组件在大批量物流中含有极少量的有害金属。 它采用创新的闭环方法，在一个紧凑的系统中去除、分离和再生半导体薄膜，并以最小的浪费完成。 第一阶段确定了关键工艺参数，重点是从器件中有效去除和回收半导体。 无硫碲化镉的回收证明了方法的可行性。 第二阶段将设计一个实用的系统，回收整个模块，用于工厂内或集中应用。 它将确定最佳参数，以分层模块，溶解半导体，再生有用的半导体前体膜，并重新利用电解质。 这项研究将导致一个可行的原型回收能力，具有低成本，高效率，低周期时间，生产线的适应性。 将有缺陷的电池板转化为高效的组件将导致快速周转和高产量。通过管理有害废物处置和提高组件产量的解决方案，预计在光伏行业具有潜在的商业应用前景。 它也可以短期应用于回收其他报废产品，如平板显示器、红外探测器和镜子废料。 预期的好处包括提高生产力、大量节省处置费用、回收稀缺的原材料以及加强新兴碲化镉光电产业的商业成功，该产业的生产能力在两年内增长了50倍。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop an electrochemical method specific to recycling photovoltaic modules, which contain extremely low quantities of hazardous metals in large bulk-streams. It uses an innovative closed-loop approach to remove, separate, and regenerate semiconductor films in a single compact system, and do it with minimum waste. Phase I identified key process parameters, focusing on efficient removal and recovery of semiconductors from devices. Retrieval of sulfur-free cadmium telluride demonstrated method feasibility. Phase II will design a practical system to recycle the entire module for in-plant or centralized applications. It will identify the optimum parameters to delaminate modules, dissolve semiconductors, regenerate useful semiconductor precursor films, and re-utilize the electrolyte. The research will lead to a viable prototype recycling capability featuring low cost, high efficiency, low cycle-time, and production line amenability. Converting defective panels into efficient modules will lead to rapid turn-around and high production yields.Potential commercial applications are expected in the photovoltaic industry with a solution to managing hazardous waste disposal and improvement in module production yield. It has short-term applications for recycling other end-of-life products such as flat panel displays, infrared detectors, and mirror scrap. Benefits are anticipated in increased productivity, large savings in disposal costs, recovery of scarce raw materials, and enhanced commercial success of the emerging cadmium telluride photovoltaic industry, which has grown 50-fold in production capacity within two years.