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Recycling Technology |
| First Solar has established the industry's first comprehensive, prefunded module collection and recycling program to encourage the recovery and reuse of module materials. The program enables the modules, including the glass and the encapsulated semiconductor material, to be treated and processed into new modules or other products. In this way, First Solar is preventing a waste management challenge for future generations. |
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Collection |
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The modules are collected in hoppers and loaded by forklift into a shredder. |
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Shredder |
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The modules are reduced in size by the shredder, which breaks the glass into large pieces. |
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Hammermill |
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The hammermill crushes the broken glass into 4-5mm pieces, small enough to ensure the lamination bond is broken. |
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Film Removal |
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The semiconductor films are removed by the addition of acid in a slowly rotating, stainless steel drum. |
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Solid-Liquid Separation |
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The drum is slowly emptied into a classifier where glass is separated from the liquids. A rotating screw conveys the glass up an incline, leaving the liquids behind.
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Glass-Laminate Material Separation |
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A vibrating screen separates the glass from the larger pieces of laminate material (which formerly sealed the two pieces of glass together). |
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Glass Rinsing |
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The glass is rinsed to remove any residual semiconductor material that physically remains on the glass. The cleaned glass is packaged for recycling, resulting in a
90% recovery of glass for use in new products. |
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Precipitation |
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The metal-rich liquids are pumped to the
precipitation unit and processed in three stages at increasing pH. The precipitated materials are then concentrated in a thickening tank. The resulting metal-rich filter cake is packaged for processing by a third party to create semiconductor material for use in new modules, with the entire process resulting in 95% recycling of semiconductor material. |
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Recycling Program |
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| First Solar established the industry's first comprehensive, prefunded module collection and recycling program to encourage the recovery and reuse of materials. |
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 Recycling Program |
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