• Resources Recycling
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.50-55
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• 2011

Using ultrasonic irradiation, the separation and recovery of PV cell, made of silicon wafer, from PV module was carried out through selective decomposition of EVA used as an interlaminated binder. The ultrasonic cleaner of bath-type (Output: 130 W, Frequency: 40 kHz) was used as an ultrasonic apparatus in this research. With the fixed distance of 2 cm, from ultrasonic generator to PV cell, the experiment of EVA decomposition was performed in various organic solvents such as Toluene, Trichloroethylene, O-dichlorobenzene, Benzene. And also their concentrations and temperature was changed to survey the optimum conditions. However EVA can be decomposed perfectly at $55^{\circ}C$ within 160 min in 5 M of all kinds of solvent, PV cell may be recovered with being damaged or broken severely. This damage may be resulted from the swelling of EVA in the process of decomposition. Whereas, at the condition of 5 M at $65^{\circ}C$, PV cell can be recovered with the state of minor damage or crack. This implies that the decomposition rate of EVA increases with an increase of temperature, thereby EVA can be decomposed before the swelling of EVA layer. Conclusively, it is possible for PV cell to be recovered within 40 min, at $65^{\circ}C$ in 5 M, with less damage.

• Clean Technology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.203-209
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• 2022

An environmental evaluation was conducted by employing LCA methodology for a mechanical seal manufacturing process that uses recycled silicon recovered from end-of-cycle PV modules. The recycled silicon was purified and reacted with carbon to synthesize β-SiC particles. Then the particles underwent compression molding, calcination and heat treatment to produce a product. Field data were collected and the potential environmental impacts of each stage were calculated using the LCI DB of the Ministry of Environment. The assessment was based on 6 categories, which were abiotic resource depletion, acidification, eutrophication, global warming, ozone depletion and photochemical oxidant creation. The environmental impacts by category were 45 kg CO₂ for global warming and 2.23 kg C₂H₄ for photochemical oxide creation, and the overall environmental impact by photochemical oxide creation, resource depletion and global warming had a high contribution of 98.7% based on weighted analysis. The wet process of fine grinding and mixing the raw silicon and carbon, and SiC granulation were major factors that caused the environmental impacts. These impacts need to be reduced by converting to a dry process and using a system to recover and reuse the solvent emitted to the atmosphere. It was analyzed that the environmental impacts of resource depletion and global warming decreased by 53.9% and 60.7%, respectively, by recycling silicon from end-of-cycle PV modules. Weighted analysis showed that the overall environmental impact decreased by 27%, and the LCA analysis confirmed that recycling waste modules could be a major means of resource saving and realizing carbon neutrality.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.577-584
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• 2015

A photovoltaic (PV) system generates electricity by installing a solar energy array; therefore, the photovoltaic system can be easily exposed to external factors, which include environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and radiation. These factors-as well as shading, in particular-lead to power degradation. When there is an output loss in the solar cell of a PV module package, the output loss is partly controlled by the bypass diode. As solar cells become highly efficient, the characteristics of series resistance and parallel resistance improve, and the characteristics of reverse voltage change. A bypass diode is connected in parallel to the string that is connected in series to the PV module. Ideally, the bypass diode operates when the voltage is -0.6[V] around. This study examines the bypass diode operating time for different types of crystalline solar cells. It compares the reverse voltage characteristics between the single solar cell and polycrystalline solar cell. Special modules were produced for the experiment. The shading rate of the solar cell in the specially made solar energy module was raised by 5% each time to confirm that the bypass diode was operating. The operation of the bypass diode is affected not only by the reverse voltage but also by the forward bias. This tendency was verified as the number of strings increased.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.24-33
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• 2012

Recently, finishing materials at spandrel area, a part of curtain-wall system, are gradually forced to improve thermal insulation performance in order to enhance the building energy efficiency. Also, Building Integrated Photovoltaics(BIPV) systems have been installed in the exterior side of the spandrel area, which is generally composed of windows. Those BIPVs aim to achieve high building energy efficiency and supply the electricity to building. However, if transparent BIPV module is combined with high insulated spandrel, it would reduce the PV efficiency for two major reasons. First, temperature in the air space, located between window layer and finishing layer of the spandrel area, can significantly increase by solar heat gain, because the space has a few air density relative to other spaces in building. Secondly, PV has a characteristics of decreased Voltage(Voc and Vmp) with the increased temperature on the PV cell. For these reasons, this research analyzed a direct interrelation between PV Cell temperature and electricity generation performance under different insulation conditions in the spandrel area. The different insulation conditions under consideration are 1) high insulated spandrel(HIS) 2) low insulated spandrel(LIS) 3) PV stand alone on the ground(SAG). As a result, in case of 1) HIS, PV temperature was increased and thus electricity generation efficiency was decreased more than other cases. To be specific, each cases' maximum temperature indicated that 1) HIS is $83.8^{\circ}C$, 2) LIS is $74.2^{\circ}C$, and 3) SAG is $66.3^{\circ}C$. Also, each cases yield electricity generation like that 1) HIS is 913.3kWh/kWp, 2) LIS is 942.8kWh/kWp, and 3) SAG is 981.3kWh/kWp. These result showed that it is needed for us to seek to the way how the PV Cell temperature would be decreased.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.133-140
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• 2024

This study offers a comprehensive evaluation of the role and impact of advanced power semiconductors in solar module systems. Focusing on silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) materials, it highlights their superiority over traditional silicon in enhancing system efficiency and reliability. The research underscores the growing industry demand for high-performance semiconductors, driven by global sustainable energy goals. This shift is crucial for overcoming the limitations of conventional solar technology, paving the way for more efficient, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable solar energy solutions. The findings suggest significant potential for these advanced materials in shaping the future of solar power technology.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.117-122
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• 2010

Recently, aspheric glass lens molding core is fabricated with tungsten carbide(WC). If molding core is fabricated with silicon carbide(SiC), SiC coating process, which must be carried out before the Diamond-Like Carbon(DLC) coating can be eliminated and thus, manufacturing time and cost can be reduced. Diamond Like Carbon(DLC) is being researched in various fields because of its high hardness, high elasticity, high durability, and chemical stability and is used extensively in several industrial fields. Especially, the DLC coating of the molding core surface used in the fabrication of a glass lens is an important technical field, which affects the improvement of the demolding performance between the lens and molding core during the molding process and the molding core lifetime. Because SiC is a material of high hardness and high brittleness, it can crack or chip during grinding. It is, however, widely used in many fields because of its superior mechanical properties. In this paper, the grinding condition for silicon carbide(SiC) was developed under the grinding condition of tungsten carbide. A silicon carbide molding core was fabricated under this grinding condition. The measurement results of the SiC molding core were as follows: PV of 0.155 ${\mu}m$(apheric surface) and 0.094 ${\mu}m$(plane surface), Ra of 5.3 nm(aspheric surface) and 5.5 nm(plane surface).

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.59-63
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• 2016

A key point of a soldering process for photovoltaic (PV) modules is to increase an adhesive strength leading a low resistivity between ribbon and cell. In this study, we intended to optimize a heating condition for the soldering process and characterize the soldered joint via physical and chemical analysis methods. For the purpose, the heating conditions were adjusted by IR lamp power, heating time and hot plate temperature for preheating a cell. Since then the peel test for the ribbon and cell was conducted, consequently the peel strength data shows that there is some optimum soldering condition. In here, we observed that the peel strength was modified by increasing the heating condition. Such a soldering property is affected by a various factors of which the soldered joint, flux and bus bar of the cell are changed on the heating condition. Therefore, we tried to reveal causes determining the soldering property through analyzing the soldered interface.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.17-26
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• 2013

In contrast to conventional crystalline cells, back-contact solar cells feature high efficiencies, simpler module assembly, and better aesthetics. The highest commercialized cell and module efficiency was recorded by n-type back-contact solar cells. However, the mainstream PV industry uses a p-type substrate instead of n-type due to the high costs and complexity of the manufacturing processes in the case of the latter. P-type back-contact solar cells such as metal wrap-through and emitter wrap-through, which are inexpensive and compatible with the current PV industry, have consequently been developed. In this paper the characteristics of EWT (emitter wrap-through) solar cells and their status and prospects for development are discussed.