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Towards net zero emissions, recovered silicon from recycling PV waste panels for silicon carbide crystal production

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dc.contributor.authorRiahi, S.
dc.contributor.authorMckenzie, J.A.
dc.contributor.authorSandhu, S.
dc.contributor.authorMajewski, P.
dc.date.issued2023
dc.description.abstractThe high rate of PV adaptation around the world requires a strategy for recovery of the materials from PV waste panels and a circular market development. In particular, the silicon recovered from the PV cells can be used in different applications. A valuable acquisition is to refine the recovered silicon at metallurgical grade to a high level of purity namely electronic grade silicon which in conjunction with graphite can be the raw material for silicon carbide crystal production. Based on a comprehensive and critical review of the latest research and development of relevant technologies, a manufacturing process is proposed to increase the usage of renewable resources reduce the energy consumption and CO2e emissions. The recovered silicon from recycling PV waste can reduce the CO2e emissions to a third of what is involved in the current carbothermic reduction of quartz in an induction furnace. Based upon the thorough evaluation of available evidence, a continuous coupled process is envisaged where the upgraded metallurgical grade silicon from recycling PV waste undergoes further vacuum and gas refining to the electronic grade silicon. Then the purified liquid silicon enters a vertical Bridgeman furnace for silicon carbide crystal production through a bottom seeded solution growth process. Considering the silicon melting point at 1410 °C, omitting a solidification/ meting step after vacuum/gas refining leads to energy and material saving. The continuous method can reduce the CO2e emissions up to 75% compared with the current silicon carbide production through Acheson process.
dc.identifier.citationSustainable Materials and Technologies, 2023; 36(e00646):1-12
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.susmat.2023.e00646
dc.identifier.issn2214-9929
dc.identifier.issn2214-9937
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/11541.2/34344
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherElsevier
dc.relation.fundingARC
dc.rightsCopyright 2023 Elsevier Access Condition Notes: Accepted manuscript available after 1 October 2024
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.susmat.2023.e00646
dc.titleTowards net zero emissions, recovered silicon from recycling PV waste panels for silicon carbide crystal production
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished
ror.fileinfo12271880350001831 13271880340001831 Open Access Postprint
ror.mmsid9916769419201831

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