This project will develop a highly efficient low-cost closed-loop recycling system to recover valuable metals and silicon from EoL PV panels. It will leverage inter-disciplinary research expertise in metallurgy (pyro-/hydro-metallurgy), PV, off-gas/wastewater treatment, and collaboration with energy, metallurgy, PV, Si, chemical, and recycling industries in Australia and overseas.
Report extract
For the first time, multiscale numerical models have been developed to enhance the comprehension of the underlying physics and chemistry involved in the thermal delamination
process. These models serve to optimise pyrolysis operating parameters, refine reactor designs, and suggest the most effective technical approaches for achieving exceptional waste PV panel delamination performance.- A lab-scale pyrolyser prototype is established with the assistance of numerical models, which is applied to systematically study the waste PV panel pyrolysis behaviours and provide key data for numerical model modification and validation. The reactor design optimisation and prototype scale-up could be implemented based on the research outcome.
- The particle-scale chemical leaching numerical model was successfully developed to illustrate the mechanism behind the metal extraction process. This model is employed to support the leaching reactor development.
- A lab-scale chemical leaching reactor prototype was established to conduct the leaching experiments. The accurate reaction kinetics data and metal recovery yields were obtained, which are key information for the numerical model modification and LAC analysis
