End-of-life Photovoltaic Module Recycling Equipment

Retired photovoltaic module recycling equipment primarily recovers glass, aluminum, copper, silicon, and other materials from waste solar modules through frame dismantling, junction box removal, lamination material separation, crushing, screening, and metal sorting, providing relatively clean raw materials for subsequent reuse. Effective separation of the lamination structure is a crucial step in the entire production line.

A complete set of End-of-Life Photovoltaic Module Recycling Equipment typically includes:

Automatic PV Module De-Framing Machine: Automatically removes aluminum frames, improving front-end processing efficiency;

Junction Box Removal System: Removes junction boxes and cables, pre-recovering copper components;

Backsheet/Delamination Equipment: Pre-treats or separates the backsheet and EVA layer;

PV Panel Crusher/Shredder: Crushes remaining components to a suitable particle size for subsequent screening;

Vibrating Screen: Classifies glass, silica powder, plastic, and metal mixtures according to particle size;

Magnetic Separator/Eddy Current Separator: Further separates different metal components;

Air Separation System: Utilizes differences in material density and airflow to remove lightweight plastics and impurities.

End-of-life Photovoltaic Module Recycling Equipment

In actual production, frame removal and junction box processing should ideally be scheduled before crushing. This reduces the impact of large metal pieces like aluminum and copper entering the crusher and also helps obtain higher quality recycled materials. The EoL module recycling process in related studies also employs an automated removal of the aluminum frame, cables, and junction boxes before subsequent delamination.

Delamination determines the quality of recycled materials.

The truly challenging part of photovoltaic module recycling is not the aluminum frame, but the laminated structure formed by glass, EVA, solar cells, and backsheet. EVA has strong adhesive properties; if directly subjected to high-speed crushing, the glass will mix extensively with silicon, solar cells, and polymers. While this may increase throughput, it reduces the purity of the final product. Research also indicates that delamination is a key challenge in the entire photovoltaic module recycling process.

Therefore, depending on the type of raw materials and the requirements of the final product, different separation methods can be employed. Mechanical separation is suitable for large-scale continuous processing, while thermal treatment can soften or remove EVA; some newer processes use hot blades, high-pressure water jets, or lasers to achieve more selective delamination. A 2026 study showed that thermal delamination at 350–550°C for 30–50 minutes can achieve relatively complete removal of the encapsulation layer; high-pressure water jet technology can reduce cross-contamination between different materials.

For commercial production lines with glass and aluminum as the main recycled products, mechanical crushing + screening + sorting still has strong practical application value; if the goal is to further improve the purity of high-value materials such as silicon and silver, more refined separation and purification equipment is needed. IEA PVPS 2026 data also indicates that mechanical recycling remains the main commercial route for crystalline silicon modules, while a combination of thermal treatment and chemical processes can further improve the recovery rate and purity of some materials.

Therefore, the configuration of End-of-Life Photovoltaic Module Recycling Equipment should be determined based on the module type, processing capacity, target recyclables, and final product purity, rather than simply using a fixed equipment combination. For ordinary commercial recycling projects, the focus is on stable processing volume and effective separation of glass, aluminum, and copper; for high-value material recycling projects, further optimization of lamination separation and fine sorting processes is necessary.