Equipment for the production of solar panels. Manufacturing technology

If you pay attention to the roofs of many private houses or small companies, you can see solar panels there. The rise in the price of energy carriers leads to the fact that people begin to look for alternative sources. Under these conditions, the demand for solar panels is growing day by day.

Potential Opportunities

With the growing popularity alternative sources energy, it is expedient to occupy a niche in the market in time. To do this, you first need to purchase equipment for the production of solar panels. It can be bought both in Europe, the USA and the CIS, and in China.

Depending on the demand for these products in your region or in the places where you can supply the manufactured goods, you need to decide what your production will be focused on. Currently on the market you can find panels designed for various areas use.

These can be both lightweight portable options that you take with you to hiking trips, fixed modules suitable for installation on the roofs of buildings and residential buildings, or powerful panels that are used as small power plants.

Working lines

If you have a manufacturing facility, then you can think about buying equipment for the production of solar panels. Also, do not forget that when making them, you should always have the necessary consumables in sufficient quantities.

Yes, to the list necessary equipment there are machines that laser cut the material for panels into squares, sort them, laminate them, insert them into frames and join them together. In addition, production requires machines that knead special glue, cut the film under the panel and their edges. In the manufacture of tables, on which it will be necessary to correct the angles, insert wires into the panels and form them, and trolleys designed to move and press them, one cannot do without tables.

Each solar cell production machine is an indispensable component of the solar cell production line. Therefore, before you start ordering materials for production, calculate the total cost of equipment and analyze whether you can afford such expenses. True, it is worth considering that if there are distribution channels, they quickly pay off.

Manufacturing process

If you have seen solar panels before only in pictures and have a poor idea of ​​​​how their creation is going on, then it is better to find a person who knows the technology for the production of solar panels. If we talk about her in in general terms, then you need to know that it consists of a number of stages.

Production begins with the verification and preparation for work of the materials received by the workshop. After cutting and sorting photovoltaic converters (PVCs), they go to the equipment, where the process of soldering special tinned copper bars to the contacts of the panels takes place. Only after this, the process of connecting all solar cells into chains of the required length begins.

The next step is the creation of a sandwich, which consists of transducers assembled into a matrix, glass, two layers of sealing film and the back side of the panel. It is at this stage that the equipment for the production of solar panels forms the circuit of the module, and its operating voltage is immediately determined.

The assembled structure is checked and sent for lamination - sealing, which takes place under pressure at high temperature. Only after that, a frame is attached to the prepared semi-finished product and a special junction box is mounted.

Product testing

It is almost impossible to meet a marriage among similar products on the market, because after assembly each panel goes to a special testing workshop.

It is there that they are checked for the possibility of voltage breakdown. After that, they are sorted, packed and sent for sale; in stores you can find both small portable options and solar panels for the home.

The production of these species is practically no different.

Of course, only a large manufacturer with large production volumes and a sufficient number of employees can afford to strictly observe all the stages. It is difficult for new small manufacturers to compete with the giants, because the one-time creation of large batches makes it possible to reduce the cost of production.

What does solar cell technology look like?

The world is experiencing a constant increase in electricity consumption, and the stocks of traditional energy sources are declining. Therefore, the demand for equipment that generates electricity using non-traditional sources raw materials. One of the most common ways to generate electricity is solar panels powered by solar energy. They include photovoltaic cells, the properties of which make it possible to convert solar radiation into electric current. For their manufacture, one of the most common chemical elements on Earth is used - silicon. In this article, we will talk about how silicon is converted into photovoltaic cells. Simply put, we will look at what solar cell production is and what equipment is required for this.

In the field of solar panels production, a fairly large market has already formed, in which large companies are present. Millions of dollars are already spinning here and there are brands that have earned a reputation for producing quality products. This refers to both the world market and the Russian one. The technologies underlying the production of solar panels are improving as they develop scientific research in this direction. Now solar panels are produced in various sizes and purposes. There are very small ones used in calculators and. And there are large panels used in solar systems and. One photocell has a small power and produces a very small current. Therefore, they are combined into . Now let's look at how photovoltaic cells are made.

The production of solar panels can be divided into the following main stages:

• Testing. At this stage, the electrical characteristics are measured. For this, flashes of powerful xenon lamps are used. Based on the test results, the photocells are sorted and sent to the next stage of production;
• At the second stage of production, the soldering of the elements in the section is performed. Sections are formed from them on a glass substrate. The assembled sections are transferred to the glass using vacuum grippers. This is a mandatory requirement to exclude mechanical or other effects on the surface of the plates. Blocks usually include 4─6 sections. Sections, in turn, consist of 9-10 photovoltaic panels;
• The next stage of production is lamination. The blocks of photocells connected by soldering are laminated with an ethylene vinyl acetate film. A special protective coating is also applied. All this is done on CNC equipment. The computer monitors such characteristics as pressure, temperature, etc. Depending on the material used, the lamination parameters can be changed;
• And the final stage is to make a frame from aluminum profile and a special junction box. To ensure the reliability of the connection, glue-sealant is used. At the same stage of production, testing of solar panels is carried out. In this case, short-circuit currents are measured, the output voltage (working and idle move), current strength.

Alternative energy around the world is developing at a rapid pace, only Russia is far behind the majority European countries in this matter. If in Germany, Norway, Sweden, solar panels can be found in almost every residential building, then in Russia they are used by a few. But, despite this, in our country there are several fairly large factories that produce panels that work thanks to solar energy.

Of course, ours cannot be compared with Chinese manufacturers. Their products are one of the most affordable, their solar panels filled all world markets, both in Russia and in Europe. But in no case should this stop our compatriots from supporting the Russian manufacturer.

SB plant in Zelenograd

In the city of Zelenograd, the Telecom-STV plant is responsible for the production of SB. This enterprise was founded by employees of microelectronics enterprises in 1991. Extensive scientific, industrial and educational experience of Telecom-STV employees allows them to solve any problems that arise in the course of their activities.

To date, the main activities of Telecom-STV include:

• Production of photocells and batteries based on them.
• Development of equipment for the manufacture of solar modules.
• Development and supply of autonomous power supply systems and others.

In the city of Zelenograd, an enterprise of the company Svetorezerv, founded in Moscow in 2003, operates. One of the main goals of the company is the widespread use of street lighting using solar panels and LED technology. Its staff consists of highly qualified development engineers collaborating with leading research centers in Russia and abroad. This helps them produce products that meet the high demands of customers.

SB plant in Ryazan

The Ryazan plant of ceramic-metal devices has existed since September 1963. Its product range is very diverse:

• Controllers and inverters for solar systems.
• Monocrystalline modules power 8-100 W. For power supply systems in residential buildings, for street lighting, car batteries, various radio engineering, filling stations and other objects.
• Miniature panels with a power of 3.5-5 watts. Apply to mobile phones, solar fans and other portable devices.
• Photovoltaic systems (direct and alternating current).

Ryazan ZMKP offers the population fairly affordable products. A solar battery with a capacity of 120 watts will cost about 20 thousand rubles. And most importantly, the production technology systematically undergoes inspection control, and its quality is confirmed by the relevant certificates.

SB plant in Novocheboksarsk

One of the largest solar cell manufacturers in Russia, Hevel LLC plans to bring domestic solar batteries to international market. This company specializes in the production of thin-film modules, the plant is located in Novocheboksarsk. The annual output is more than one million panels annually.
The Hevel company was founded in 2009. Its founders are Renova Group, which owns 51% of the shares, and RUSNANO with 49%. In addition to the production of SB, the company specializes in turnkey construction of power plants, production auxiliary equipment etc.

The Novocheboksarsky plant uses one of the advanced technologies for the production of SB using amorphous silicon, owned by the Swiss company Oerlikon Solar. And together with the Physico-Technical Institute. Ioffe "Hevel" founded the Scientific and Technical Center in St. Petersburg, which became a member of the Skolkovo project. Let's hope that nanotechnology will help the company make the solar panels it produces accessible to everyone.

SB plant in Krasnodar

The production of solar batteries in Krasnodar is represented by the Solnechny Veter and Saturn companies. Moreover, "Solar Wind" is one of the few enterprises that, in addition to modules, also manufactures equipment for the production of batteries. Its products are installed in base station VimpelCom and MTS, where it allowed to reduce fuel costs by 4 times.

JSC "Saturn" in the production of SB uses the following types of frames:

• mesh;
• film;
• metal;
• strings.

Their products have shown good results in outer space and on earth. Plus, they patented their own technology production of solar cells from silicon. And to increase the efficiency of batteries, germanium substrates and multi-junction arsenide-gel cells are used. In total, during its activity, the company has produced more than 1200 panels with total area about 20 thousand sq.m.

You can find a more complete list of companies manufacturing and supplying equipment and products for solar energy in ours.

It turns out that in Russia the situation with alternative energy is not as terrifying as it seems at first glance. Russian manufacturers of SB strive to develop their activities, invest large sums money in the development of new technologies and materials. I would like to believe that in the near future all this will bear fruit, which will be able to use not only " powers of the world this, but also the broad masses.

The article was prepared by Abdullina Regina

On the video, the Ryazan plant of metal-ceramic devices:

Quartz sand with a high mass content of silicon dioxide (SiO 2) is used as a raw material. It undergoes multi-stage purification to get rid of oxygen. Occurs by high-temperature melting and synthesis with the addition of chemicals.

Steady growth in energy consumption sunlight contributes to an increase in demand for equipment with which this energy can be stored and used for further needs. The most popular way to generate electricity is solar photovoltaics. This is primarily due to the fact that the production of solar cells is based on the use of silicon - chemical element, which occupies the second place in terms of content in the earth's crust.

The solar battery market today is represented by the world's largest companies with multimillion-dollar turnover and many years of experience. The production of solar panels is based on various technologies that are constantly being improved. Depending on your needs, you can find solar panels sized to fit into a calculator, or panels that can easily fit on the roof of a building or car. As a rule, single photovoltaic cells produce very little power, so technologies are being used to combine them into so-called solar modules. About who and how does it and will be discussed further.

Technological process of manufacturing solar panels

Stage 1

The first thing with which any production begins, including the production of solar panels, is the preparation of raw materials. As we mentioned above, the main raw material in this case is silicon, or rather quartz sand of certain rocks. The raw material preparation technology consists of 2 processes:

1. Stage of high temperature melting.
2. Synthesis stage, accompanied by the addition of various chemicals.

Through these processes, a maximum degree of silicon purification of up to 99.99% is achieved. For the manufacture of solar cells, monocrystalline and polycrystalline silicon are most often used. The technologies for their production are different, but the process of obtaining polycrystalline silicon is less expensive. Therefore, solar cells made from this type of silicon are cheaper for consumers.

After the silicon has been purified, it is cut into thin wafers, which are in turn carefully tested by measuring electrical parameters using flashes of high power xenon lamps. After the tests, the plates are sorted and sent to the next stage of production.

Stage 2

The second stage of the technology is the process of soldering the plates in sections, with the subsequent formation of blocks on glass from these sections. Vacuum holders are used to transfer finished sections to the glass surface. This is necessary in order to exclude the possibility of mechanical impact on the finished solar cells. Sections are usually formed from 9 or 10 solar cells, and blocks - from 4 or 6 sections.

Stage 3

Stage 3 is the lamination stage. Soldered blocks of photovoltaic plates are laminated with ethylene vinyl acetate film and a special protective coating. The use of computer control allows you to monitor the level of temperature, vacuum and pressure. And also to program the required lamination conditions in case of using different materials.

Stage 4

At the last stage of manufacturing solar panels, an aluminum frame and a junction box are mounted. For reliable connection of the box and the module, a special sealant-glue is used. After that, the solar panels are tested, where they measure the short-circuit current, current and voltage of the maximum power point and open-circuit voltage. To obtain the required values ​​of current and voltage, it is possible to combine not only solar cells, but also ready-made solar blocks with each other.

What equipment is needed?

In the production of solar panels, it is necessary to use only high-quality equipment. This ensures minimal errors when measuring various indicators in the process of testing solar cells and blocks consisting of them. The reliability of the equipment implies more long term operation, therefore, the cost of replacing failed equipment is minimized. With low quality, violations of manufacturing technology are possible.

The main equipment used in the solar panel production process:

Who supplies us with solar panels?

Solar panels are a very promising business, and most importantly profitable. The number of purchased solar panels is increasing every year. This provides a constant increase in sales, which is the interest of any plant for the production of solar panels, and there are many of them around the world.

In the first place are, of course, Chinese companies. The low cost of solar panels that the Chinese export around the world has led to many problems for others. largest companies. Over the past 2-3 years, at least 4 German brands have announced the closure of the production of solar panels. It all started with the bankruptcy of Solon, after which Solarhybrid, Q-Cells and Solar Millennium closed. American company First Solar also announced the closure of its factory in Frankfurt an der Oder. Such giants as Siemens and Bosch also curtailed their production of panels. Although, given that Chinese solar panels are, for example, almost 2 times cheaper than their German counterparts, there is nothing to be surprised here.

The first places in the top companies producing solar panels are occupied by:

• Yingli Green Energy (YGE) is a leading manufacturer of solar panels. In 2012, its profit amounted to more than $120 million. In total, it has installed more than 2 GW of solar modules. Its products include 245-265W monocrystalline silicon panels and 175-290W polycrystalline silicon batteries.
• First Solar. Although this company closed its plant in Germany, it still remained among the largest. Its profile is thin-film panels, whose capacity in 2012 was about 3.8 GW.
• Suntech Power Co. Production capacity of this Chinese giant is approximately 1800 MW per year. About 13 million solar panels in 80 countries are the result of the work of this company.

Among the Russian factories it is worth highlighting:

• "Sunny wind"
• Hevel LLC in Novocheboksarsk
• Telecom-STV in Zelenograd
• JSC "Ryazan Plant of Metal-ceramic Devices"
• CJSC "Termotron-zavod" and others.

You can find a more complete list of companies manufacturing and supplying equipment and products for solar energy in ours.

The CIS countries are not far behind. For example, last year a plant for the production of solar batteries was launched in Astana. This is the first enterprise of its kind in Kazakhstan. It is planned to use 100% Kazakh silicon as raw materials, and the equipment installed at the plant meets all the latest requirements and is fully automated. The launch of a similar plant is also in the plans of Uzbekistan. The construction was initiated by the largest Chinese company Suntech Power Holdings Co, the same proposal was received from the Russian oil giant LUKOIL.

At this pace of construction, we should expect widespread use of solar modules. But this is not bad. An environmentally friendly energy source that provides free energy can solve many problems associated with pollution. environment and depletion of fossil fuels.

The article was prepared by Abdullina Regina

Video about the manufacturing process of solar panels: