Recycling process

Reclaim’s robust recycling process utilises Pyrolysis* - a well-known thermal deconstruction technique - to break down and pull apart PV panels into their component parts by passing them through a high-temperature furnace.

Upon completion of the thermal extraction process, the recovered components are sorted and placed into collection bins for delivery to materials companies, ensuring all recoverable materials are available for re-use.

The Reclaim PV Recycling process

Outlined below is Reclaim’s robust recycling process, which utilises Pyrolysis* - a well-known thermal deconstruction technique - to break down and pull apart PV panels into their component parts by passing them through a high-temperature furnace.

The following two stages involve silver recovery through a chemical process and then further refining of the silicon cells to enable supply to Australia’s only silicon manufacturing company.

Recoverable materials available within PV modules include Aluminium, Glass, Copper, Plastics, Silver and Silicon.

Receipt and storage of panels in specialist facility

Load panels into furnance

Pyrolysis*

Remove panels from furnance

Materials sent to recyclers

Aluminium, Copper, Glass, Plastics, Silver and Silicon

Other advantages of the Reclaim method include:

Pyrolysis smoke and gases are consumed by a secondary burner to eliminate pollution.
Discharge effluent consists primarily of carbon dioxide and water vapour, which are invisible, odourless and harmless.
Most organic materials can be removed from the metal parts. These include plastics, waxes, resins, hot melt adhesives, tars, carbonized residues, grease, oil, paint and powder coatings.
Pollution free cleaning method uses heat to remove thermally degradable coatings or other organic material from metal parts without affecting the parent metal.
Water spray system controls the rate of emissions, which prevents an ignition or over-heat condition.
Lower energy consumption per cycle due both to highly efficient insulation, and to higher thermal efficiency of the Controlled Pyrolysis® cycle.

*Reclaim’s controlled pyrolysis method involves heating the panels in regulated conditions to flash points for simple separation of the elements within the panel, resulting in lower overall energy demand and increased CO2 offset versus other pyrolysis methods being used.