Recycling of photovoltaic panels by physical operations

•Recycling of Si and CdTe PV panels was performed according to common process routes.•Two alternative routes of physical operations were performed in pilot scale.•Mass balances and size fraction characterization were carried out.•Clean glass fractions can be recovered satisfying the EU minimum target of recovery.

Recycling of polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon and CdTe photovoltaic panels was investigated by studying two alternative routes made up of physical operations: two blade rotors crushing followed by thermal treatment and two blade rotors crushing followed by hammer crushing. Size distribution, X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence analysis of obtained products were carried out in order to evaluate their properties as valuable products. Results showed that for all kinds of investigated photovoltaic modules the two blade rotors crushing followed by hammer crushing and eventually by a thermal treatment of d>1 mm fractions, was the best option aiming to a direct recovery of glass.