Solar roofs, solar roads, solar trees, solar toilets...etc. With the development and innovation of solar energy, the shadow of solar energy can be seen in a variety of things. The pace of new things is always moving forward. Now there is a new name that will soon be known to everyone - solar glass.

What is solar glass?

Crystalline silicon solar cells have poor mechanical strength and are prone to rupture. Moisture and corrosive gases in the air will gradually oxidize and corrode the electrodes, making them unable to withstand the harsh conditions of outdoor work. Therefore, solar cells are usually encapsulated with EVA and backsheet using solar glass.

The role of solar glass in solar panels is to protect solar panels from water vapor erosion, block oxygen and prevent oxidation, so that solar panels can withstand high and low temperatures, and have good insulation and aging resistance. Solar glass is a kind of silicate glass with low iron content, also known as ultra-white patterned glass.

The upper surface of the solar glass is suede, which prevents specular reflection from occurring when light is directly irradiated on the surface of the solar panel. The lower surface is an embossed surface, which can enhance adhesion with the EVA film.

Main materials of solar glass

The main raw materials of solar glass include quartz sand, soda ash, limestone, dolomite, sodium nitrate, Glauber's salt, sodium pyroantimonate, aluminum hydroxide, etc. Quartz sand mainly plays the role of network former, and its dosage is usually larger. More than half the composition of glass.

Soda ash primarily provides sodium oxide and lowers the melting temperature of glass. The main function of limestone is to adjust the viscosity of the glass to an appropriate value so that the molding time of the glass meets the molding requirements. The main function of Glauber's salt is to act as a clarifier, remove bubbles in the glass, and improve the light transmittance of the glass.

Solar glass production process

Solar glass is usually prepared by rolling method, and the production process can be divided into two stages: original sheet production and deep processing; original production mainly includes batching, melting, rolling, annealing and cutting;

During the rolling process, the molten glass at about 1100°C is rolled and cooled by the rolling roller at a certain speed to reach a glass plate with a certain thickness, a certain width, a certain pattern and a light transmittance of 91.5%, and then annealed in an annealing furnace. The furnace makes the glass plate have a relatively stable stress curve distribution and a certain strength, which is not easy to break and is conducive to cutting and processing of glass plates.

It should be pointed out that there are differences in the production lines of photovoltaic patterned glass and float glass. If the supply of photovoltaic glass exceeds demand, it will not be possible to switch directly from the float glass production line.

The deep processing technology usually involves coating and tempering the original glass. The purpose of coating is to improve the light transmittance of photovoltaic glass, and the purpose of tempering is to increase the mechanical properties of the glass. The bending strength of tempered glass is 3 to 5 times that of ordinary glass, and the impact strength is 5 to 10 times that of ordinary glass. It also improves strength and safety.

Performance requirements for solar glass

Solar glass must have good light transmittance. Generally speaking, the light transmittance of uncoated steel plates (wavelength range 380nm~1100nm) is usually above 91%, while the light transmittance of uncoated steel plates (wavelength range 380nm~1100nm) is usually above 91%, while the light transmittance of coated glass after deep processing can reach 93.5%. In addition, solar glass also needs to meet certain weather resistance and mechanical properties.

Our company, Yuhua New Materials Co., Ltd., was established in 2004 and is a professional solar glass factory located in Jiaozuo City, China. It has 4 production furnaces and an annual solar glass production capacity of 12 million square meters.

With 13 years of exporting glass to EU since 2010, we have extensive experience in exporting solar glass and horticulture. You are welcome to consult us and we look forward to your choice.