Over the last two decades, the use of photovoltaic panels for the production of electricity has increased significantly, which leads to the need to solve the problems concerning the decommissioning and disposal of the panels and the development of appropriate technologies for their recycling. One of the key steps in this process is the separation of the tempered glass layer. Various technologies and devices are known for separating the glass of the solar panel by cutting it with a knife, as well as other instruments, with the different methods being based on mechanical, chemical, and thermal processes and accordingly having their own advantages and disadvantages. This article proposes an innovative approach for the mechanical delamination of solar panels using a metal wire heated by Joule heating, with the potential to become an energy-efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly method. This publication presents results from experiments using this type of tool to separate the layers of solar panels. Photos from a thermal camera are presented, showing the heat distribution in the panel and the reached operating temperature of the heated metal wire, necessary to soften the EVA bonding layer.

The study is dedicated to the accuracy of engineering analyses of virtual prototypes. In particular, it aims to quantify the importance of material models and data consistent with physical tests. The focus is set on the stress–strain material characteristic that is the basis for correct simulation results, and the deviations of its parameters—elasticity module and yield stress—that are assessed. This is performed in three main steps: laboratory measurement of the material properties of a sample material (aluminum alloy), followed by an engineering analysis of a component produced from the same material, using the determined mechanical characteristics. The third step involves physical tests used to validate the virtual prototyping results by comparing them with the physical test results. The material properties used in the virtual prototype are subjected to a sensitivity analysis to determine their influence on the design’s elastic and plastic behavior. The main conclusions of the study are the importance of these material characteristics for achieving an adequate result. A general recommendation is formed that shows the importance of laboratory testing of material properties before virtual prototyping to avoid any influence of factors as production technology or geometry (specimen thickness).

This study presents a methodology used in the design certification of a battery module for electric vehicle applications. The methodology combines virtual and physical techniques to assess the structure under mechanical shock testing, according to the standards’ requirements. Virtual prototyping is used to quantify parameters as stresses and deformations. Performed simulations using the virtual prototype are validated by testing the physical prototype, which allows for assessing various design parameters with a high level of confidence. The testing of a physical prototype is performed using specialized equipment—a mechanical shock test bench—which is developed and manufactured especially for this task. The presented methodology is demonstrated in an industrial use case, and the main contribution of this study is related to the way the combination of virtual and physical prototyping and testing is used.

In the last two decades the use of photovoltaic panels for the production of electricity has increased significantly, which leads to the need to solve the problems related to the end-of-life disposal of the panels and the development of appropriate technologies for their recycling. One of the key steps in this process is the separation of the tempered glass layer. Various technologies and devices are known for separating the glass of the solar panel by cutting with a knife, as well as other instruments, with the different methods being based on mechanical, chemical and thermal processes and accordingly having their own advantages and disadvantages. This article proposes an innovative approach for mechanical delamination of solar panels using a metal wire heated by Joule heating, with the potential to become an energy-efficient, economical and environmentally friendly method. The publication presents results from experiments using this type of tool to separate the layers of solar panels. Photos from a thermal camera are presented, showing the heat distribution in the panel and the reached operating temperature of the heated metal wire, necessary to soften the EVA bonding layer.

The subject of this study is the dynamic analysis of the energy flow in the transient mode of the movement of the vehicle with a kinetic accumulator, implemented with a purely mechanical transmission. The elements of which include—a flywheel, planetary gears with two degrees of freedom, some ordinary gears, a friction mechanism with a variable transmission ratio (CVT), and a certain number of brake clutches, etc. A control algorithm is proposed; the differential equations of motion are derived and solved. The effectiveness and applicability of such a purely mechanical transmission for accumulating and realizing energy during braking and accelerating of the electro-mobile are proven, in which it is possible to extend the range by up to 12–14%.

The present study investigates the application of electric resistive heating to photovoltaic (PV) panels, aimed at enabling their subsequent thermo-mechanical delamination. The key process parameters—namely current magnitude and applied voltage—required for direct electro-resistive heating are identified, and the process is experimentally demonstrated under laboratory conditions. The electric resistive heating of a composite photovoltaic panel, consisting of a solar cell layer (crystalline silicon, c-Si, with a metallic grid), a backsheet, and a glass layer, is analyzed in detail using a virtual model of a single-crystal silicon solar cell implemented as coupled electric-thermal analysis. The temperature dependence of the electrical resistance of the solar cell layer is experimentally measured, and exponential relationships are derived and subsequently incorporated into the numerical model. The virtual model results are validated, demonstrating that, for a given geometry and configuration of the conductive metallic grid (busbars and fingers), the electrical resistance of the semiconductor layer containing the p–n junction governs the temperature achieved during electro-resistive heating as a function of the applied current. Furthermore, results for the terminal current and voltage, current density in the busbars and fingers, electric field intensity, and the resulting temperature within the semiconductor layer of the single-crystal silicon solar cell are presented and analyzed.