HHV builds directional solidification furnace for PV industry

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HHV builds directional solidification furnace for PV industry

HHV builds directional solidification furnace for PV industry

Industry News
Aug 26,23

Revolutionising the Solar PV Industry: Wide-Scale applications and affordable prices fuel renewable energy growth worldwide

HHV builds directional solidification furnace for PV industry

The Directional Solidification (DSS) Furnace for Silicon growth designed and built to international standards as a unique ‘Make in India’ initiative by Bangalore-based Hind High Vacuum (HHV) is based on its expertise in industrial furnace manufacturing and in manufacturing and supplying vacuum furnaces.

The DSS furnace made by HHV is specifically designed for the PV industry and has the capability to produce high-quality ingots suitable for processing high-efficiency poly-crystalline solar cells. The unique production mechanism can enhance the properties of the standard and mono-like/quasi-mono cells produced out of the wafers wire-sawed from these ingots to increase the performance of the solar cells further.

Nagarjun Sakhamuri, Managing Director, HHV, said, “The furnace is meant for the production as well as R&D on polycrystalline silicon ingot. This product is suitable for all the poly-C-Si solar cell manufacturers that want a backward integration in their PV production value chain and want to begin their own ingot/wafer production facility. Simultaneously, the existing ingot makers can make use of this latest equipment to improve the growth process and quality of ingots. The poly c-Si cell manufacturing industry, academia having R&D set up on improving production technology, not only from India but other parts of the globe also who do want to stay away from Chinese products will be able to get the benefits of having this system available from India.”

This furnace produces polycrystalline silicon ingots which undergo minimum loss while producing wafers from it. This higher yield also contributes to the lowering of cost of solar wafer and cell.

HHV’s DSS furnace also considers the possibility of any accidental breakage of the silica crucible, a critical component of the furnace. Breakage of this part can lead to long downtimes and costs to repair. Several safety functions are incorporated to protect the furnace against overpressure and malfunctioning.

Prof P Ramasamy, Dean (Research), SSN College of Engineering, Chennai, said, “Academia and Research Institutions have a good opportunity in pursuing research activities on mc-Si/ monolike Si with furnaces and technology like this. It will contribute to studies in improving the quality of silicon grown and the efficiency of the equipment. This will help us make these material processes more competitive and attractive to renewable energy power producers.”

“As a pioneer in vacuum technology, over the years HHV has established a focus on building machines that propagate a self-reliant India. As India is rapidly increasing its footprint into PV installations, these furnaces will help India become self-reliant in making its own wafers and satisfy the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative of the Government of India. This also helps in producing solar cells at lower cost and solar modules made out of these will become more economical than the prevailing costlier mono-C-Si modules. The DSS furnace here is built to international standards with state-of-the-art PLCs, automatic controls and processing and mandatory safety features and interlocks,” added Nagarjun Sakhamuri.

Hind High Vacuum (HHV) is India’s thin film and vacuum technology company, with over 55 years of expertise in the design and manufacture of high vacuum equipment for research and industrial applications. HHV’s products are integral to multiple sectors that including Aerospace, Automotive and Defence. HHV is a global developer and manufacturer of laboratory and industrial-scale vacuum coating systems for optical, decorative and functional coatings, astronomical telescope mirror coaters, thin film coatings, optics and special-purpose vacuum equipment for complex metallurgical applications. HHV has multiple manufacturing centres located in and around Bengaluru, India. HHV is an exporter for coating equipment with branches in the United Kingdom and distributors worldwide.