Yingli Green Energy, the largest vertically integrated PV module manufacturer in the world, today announced it has successfully completed trial production of monocrystalline ingots using new material technology.
Instead of using traditional graphite crucibles when pulling monocrystalline ingots, Yingli experimented with crucibles made from a carbon-carbon (C-C) composite material.
Yingli's initial estimates suggest that the new material could reduce manufacturing costs by nearly $0.01/W.
While graphite crucibles are the most commonly used type in monocrystalline ingot formation, they are known to have low strength, short lifetimes, and a high risk of silicon leakage because the crucibles are prone to cracking during the heating process.
C-C composite crucibles are not as vulnerable because they are made from a reinforced carbon fiber matrix that is low-density and high-strength, with a high thermal conductivity, thermal shock resistance, and dimensional stability.
Transitioning to C-C composite crucibles will reduce the per-unit cost of furnace crucibles, improve the stability of crystal pulling, and increase the utilization rate of monocrystalline silicon ingots by approximately 3%.
Liansheng Miao, chairman and CEO of Yingli Green Energy, said: "Our pursuit of innovative manufacturing processes has played a key role in Yingli's growth trajectory.
"As the world's largest vertically integrated PV manufacturer, we are dedicated to continuous improvement on our manufacturing lines and frequently experiment with new material and technologies.
"Our priorities are to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and deliver high product quality, so that we can maximize value for our global partners and bring affordable green energy to all."
