HORIBA has won the 2016 Solar + Power PV Process Award, which was awarded at the Solar + Power Awards 2016 on June 22 in Munich, Germany, for a revolutionary Phosphorus oxychloride (POCl3) delivery system that improves process stability, increases uptime and reduces risk to human safety.
HORIBA, as a leading supplier of mass flow controllers, vaporization systems and automatic refilling systems, has revolutionised the delivery of POCl3 in the PV diffusion process.
“The HORIBA system automatically delivers bulk liquid POCl3 in 20 litre ETFE-lined stainless steel canisters to multiple, temperature compensated plastic bubbler vessels,” explains Corporate Officer(Semiconductor) of HORIBA Europe Holding , Stuart Knight. “No more changing fragile quartz bubbler vessels at height with the inherent risks to safety, uptime and process stability.”
Furthermore, Stuart points out, “HORIBA’s system reduces vessel exchanges by a factor of 20 and maintains 100% tool uptime. Operator error is now a thing of the past with fully automatic checking and refilling of fixed bubbler vessels.”
Stuart went on to acknowledge, “Through the cooperation of Centrotherm and the trust of one of the largest photo voltaic manufacturers, we have been able to make this project a success.
“I am honoured that HORIBA has been recognised by the industry through this award, and I am proud that the system is now adopted as standard throughout the largest photo voltaic cell manufacturers in the world.”
About Solar + Power Awards
Established in 2009, these awards have been created by Solar + Power to recognise the whole value chain and those people, products and services that will develop innovative manufacturing and product approaches that have the potential to change the way we live.
About HORIBA Phosphorus oxychloride (POCl3) delivery systems
The HORIBA system delivers POCl3 in 20 litre bulk canisters, reducing exchanges from 200 to just 10 exchanges per year. Tank exchange is now much safer, as the canister is constructed from robust ETFE-lined stainless steel and the exchanges are performed at ground level. Furnace downtime is eliminated as production continues even during the bulk POCl3 canister exchange.
When combined with the HORIBA Advanced Bubbler, the fragile quartz bubbler vessel is replaced by a fixed, robust, temperature-compensated PFA bubbler vessel that has been designed to be exposed to overpressure and vacuum. Financial and environmental benefits are also delivered as POCl3 liquid waste is reduced from 10% to less than 2%. Operator error is now a thing of the past with fully automatic purging, leak checking and refilling of fixed bubbler vessels. Continuous liquid refilling gives a stable bubbler liquid level, allowing enhanced control of sheet resistance.
