JP7402676B2 - Heat treatment equipment and method for manufacturing heat-treated products - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a heat treatment apparatus for heat-treating an object to obtain a heat-treated object, and a method for producing a heat-treated object.

With the aim of effectively utilizing resources that were previously disposed of as waste, we are collecting carbon from used carbon fiber reinforced resin products (molded products) and scraps of carbon fiber reinforced resin intermediate products (prepreg) generated during the manufacturing process. Collecting fibers, cells and glass substrates from used solar cell modules, etc. are being considered.

Patent Document 1 describes a batch-type carbonization carbonization furnace that carbonizes carbon fiber-reinforced resin in an oxygen-free state and converts the matrix resin contained in the carbon-fiber-reinforced resin into fixed carbon, and a carbonization furnace that continuously carbonizes carbon fibers with fixed carbon attached. An apparatus for producing recycled carbon fiber is described, which is equipped with a continuous furnace that heats the fiber continuously to remove a portion of the fixed carbon.
Patent Document 2 describes a method of removing the sealing material by heating the solar cell module while being transported in a continuous heat treatment furnace in a low-oxygen or controlled oxygen-containing atmosphere, and separating and recovering the cell and the glass substrate. is listed.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-064219 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-108375

In the apparatus of Patent Document 1, the carbonization carbonization furnace is of a batch type, and continuous heat treatment cannot be performed. Therefore, it is not possible to increase the amount of processing per hour.
Although the method of Patent Document 2 allows continuous heat treatment, the inlet and outlet of the continuous heat treatment furnace are open, and inert gas easily leaks from the continuous heat treatment furnace, causing oxygen in the continuous heat treatment furnace to leak. Concentration tends to increase. Furthermore, pyrolysis gas generated by thermal decomposition of the sealing material tends to leak from the continuous heat treatment furnace. Further, in the inclined labyrinth structure provided at the entrance/exit, the height of the opening cannot be increased in order to maintain the airtightness of the continuous heat treatment furnace.

The present invention suppresses leakage of inert gas and pyrolysis gas inside a tunnel furnace to the outside, and continuously heat-treats objects while maintaining a non-oxidizing atmosphere or a controlled oxygen-containing atmosphere. A heat treatment apparatus capable of obtaining a heat-treated product and a method for producing a heat-treated product are provided.

The present invention has the following aspects.
<1> Equipped with a tunnel furnace for heat-treating the workpiece, which is a composite material or mixture containing a resin and a base material, in a non-oxidizing atmosphere or a controlled oxygen-containing atmosphere while conveying the workpiece with an endless belt to obtain a heat-treated workpiece. It is a heat treatment equipment,
The tunnel furnace has a heating part that heats the object to be processed,
A flexible seal curtain is suspended in the tunnel furnace upstream of the heating section, and extends across the conveyance direction of the workpiece and is in contact with the endless belt,
A heat treatment apparatus, wherein a flexible seal curtain is suspended in the tunnel furnace downstream of the heating section, intersecting the conveyance direction of the heat-treated material and in contact with the endless belt.
<2> Upstream of the heating section, a plurality of stages of the seal curtains are suspended at intervals in the conveyance direction of the workpiece,
The heat treatment apparatus according to <1>, wherein a plurality of stages of the seal curtains are suspended downstream of the heating section at intervals in the conveyance direction of the heat-treated material.
<3> The number of stages of the seal curtain upstream of the heating section is 2 to 100 stages,
The heat treatment apparatus according to <2>, wherein the number of stages of the seal curtain downstream of the heating section is 2 to 100 stages.
<4> The seal curtain located upstream of the heating section is composed of a plurality of strips arranged without gaps in a direction transverse to the conveying direction of the object to be processed,
The heat treatment according to any one of <1> to <3>, wherein the seal curtain located downstream of the heating section is composed of a plurality of strips arranged without gaps in a direction transverse to the conveyance direction of the heat-treated material. Device.
<5> The heat treatment apparatus according to <4>, wherein the number of the strips per meter in the width direction of the seal curtain is 2 to 50 strips/m.
<6> The heat treatment apparatus according to any one of <1> to <5>, further comprising means for supplying an inert gas to a region of the tunnel furnace where the seal curtain is suspended.
<7> The heat treatment apparatus further includes means for supplying an inert gas to the heating section,
The heat treatment apparatus according to any one of <1> to <6>, wherein a nozzle for injecting the inert gas toward the object to be processed is provided in the heating section.
<8> The tunnel furnace heat-treats the fiber-reinforced resin while transporting it, thereby thermally decomposing the matrix resin contained in the fiber-reinforced resin to obtain a heat-treated product, or heat-processes the solar cell module while transporting it. The heat treatment apparatus according to any one of <1> to <7>, wherein a heat-treated product is obtained by thermally decomposing the sealing material contained in the solar cell module.
<9> A non-oxidizing atmosphere or a controlled oxygen-containing atmosphere while conveying the workpiece with an endless belt in a tunnel furnace having a heating section that heats the workpiece, which is a composite material or mixture containing a resin and a base material. This is a method of obtaining a heat-treated product by heat-treating it with
A flexible seal curtain is suspended in the tunnel furnace upstream of the heating section, and extends across the conveyance direction of the workpiece and is in contact with the endless belt,
A flexible seal curtain is suspended in the tunnel furnace downstream of the heating section, and extends across the conveying direction of the heat-treated material and is in contact with the endless belt,
A method for manufacturing a heat-treated product, wherein the workpiece and the heat-treated product are transported in the tunnel furnace while pushing up the seal curtain.
<10> Upstream of the heating section, a plurality of stages of the seal curtains are suspended at intervals in the conveyance direction of the workpiece,
The method for producing a heat-treated product according to <9>, wherein a plurality of stages of the seal curtains are suspended downstream of the heating section at intervals in the conveying direction of the heat-treated product.
<11> The number of stages of the seal curtain upstream of the heating section is 2 to 100 stages,
The method for producing a heat-treated product according to <10> above, wherein the number of stages of the seal curtain downstream of the heating section is 2 to 100 stages.
<12> The seal curtain located upstream of the heating section is composed of a plurality of strips arranged without gaps in a direction transverse to the conveyance direction of the object to be processed,
The heating according to any one of <9> to <11>, wherein the seal curtain located downstream of the heating section is composed of a plurality of strips arranged without gaps in a direction transverse to the conveying direction of the heated object. Method for manufacturing treated products.
<13> The method for producing a heat-treated product according to <12>, wherein the number of the bands per 1 m in the width direction of the seal curtain is 2 to 50/m.
<14> The method for producing a heat-treated product according to any one of <9> to <13>, wherein an inert gas is supplied to a region in the tunnel furnace where the seal curtain is suspended.
<15> The method for producing a heat-treated object according to any one of <9> to <14>, wherein the inert gas supplied to the heating section is injected from a nozzle in the heating section toward the object to be processed.
<16> The method for producing a heat-treated product according to <15>, wherein the inert gas supplied to the heating section is nitrogen gas or superheated steam.
<17> A method of thermally decomposing a matrix resin contained in the fiber-reinforced resin to obtain a heat-treated product by heat-treating the fiber-reinforced resin while transporting the fiber-reinforced resin, or heat-treating the solar cell module while transporting the solar cell module. The method for producing a heat-treated product according to any one of <9> to <16> above, which is a method of obtaining a heat-treated product by thermally decomposing a sealing material contained in a module.

According to the heat treatment apparatus of the present invention, inert gas and pyrolysis gas in the tunnel furnace are suppressed from leaking outside, and a non-oxidizing atmosphere or a controlled oxygen-containing atmosphere is maintained while being continuously treated. A heat-treated product can be obtained by heat-treating an object.
According to the method for producing a heat-treated product of the present invention, inert gas and pyrolysis gas in the tunnel furnace are prevented from leaking outside, and a non-oxidizing atmosphere or a controlled oxygen-containing atmosphere is maintained and continuous production is possible. A heat-treated object can be obtained by heat-treating the object.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a heat treatment apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram of the seal curtain viewed from the direction of conveyance of the object to be processed. It is a perspective view showing an example of arrangement of nozzles in a heating furnace. FIG. 2 is a side view of the workpiece being transported inside the sealing chamber of the tunnel furnace while pushing up the sealing curtain. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing how the workpiece is transported while pushing up the seal curtain in the sealing chamber of the tunnel furnace, as seen from the rear side in the transport direction of the workpiece. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing how the workpiece is transported while pushing up the seal curtain in the sealing chamber of the tunnel furnace, as seen from the rear side in the transport direction of the workpiece.

The following definitions of terms apply throughout the specification and claims.
"Fiber-reinforced resin" refers to a resin containing reinforcing fibers and a matrix resin, and includes products after molding and intermediate products before molding.
"Non-oxidizing atmosphere" refers to an atmosphere that does not contain oxygen gas or an atmosphere that does not substantially contain oxygen gas. "Substantially does not contain oxygen gas" means that even if oxygen gas inevitably gets mixed into the atmosphere when heating the object, the amount of oxygen gas will be reduced by the thermal decomposition of the object to be recovered. This means that the amount is such that it is hardly seen.
The term "oxidizing atmosphere" refers to an atmosphere containing oxygen gas, other than a non-oxidizing atmosphere.
"Superheated steam" refers to steam heated to a temperature above the boiling point.
In the present specification and claims, the symbol "~" indicating a numerical range means that the numerical values listed before and after it are included as lower and upper limits.
The dimensional ratios in FIGS. 1 to 6 are different from the actual ones for convenience of explanation.

<Object to be processed>
The object to be treated in the present invention may be any object as long as it contains a resin that is thermally decomposed and an object to be recovered that is not thermally decomposed.
Examples of the objects to be treated include products containing resin (fiber-reinforced resins, solar cell modules, printed wiring boards, etc.), products to which oils and fats or organic substances are attached, products in which oils and fats or organic substances are adsorbed or contained, and the like.
The material to be treated is preferably a composite material or a mixture containing a resin and a base material, since the resin can be thermally decomposed by heat treatment and the base material can be recovered as a recycled resource. is more preferable, and even more preferably a fiber reinforced resin or a solar cell module.
The base material is not particularly limited as long as it has a volatilization temperature lower than that of the resin and can be recovered by thermally decomposing and removing the resin in the composite material or mixture.
Examples of the base material include metal, glass, ceramic, and carbon fiber.

(fiber reinforced resin)
The fiber reinforced resin includes reinforcing fibers and matrix resin.
The fiber-reinforced resin may contain reinforcing fibers and materials other than the matrix resin (such as inorganic filler).

The fiber reinforced resin may be a product after molding (molded product) or an intermediate product before molding (prepreg, tow preg, sheet molding compound, bulk molding compound, stampable sheet, fiber reinforced resin pellet, etc.). Good too.
When processing prepreg or the like, it may be a laminate made by stacking a plurality of prepregs or the like or a single layer. When a laminate made by stacking a plurality of prepregs etc. is used as the fiber reinforced resin, the amount of prepregs etc. that can be recycled at the same time can be increased and heat treatment can be performed at low cost.
The fiber-reinforced resin may be in the form of a composite with other members (resin molded products that do not contain reinforcing fibers, metals, ceramics, etc.).

The shape of the fiber reinforced resin is not particularly limited. The shapes of carbon fiber reinforced resin include sheet, plate, L-shaped cross section (angle shape), T-shaped cross section, C-shaped cross section (channel shape), H-shaped cross section, square pipe shape, round pipe shape, and any three-dimensional shape. Examples include shape.

(reinforced fiber)
The reinforcing fibers may be of any type as long as they are not thermally decomposed or are not easily thermally decomposed and can maintain their shape as fibers even when subjected to heat treatment.
Examples of reinforcing fibers include carbon fibers (including graphite fibers), glass fibers, silicon carbide fibers, alumina fibers, boron fibers, tungsten carbide fibers, and metal fibers. Fibers are preferred.

Examples of the carbon fiber include PAN-based carbon fiber using polyacrylonitrile fiber as a raw material, pitch-based carbon fiber using coal pitch or petroleum pitch as a raw material, and the like.
One type of reinforcing fiber may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination.

The form of the reinforcing fibers may be a reinforcing fiber base material such as a fiber bundle, a woven fabric, or a non-crimped fabric, or may be a reinforcing fiber that does not constitute a reinforcing fiber base material (such as milled reinforcing fibers). As for the form of the reinforcing fibers, a reinforcing fiber base material is preferred since it can be easily recovered as recycled reinforcing fibers from the fiber-reinforced resin.
The number of layers of the reinforcing fiber base material contained in the fiber-reinforced resin is appropriately set depending on the use, characteristics, etc. of the intermediate product, and is not particularly limited.
The reinforcing fiber base material may be in the form of a sheet or a chip.

Forms of sheet-like reinforcing fiber base materials include fiber bundles (tows) in which multiple reinforcing fibers are aligned in one direction, woven fabrics using fiber bundles of reinforcing fibers in the warp and weft, non-crimp fabrics, and reinforcing fibers. Examples include nonwoven fabrics.
Examples of the form of the chip-shaped reinforcing fiber base material include chopped reinforcing fibers obtained by cutting fiber bundles, chip-shaped woven fabrics, and the like.

The number of forms of the reinforcing fiber base material contained in the fiber-reinforced resin may be only one type, or two or more types. The plurality of reinforcing fiber base materials contained in the fiber reinforced resin are, for example, a combination of a sheet-like reinforcing fiber base material and a chip-like reinforcing fiber base material.

The number of reinforcing fibers constituting the fiber bundle is appropriately set depending on the use, characteristics, etc. of the fiber-reinforced resin, and is not particularly limited.
The length and fiber diameter of the reinforcing fibers are appropriately set depending on the use, characteristics, etc. of the fiber-reinforced resin, and are not particularly limited.
The proportion of reinforcing fibers contained in the fiber-reinforced resin is appropriately set depending on the use, characteristics, etc. of the fiber-reinforced resin, and is not particularly limited.

(matrix resin)
The matrix resin may be a thermosetting resin or a thermoplastic resin. The thermosetting resin may be uncured or cured.

Thermosetting resins include epoxy resin, unsaturated polyester resin, vinyl ester resin, phenol resin, cyanate resin, melamine resin, urea resin, diallyl phthalate resin, benzoguanamine resin, alkyd resin, vinyl ester resin, diallyl terephthalate, and silicone resin. , urethane resin, furan resin, ketone resin, xylene resin, thermosetting polyimide resin, and the like.
One type of thermosetting resin may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination.

Thermoplastic resins include polyamide (nylon, etc.), polyolefin (polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.), polyester (polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, etc.), polycarbonate, acrylic resin (polymethyl methacrylate, etc.) , acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, polyphenylene sulfide, polystyrene, polyphenylene ether, polyoxymethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, polyimide, polyamideimide, polyetherimide, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyketone, polyetherketone, poly Examples include ether ether ketone, polyarylate, polyether nitrile, phenoxy resin, polybutadiene resin, polyisoprene resin, thermoplastic elastomer, copolymers, modified products, and blend resins thereof. Furthermore, a resin containing an elastomer or a rubber component may be used.
One type of thermoplastic resin may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination.

The matrix resin may contain additives as necessary. Examples of additives include curing agents, curing aids, internal mold release agents, flame retardants, antioxidants, light stabilizers, ultraviolet absorbers, colorants, and the like.
The proportion of the matrix resin contained in the fiber-reinforced resin is appropriately set depending on the use, characteristics, etc. of the fiber-reinforced resin, and is not particularly limited.

(Solar cell module)
A solar cell module has a cell, a glass substrate, and a sealing material.
The solar cell module may have wiring electrodes, lead-out electrodes, a back sheet, a frame, and the like.
In the present invention, it is preferable to use a solar cell module from which mechanically easily removable components such as the frame are removed, and further from which the back sheet is removed, as the object to be processed.

Examples of the cell include silicon-based cells (monocrystalline silicon-based, polycrystalline silicon-based, amorphous silicon-based, etc.), compound-based cells (GaAs-based, CIS-based, CdTe-CdS-based), and the like.
Examples of the glass substrate include soda lime glass and alkali-free glass.
Examples of the sealant include ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), ethylene-(meth)acrylate copolymer, and the like, with EVA being preferred.

<Heat treatment equipment>
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a heat treatment apparatus of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the tunnel furnace is shown in cross section.
The heat treatment apparatus 1 includes a tunnel furnace 10 for heat-treating a workpiece 100 in a non-oxidizing atmosphere or a controlled oxygen-containing atmosphere to obtain a heat treatment workpiece 102; A transport means 30 for transporting the heat-treated material 102; a first inert gas supply means 40 for supplying an inert gas for sealing or cooling to the tunnel furnace 10; and a first inert gas supply means 40 for supplying an inert gas for heat treatment to the tunnel furnace 10. a second inert gas supply means 50; an exhaust gas discharge means 60 for discharging exhaust gas from the tunnel furnace 10 to the outside; and a cooling water supply means 70 for supplying cooling water to the tunnel furnace 10.

(Tunnel furnace)
The tunnel furnace 10 includes, in order from the upstream side, a loading port side exhaust chamber 11, a loading port side sealing chamber 12, a heating chamber 13 (heating section), a cooling chamber 14 (cooling section), and a loading port side sealing chamber 15. and an outlet side exhaust chamber 16.

The carry-in port side exhaust chamber 11 is an area for exhausting the outside air flowing in from the carry-in port 11a together with the inert gas and pyrolyzable gas from the carry-in port side seal chamber 12.
A carry-in port 11 a for carrying the workpiece 100 into the tunnel furnace 10 is formed in the carry-in port side exhaust chamber 11 . A first opening degree adjusting plate 20 that adjusts the opening degree of the passageway (carrying inlet 11a) of the tunnel furnace 10 is provided at the loading port 11a. A first exhaust port 11b is formed in the upper part of the carry-in port side exhaust chamber 11 for exhausting the outside air flowing in from the carry-in port 11a together with the inert gas and pyrolyzable gas from the carry-in port side seal chamber 12. . The first exhaust port 11b is provided with an opening adjustment means 21 that adjusts the opening degree of the first exhaust port 11b. Examples of the opening adjustment means 21 include an opening adjustment plate and the like.

The entrance-side seal chamber 12 is an area for suppressing the intrusion of outside air into the heating chamber 13 and the leakage of inert gas and pyrolysis gas from the heating chamber 13 .
An inert gas introduction port 12a for introducing inert gas into the loading port side sealing chamber 12 is formed in the upper part of the loading port side sealing chamber 12 at the center in the length direction of the loading port side sealing chamber 12. ing. A flexible seal curtain 22 is suspended in the seal chamber 12 on the import entrance side, which extends across the transport direction of the workpiece 100 and is in contact with the endless belt 32 . A second opening degree adjusting plate 23 for adjusting the opening degree of the passage of the tunnel furnace 10 (the entrance of the loading port side sealing chamber 12) is provided in the loading port side sealing chamber 12 at a position upstream of the seal curtain 22. ing.

The length of the seal curtain 22 in the vertical direction may be such that it contacts the endless belt 32 inside the tunnel furnace 10 . It is preferable that the lower end of the seal curtain 22 and the endless belt 32 are in contact with each other, and it is more preferable that the lower end of the seal curtain 22 is pressed against the endless belt 32 and bent.
The seal curtain 22 may be any material as long as it has flexibility and heat resistance. Examples of the seal curtain 22 include thin sheets, preferably heat-resistant thin sheets, and more preferably thin metal sheets.

A plurality of seal curtains 22 are suspended in the import entrance side seal chamber 12 at intervals in the transport direction of the object to be processed 100 . The number of stages of the seal curtain 22 is preferably 2 to 100 stages. If the number of stages of the seal curtain 22 is equal to or greater than the lower limit of the range, the intrusion of outside air into the heating chamber 13 and the leakage of inert gas and pyrolysis gas from the heating chamber 13 can be sufficiently suppressed. If the number of stages of the seal curtain 22 is less than or equal to the upper limit of the range, the workpiece 100 can easily pass through the seal chamber 12 on the entrance side.

As shown in FIG. 2, the seal curtain 22 is made up of a plurality of vertically extending bands 22A arranged without gaps in a direction transverse to the conveying direction of the object 100. The number of bands 22A per meter in the width direction of the seal curtain 22 is preferably 2 to 50 bands/m, more preferably 10 to 30 bands/m. If the number of strips 22A is equal to or greater than the lower limit of the above range, the gap between the side surface of the object to be processed 100 and the strips 22A can be made as small as possible by the mechanism described later, thereby preventing outside air from entering the heating chamber 13. Leakage of inert gas and pyrolysis gas from the heating chamber 13 can be sufficiently suppressed. If the number of strips 22A is below the upper limit of the above range, the number of gaps between adjacent strips 22A is suppressed, preventing outside air from entering the heating chamber 13 and inert gas or pyrolysis gas from the heating chamber 13. leakage is sufficiently suppressed.

The heating chamber 13 is a region for heating the object 100 to perform heat treatment. When the object to be processed 100 is heat-treated, the resin (matrix resin, sealant, etc.) contained in the object to be processed 100 is thermally decomposed, and a heat-treated object 102 is obtained.
A third exhaust port 13a is formed in the upper part of the heating chamber 13 for exhausting exhaust gas containing pyrolysis gas generated by thermal decomposition of the resin contained in the object 100 from the heating chamber 13. Inside the heating chamber 13, a pair of electric heaters 24 are installed at three locations with an endless belt 32 for transporting the workpiece 100 interposed therebetween, at intervals in the transport direction of the workpiece 100. The regions in which the pair of electric heaters 24 are installed are defined as a preheating region 13A, a first heating region 13B, and a second heating region 13C from the upstream side. Each region can be set to an arbitrary temperature by a pair of electric heaters 24. The number of areas can be appropriately set as necessary. In each of the preheating area 13A and the first heating area 13B in the heating chamber 13, a nozzle 25 for injecting an inert gas toward the workpiece 100 is provided below the endless belt 32. As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of nozzles 25 may be provided in an inert gas supply pipe 54 arranged in a direction crossing the moving direction of the endless belt 32. With this arrangement, the inert gas can be continuously and directly sprayed onto the object to be processed 100, and the resin (matrix resin, sealing material, etc.) contained in the object to be processed 100 can be efficiently removed. Can be thermally decomposed.

The cooling chamber 14 is an area for cooling the heat-treated object 102.
An inert gas introduction port 14a is formed near the boundary between the heating chamber 13 and the cooling chamber 14 for introducing inert gas into the vicinity of the boundary between the heating chamber 13 and the cooling chamber 14. A cooling pipe (not shown) for flowing cooling water is provided in the cooling chamber 14 .

The exit-side seal chamber 15 is an area for suppressing the intrusion of outside air into the cooling chamber 14 and the heating chamber 13 and the leakage of inert gas and pyrolysis gas from the heating chamber 13 and the cooling chamber 14.
An inert gas inlet 15a for introducing inert gas into the exit sealing chamber 15 is formed in the upper part of the exit exit sealing chamber 15 at the center in the longitudinal direction of the exit exit sealing chamber 15. ing. In the exit-side sealing chamber 15, a flexible seal curtain 26 that crosses the conveyance direction of the heat-treated material 102 and is in contact with the endless belt 32 is arranged in multiple stages at intervals in the conveyance direction of the heat-treated material 102. It is suspended. A third opening adjustment plate 27 for adjusting the opening degree of the passage of the tunnel furnace 10 (the exit of the exit side sealing chamber 15) is provided in the unloading port side sealing chamber 15 at a position downstream of the seal curtain 26. ing.
The seal curtain 26 may be similar to the seal curtain 22 in the entrance side seal chamber 12, and its preferred form is also the same.

The outlet side exhaust chamber 16 is an area for exhausting the outside air flowing in from the outlet 16a together with the inert gas and pyrolyzable gas from the outlet side seal chamber 15.
The outlet side exhaust chamber 16 is formed with an outlet 16 a for carrying out the heat-treated material 102 from the tunnel furnace 10 . A fourth opening adjustment plate 29 is provided at the export port 16a to adjust the opening degree of the passage (export port 16a) of the tunnel furnace 10. A second exhaust port 16b is formed in the upper part of the outlet side exhaust chamber 16 for exhausting the outside air flowing from the outlet 16a together with the inert gas and pyrolyzable gas from the outlet side seal chamber 15. . The second exhaust port 16b is provided with an opening adjustment means 28 that adjusts the opening degree of the second exhaust port 16b. Examples of the opening adjustment means 28 include an opening adjustment plate and the like.

(Transportation means)
The conveying means 30 includes a roll 34 provided on the upstream side of the tunnel furnace 10; a roll 36 provided on the downstream side of the tunnel furnace 10; a roll 37 provided below the roll 36; and a roll 37 provided below the roll 34. A belt conveyor comprising: rolls 38 provided; an endless belt 32 extending over these rolls while being inserted into the tunnel furnace 10; and a rotational drive mechanism (not shown) provided on at least one roll. be. The endless belt 32 moves from the upstream side of the tunnel furnace 10, passes through the tunnel furnace 10, and moves toward the downstream side of the tunnel furnace 10, with the workpiece 100 and the heat treatment object 102 placed thereon.
The endless belt 32 may be any material as long as it has air permeability, flexibility, and heat resistance. Examples of the endless belt 32 include a heat-resistant mesh belt, and a metal mesh belt is preferable.

(First inert gas supply means)
The first inert gas supply means 40 is connected to an inert gas supply source 42 ; and an inert gas supply pipe 44 for supplying air to the inert gas inlet 14a near the boundary between the cooling chamber 14 and the inert gas inlet 15a of the sealing chamber 15 on the exit side; An inert gas heating device 46 is provided in the middle.
Examples of the inert gas supply source 42 include a membrane separation type nitrogen gas generator, an inert gas cylinder, an inert gas tank, and the like. Examples of the inert gas include nitrogen gas, argon gas, helium gas, xenon gas, carbon dioxide gas, and nitrogen gas is preferred from the economic point of view.

(Second inert gas supply means)
The second inert gas supply means 50 includes an inert gas supply source 52; an inert gas supply for supplying the inert gas supplied from the inert gas supply source 52 to the nozzle 25 in the heating chamber 13; and piping 54.
Examples of the inert gas supply source 42 include a superheated steam generator, a membrane separation type nitrogen gas generator, an inert gas cylinder, an inert gas tank, and the like. Examples of the inert gas include superheated steam, nitrogen gas, argon gas, helium gas, xenon gas, carbon dioxide gas, etc. From the economic point of view, nitrogen gas or superheated steam is preferable, and from the point of thermal conductivity, Superheated steam is more preferred. A controlled amount of oxygen gas may also be included in the inert gas.

(Exhaust gas discharge means)
The exhaust gas discharge means 60 includes an afterburner 61 that burns exhaust gas containing pyrolysis gas exhausted from the third exhaust port 13a of the heating chamber 13; A first exhaust pipe 62 that takes in exhaust gas containing gas; a second exhaust pipe 63 that discharges exhaust gas exhausted from the afterburner 61 to the outside; a first exhaust port 11b of the exhaust chamber 11 on the entrance side and an exit A third exhaust pipe 64 that connects the exhaust gas containing inert gas and pyrolyzable gas exhausted from the second exhaust port 16b of the side exhaust chamber 16 to the second exhaust pipe 63; An exhaust fan 65 is provided.

(Cooling water supply means)
The cooling water supply means 70 includes a cooling water tank 71 that stores the cooling water returned from the cooling pipe of the cooling room 14; and a first cooling water pipe 72 that returns the cooling water from the cooling pipe of the cooling room 14 to the cooling water tank 71. A second cooling water pipe 73 that supplies the cooling water from the cooling water tank 71 to the cooling pipe of the cooling chamber 14; A liquid sending pump 74 provided in the middle of the second cooling water pipe 73; A second cooling water pipe A heat exchanger 75 for cooling the cooling water is provided in the middle of the cooling water.

<Method for producing heat-treated product>
A method for manufacturing the heat-treated product 102 using the heat treatment apparatus 1 of FIG. 1 will be described.
Inert gas is always supplied from the inert gas supply source 42 of the first inert gas supply means 40 to the entrance side seal chamber 12, the vicinity of the boundary between the heating chamber 13 and the cooling chamber 14, and the exit side seal chamber 15. supply Further, inert gas is constantly supplied to the heating chamber 13 from the inert gas supply source 52 of the second inert gas supply means 50 . This makes the inside of the heating chamber 13 a non-oxidizing atmosphere. Alternatively, a gas containing oxygen can be supplied to the heating chamber 13 to create a controlled oxygen-containing atmosphere inside the heating chamber 13.

Examples of the inert gas for sealing supplied into the loading port side sealing chamber 12 and the loading port side sealing chamber 15 include nitrogen gas, argon gas, helium gas, xenon gas, carbon dioxide gas, etc. From this point of view, nitrogen gas is preferable. Further, the inert gas is preferably heated, since the volumetric expansion can reduce the amount of gas used.
Examples of the inert gas for cooling supplied near the boundary between the heating chamber 13 and the cooling chamber 14 include superheated steam, nitrogen gas, argon gas, helium gas, xenon gas, carbon dioxide gas, etc. From this point of view, superheated steam or nitrogen gas is preferable.
The atmosphere in the heating chamber 13 is preferably an inert gas atmosphere, since the resin can be sufficiently thermally decomposed while suppressing oxidative damage to the recovery target contained in the processing object 100. Examples of the inert gas for heat treatment supplied to the heating chamber 13 include superheated steam, nitrogen gas, argon gas, helium gas, xenon gas, carbon dioxide gas, etc. From the economic point of view, nitrogen gas or superheated steam is recommended. is preferable, and superheated steam is more preferable from the viewpoint of thermal conductivity. A controlled amount of oxygen may also be included in the inert gas.

In addition, the exhaust fan 65 of the exhaust gas exhaust means 60 is driven, and the outside air flowing in from the entrance 11a of the tunnel furnace 10 is constantly supplied from the first exhaust port 11b together with the inert gas and pyrolysis gas from the entrance-side seal chamber 12. Exhaust. The first opening adjustment plate 20 adjusts the amount of outside air flowing in from the entrance 11a of the tunnel furnace 10, thereby suppressing inert gas and pyrolysis gas inside the tunnel furnace 10 from leaking outside. Furthermore, the outside air flowing in from the outlet 16a of the tunnel furnace 10 is constantly exhausted from the second exhaust port 16b together with the inert gas and pyrolysis gas from the seal chamber 15 on the outlet side. The fourth opening adjustment plate 29 adjusts the amount of outside air flowing in from the outlet 16a of the tunnel furnace 10, thereby suppressing inert gas and pyrolysis gas inside the tunnel furnace 10 from leaking outside. If necessary, the opening degree of the first exhaust port 11b is adjusted by the opening degree adjusting means 21. Further, the opening degree of the second exhaust port 16b is adjusted by the opening degree adjusting means 28.

The workpiece 100 is placed on the endless belt 32 that moves from the upstream side of the tunnel furnace 10 through the tunnel furnace 10 toward the downstream side of the tunnel furnace 10 on the upstream side of the tunnel furnace 10 . The workpiece 100 is carried in through the entrance 11a of the tunnel furnace 10 by the endless belt 32, and is transported inside the tunnel furnace 10.
In the entrance-side seal chamber 12, the workpiece 100 is transported while pushing up the seal curtain 22. If necessary, the opening degree of the entrance of the entrance side sealing chamber 12 is adjusted by the second opening degree adjusting plate 23.

In the heating chamber 13, the workpiece 100 is heat-treated while being transported and maintained in a non-oxidizing atmosphere or a controlled oxygen-containing atmosphere. As a result, the resin (matrix resin, sealing material, etc.) contained in the object to be processed 100 is thermally decomposed to obtain the heated object 102 .
The oxygen concentration in the heating chamber 13 is set to 3 to sufficiently suppress oxidation damage to the objects to be recovered (reinforced fibers, cells, glass substrates, etc.) included in the processing object 100 and to suppress the formation of explosive gas. The content is preferably .0 volume% or less, more preferably 1.0 volume% or less, and even more preferably 0.1 volume% or less.

When the object to be processed 100 is a fiber reinforced resin, the ambient temperature of the preheating area 13A is set to, for example, 300 to 600°C, the ambient temperature of the first heating area 13B is set to, for example, 500 to 800°C, and the ambient temperature of the first heating area 13B is set to, for example, 500 to 800°C. The ambient temperature of the second heating area 13C is set to, for example, 500 to 800°C.
When the object to be processed 100 is a fiber-reinforced resin, the heating time in the heating chamber 13 is appropriately set, for example, in the range of 10 to 180 minutes depending on the heating temperature.

When the object to be processed 100 is a solar cell module, the atmospheric temperature of the preheating region 13A is set to, for example, 300 to 400°C, the atmospheric temperature of the first heating region 13B is set to, for example, 400 to 550°C, and the The ambient temperature of the second heating area 13C is set to, for example, 400 to 550°C.
In the case of the solar cell module to be processed 100, the heating time in the heating chamber 13 is appropriately set, for example, in the range of 10 to 180 minutes depending on the heating temperature.

When heat-treating the workpiece 100 in the heating chamber 13, the inert gas for heat treatment supplied from the second inert gas supply means 50 is supplied to the heating chamber in the preheating region 13A and the first heating region 13B. The liquid is ejected from the nozzle 25 in the object 13 toward the object 100 to be treated.
Exhaust gas containing pyrolysis gas generated by thermal decomposition of the resin contained in the object to be processed 100 is exhausted from the heating chamber 13, burned by the afterburner 61 of the exhaust gas exhaust means 60, and then exhausted to the outside. Ru.

In the vicinity of the boundary between the heating chamber 13 and the cooling chamber 14, the heated object 102 is slowly cooled by an inert gas for cooling. Thereafter, in the cooling chamber 14 to which cooling water is supplied from the cooling water supply means 70, the heat-treated material 102 is heated to a temperature of 100° C. or lower, at which oxidation damage to the recovery target contained in the heat-treated material 102 is sufficiently suppressed. is cooled.

Inside the seal chamber 15 on the exit side, the heat-treated material 102 is transported while pushing up the seal curtain 26 . If necessary, the third opening adjustment plate 27 adjusts the opening of the exit of the seal chamber 15 on the exit side.
The heat-treated material 102 transported through the tunnel furnace 10 by the endless belt 32 is transported out from the exit 16a of the tunnel furnace 10.

When the object to be treated 100 is a fiber-reinforced resin, the heat-treated object 102 carried out from the tunnel furnace 10 is reinforced fiber with resin residue attached to it, and when the object to be treated 100 is a solar cell module, it is a reinforced fiber with resin residue attached to it. Cells, glass substrates, etc.
If necessary, the heat-treated product may be further heated in an oxidizing atmosphere to reduce resin residue. The ambient temperature when heating the heat-treated product in an oxidizing atmosphere is set to, for example, 300 to 500°C. The heating time is appropriately set, for example, in the range of 10 to 180 minutes depending on the heating temperature.

<Mechanism of action>
The heat treatment apparatus 1 described above includes the tunnel furnace 10 that heats the workpiece 100 while conveying it to obtain the heat treatment workpiece 102, so that the workpiece 100 is continuously heat-treated and heat-treated. Object 102 can be obtained. As a result, the amount of processing per hour can be increased compared to batch processing.
In addition, in the seal chamber 12 on the import entrance side upstream of the heating chamber 13 that heats the workpiece 100, a seal curtain is hung with a length that crosses the conveyance direction of the workpiece 100 and touches the endless belt 32. 22 is hanging. Therefore, the outside air that has entered the entrance-side seal chamber 12 and the inert gas and pyrolysis gas from the heating chamber 13 are difficult to pass through the entrance-side seal chamber 12 . Furthermore, a seal curtain 26 is suspended within the seal chamber 15 on the exit side downstream of the heating chamber 13, crossing the conveying direction of the heat-treated material 102 and extending to a length that touches the endless belt 32. . Therefore, outside air that has entered the sealing chamber 15 on the exit side and inert gas and pyrolysis gas from the heating chamber 13 and the cooling chamber 14 do not easily pass through the sealing chamber 15 on the exit side.
Furthermore, the seal curtain 22 in the entrance-side seal chamber 12 has flexibility. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, when the workpiece 100 passes through the entrance-side seal chamber 12, the seal curtain 22 is pushed up in a bent state. At this time, the seal curtain 22 is pressed against the workpiece 100 and closely contacts the surface of the workpiece 100, following the thickness and top shape of the workpiece 100, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. , the gap between the seal curtain 22 and the upper surface of the object to be processed 100 is minimized. Therefore, the outside air and the inert gas and pyrolysis gas from the heating chamber 13 that have entered the entrance-side seal chamber 12 can be removed from the entrance-side seal even when the workpiece 100 passes through the entrance-side seal chamber 12. It is difficult to pass through the chamber 12. Further, the seal curtain 26 in the seal chamber 15 on the exit side also has flexibility. Therefore, for the same reason as the seal curtain 22, the gap between the seal curtain 26 and the heat-treated object 102 is minimized. Therefore, the outside air that has entered the sealing chamber 15 on the exit side, as well as the inert gas and pyrolysis gas from the heating chamber 13 and the cooling chamber 14, can be removed even when the heated material 102 passes through the sealing chamber 15 on the exit side. It is difficult to pass through the seal chamber 15 on the exit side.
In this manner, in the heat treatment apparatus 1, entry of outside air into the heating chamber 13 is suppressed. Therefore, the oxygen concentration within the heating chamber 13 is difficult to increase, and the workpiece 100 is continuously heat-treated in a non-oxidizing atmosphere while maintaining a non-oxidizing atmosphere or a controlled oxygen-containing atmosphere within the heating chamber 13. The heat-treated product 102 can be obtained by doing so. As a result, oxidation damage to the recovery target contained in the heat-treated material 102 is suppressed, and the formation of explosive gas is suppressed. Further, leakage of inert gas and pyrolysis gas inside the tunnel furnace 10 to the outside is suppressed.

In addition, in the heat treatment apparatus 1 described above, a plurality of seal curtains 22 are suspended in the seal chamber 12 on the import entrance side at intervals in the transport direction of the workpieces 100. The outside air that has entered the entrance side seal chamber 12 and the inert gas and pyrolysis gas from the heating chamber 13 are more difficult to pass through the entrance side seal chamber 12 . In addition, since a plurality of seal curtains 26 are hung in the sealing chamber 15 on the exit side at intervals in the conveying direction of the heat-treated material 102, outside air entering the sealing chamber 15 on the exit side and heating Inert gas and pyrolysis gas from the chamber 13 and the cooling chamber 14 are more difficult to pass through the seal chamber 15 on the exit side. Therefore, the intrusion of outside air into the heating chamber 13 and the leakage of inert gas and pyrolysis gas from inside the tunnel furnace 10 are sufficiently suppressed.

Furthermore, in the heat treatment apparatus 1 described above, the seal curtain 22 in the seal chamber 12 on the entrance side is composed of a plurality of strips 22A arranged without gaps in a direction transverse to the transport direction of the workpiece 100. That is, the seal curtain 22 is finely divided. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, only the minimum band 22A is pushed up according to the width of the object to be processed 100 in the direction transverse to the conveying direction of the object to be processed 100. Therefore, the difference between the total width of the band 22A pushed up by the workpiece 100 and the width of the workpiece 100 can be made as small as possible. The gap formed between the side surface of the object to be processed 100 and the band 22A can be made as small as possible. Therefore, the outside air and the inert gas and pyrolysis gas from the heating chamber 13 that have entered the entrance-side seal chamber 12 are more difficult to pass through the entrance-side seal chamber 12 . Further, the seal curtain 26 in the seal chamber 15 on the exit side is also made up of a plurality of bands (not shown) arranged without gaps in a direction transverse to the conveying direction of the heat-treated material 102. Therefore, for the same reason as the seal curtain 22, outside air that has entered the sealing chamber 15 on the exit side and inert gas and pyrolysis gas from the heating chamber 13 and the cooling chamber 14 further pass through the sealing chamber 15 on the exit side. It's hard to do. Therefore, the intrusion of outside air into the heating chamber 13 and the leakage of inert gas and pyrolysis gas from inside the tunnel furnace 10 are sufficiently suppressed.

Furthermore, the heat treatment apparatus 1 described above further includes a first inert gas supply means 40 for supplying a sealing inert gas into the loading port side sealing chamber 12 and the loading port side sealing chamber 15. , the inside of the seal chamber 12 on the carry-in port side and the seal chamber 15 on the carry-out port side are gas-sealed. Therefore, the outside air and the inert gas and pyrolysis gas from the heating chamber 13 that have entered the loading port side seal chamber 12 and the loading port side seal chamber 15 are prevented from entering the loading port side seal chamber 12 and the loading port side seal chamber 15. Even more difficult to pass. Therefore, the intrusion of outside air into the heating chamber 13 and the leakage of inert gas and pyrolysis gas from inside the tunnel furnace 10 are sufficiently suppressed. Further, since the first inert gas supply means 40 includes the inert gas heating device 46, the inert gas can be heated, and the volume expansion of the heated inert gas can reduce the amount of inert gas used.

In addition, in the heat treatment apparatus 1 described above, a second opening degree adjusting plate for adjusting the opening degree of the entrance of the loading port side sealing chamber 12 is provided at a position upstream of the seal curtain 22 of the loading port side sealing chamber 12. 23 are provided. Therefore, the degree of opening of the entrance of the entrance-side seal chamber 12 can be adjusted to the minimum according to the height of the workpiece 100, making it difficult for outside air to enter the entrance-side seal chamber 12. Inert gas and pyrolysis gas are difficult to leak from 12. Further, a third opening degree adjusting plate 27 for adjusting the opening degree of the exit of the discharge port side seal chamber 15 is provided at a position downstream of the seal curtain 26 of the discharge port side seal chamber 15. Therefore, the degree of opening of the outlet of the sealing chamber 15 on the exit side can be adjusted to the minimum according to the height of the heated object 102, making it difficult for outside air to enter the sealing chamber 15 on the exit side. Inert gas and pyrolysis gas are difficult to leak from 15. Therefore, the intrusion of outside air into the heating chamber 13 and the leakage of inert gas and pyrolysis gas from inside the tunnel furnace 10 are sufficiently suppressed.

Furthermore, in the heat treatment apparatus 1 described above, the first exhaust port 11b is provided at a position upstream of the seal chamber 12 on the entrance side. Therefore, the outside air flowing in from the entrance 11a of the tunnel furnace 10 can be exhausted together with the inert gas and pyrolysis gas from the entrance-side seal chamber 12, and the outside air is difficult to enter into the entrance-side seal chamber 12. Further, a first opening degree adjusting plate 20 for adjusting the opening degree of the passage of the tunnel furnace 10 is provided at the entrance 11a. Therefore, the amount of outside air flowing in from the entrance 11a of the tunnel furnace 10 can be adjusted, and leakage of inert gas and pyrolysis gas inside the tunnel furnace 10 to the outside can be suppressed. Further, a second exhaust port 16b is provided at a position downstream of the seal chamber 15 on the exit side. Therefore, the outside air flowing in from the exit port 16a of the tunnel furnace 10 can be exhausted together with the inert gas and pyrolysis gas from the exit exit seal chamber 15, and the outside air is less likely to enter into the exit exit seal chamber 15. Further, a fourth opening adjustment plate 29 for adjusting the opening of the passage of the tunnel furnace 10 is provided at the export port 16a. Therefore, the amount of outside air flowing in from the outlet 16a of the tunnel furnace 10 can be adjusted, and leakage of inert gas and pyrolysis gas inside the tunnel furnace 10 to the outside can be suppressed. Therefore, the intrusion of outside air into the heating chamber 13 and the leakage of inert gas and pyrolysis gas from inside the tunnel furnace 10 are sufficiently suppressed.

In addition, in the heat treatment apparatus 1 described above, since the first exhaust port 11b is provided with the opening adjustment means 21 and the second exhaust port 16b is provided with the opening adjustment means 28, the first exhaust port 11b is provided with the opening adjustment means 28. Intrusion of outside air from the exhaust port 11b and the second exhaust port 16b can be suppressed. Therefore, entry of outside air into the heating chamber 13 is sufficiently suppressed.

In addition, the heat treatment apparatus 1 described above further includes a cooling chamber 14 for cooling the heat-treated material 102 between the heating chamber 13 and the sealing chamber 15 on the exit side, so that the heat-treated material 102 is in a high temperature state. Therefore, it is not carried out of the tunnel furnace 10. Therefore, the heat-treated material 102 does not come into contact with the outside air in a high-temperature state, and oxidation damage to the recovery targets contained in the heat-treated material 102 is further suppressed.

In addition, the heat treatment apparatus 1 described above further includes a first inert gas supply means 40 that supplies an inert gas near the boundary between the heating chamber 13 and the cooling chamber 14, so that the heat treatment object 102 is cooled. As a result, oxidation damage to the recovery object contained in the heat-treated material 102 can be further suppressed. Moreover, since the heat-treated material 102 is cooled in the cooling chamber 14 after being lightly cooled by the inert gas, it is cooled in stages and is not rapidly cooled in the cooling chamber 14. Therefore, when the object to be collected is a glass substrate, cracking of the glass substrate can be suppressed.

Furthermore, the heat treatment apparatus 1 described above further includes a second inert gas supply means 50 for supplying an inert gas for heat treatment to the heating chamber 13. A nozzle 25 is provided to inject inert gas toward the target. Therefore, thermal decomposition of the resin contained in the object to be treated 100 is promoted by the inert gas for heat treatment.

Further, in the method for manufacturing the heat-treated product 102 described above, since the heat treatment apparatus 1 is used, the same mechanism of action as the heat treatment apparatus 1 described above can be exhibited.

The heat treatment apparatus of the present invention is a heat treatment apparatus equipped with a tunnel furnace for obtaining a heat-treated object by heat-treating the object in a non-oxidizing atmosphere or a controlled oxygen-containing atmosphere while conveying the object with an endless belt. A flexible seal curtain is suspended in the tunnel furnace upstream of the heating section that heats the processing material, and extends across the transport direction of the processing material and in contact with the endless belt. Any device may be used as long as a flexible seal curtain is suspended in the furnace, crossing the direction of conveyance of the heat-treated material and in contact with the endless belt, and is not limited to the heat treatment device 1 shown in the figure. do not have.

Furthermore, in the method for producing a heat-treated product of the present invention, the workpiece is heat-treated in a non-oxidizing atmosphere or a controlled oxygen-containing atmosphere while being conveyed by an endless belt in a tunnel furnace having a heating section for heating the workpiece. In this method, a flexible seal curtain is suspended in the tunnel furnace upstream of the heating section, and is in contact with the endless belt, and is suspended in a tunnel furnace upstream from the heating section. A flexible seal curtain is suspended in the tunnel furnace downstream of the section, and crosses the conveyance direction of the heat-treated material and is in contact with the endless belt. Any method may be sufficient as long as the seal curtain is pushed up while being transported, and the method is not limited to the method using the illustrated heat treatment apparatus 1.

The heat treatment apparatus and the method for producing heat-treated products of the present invention include an apparatus and method for recovering reinforcing fibers from used fiber-reinforced resin products, scraps of intermediate products of fiber-reinforced resin generated in the manufacturing process, The present invention is useful as a device and method for recovering cells and glass substrates from solar cell modules.

1 Heat treatment equipment, 10 Tunnel furnace, 11 Exhaust chamber on the loading port side, 11a Loading port, 11b First exhaust port, 12 Sealing chamber on the loading port side, 12a Inert gas inlet, 13 Heating chamber, 13a Third exhaust port, 13A Preheating area, 13B First heating area, 13C Second heating area, 14 Cooling chamber, 14a Inert gas inlet, 15 Seal chamber on the exit side, 15a Inert gas inlet, 16 Exhaust chamber on the exit side, 16a Exhaust port , 16b second exhaust port, 20 first opening adjustment plate, 21 opening adjustment means, 22 seal curtain, 22A band, 23 second opening adjustment plate, 24 electric heater, 25 nozzle, 26 seal curtain, 27 Three opening adjusting plates, 28 Opening adjusting means, 29 Fourth opening adjusting plate, 30 Conveying means, 32 Endless belt, 34 Roll, 36 Roll, 37 Roll, 38 Roll, 40 First inert gas supply means, 42 Inert gas supply source, 44 Inert gas supply piping, 46 Inert gas heating device, 50 Second inert gas supply means, 52 Inert gas supply source, 54 Inert gas supply piping, 60 Exhaust gas discharge means, 61 Afterburner, 62 First exhaust piping, 63 Second exhaust piping, 64 Third exhaust piping, 65 Exhaust fan, 70 Cooling water supply means, 71 Cooling water tank, 72 First cooling water piping, 73 Second cooling water piping, 74 liquid sending pump, 75 heat exchanger, 100 object to be treated, 102 object to be heated.

Claims (17)

The resin contained in the workpiece is thermally decomposed by heat-treating the workpiece, which is a composite material or mixture containing a resin and a base material, in a non-oxidizing atmosphere or a controlled oxygen-containing atmosphere while being conveyed by an endless belt. It is a heat treatment equipment equipped with a tunnel furnace to obtain a heat-treated product.
The heat treatment apparatus further includes means for supplying a sealing inert gas to the tunnel furnace,
The tunnel furnace includes a heating section that heats the object to be processed , a sealing chamber provided upstream of the heating section, and an exhaust port side exhaust provided upstream of the sealing chamber. a chamber, an exit-side sealing chamber provided downstream of the heating section, and an exit-side exhaust chamber provided downstream of the exit-side sealing chamber,
A flexible seal curtain is suspended in the seal chamber on the import entrance side , and extends across the conveyance direction of the object to be processed and is in contact with the endless belt.
A flexible sealing curtain is suspended in the sealing chamber on the exit side , the curtain crossing the conveying direction of the heat-treated material and being in contact with the endless belt ,
The carry-in port side exhaust chamber includes a first exhaust port for discharging outside air flowing from the carry-in port together with inert gas from the carry-in port side seal chamber and pyrolysis gas generated by thermally decomposing the resin. is formed,
The outlet side exhaust chamber includes a second exhaust port for discharging outside air flowing from the outlet, together with inert gas from the outlet side seal chamber and pyrolysis gas generated by thermally decomposing the resin. Heat treatment equipment where is formed . A plurality of stages of the seal curtains are suspended in the import entrance side seal chamber at intervals in the transport direction of the processed material,
2. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of stages of the seal curtains are suspended in the exit-side seal chamber at intervals in the transport direction of the heat-treated material. The number of stages of the seal curtain in the import entrance side seal chamber is 2 to 100 stages,
The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the number of stages of the seal curtain in the exit side seal chamber is 2 to 100 stages. The seal curtain located in the seal chamber on the import entrance side is composed of a plurality of bands arranged without gaps in a direction transverse to the conveyance direction of the to-be-processed object,
4. The seal curtain in the sealing chamber on the exit side is composed of a plurality of strips arranged without gaps in a direction transverse to the conveying direction of the heat-treated material. Heat treatment equipment. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the number of the strips per meter in the width direction of the seal curtain is 2 to 50 strips/m. According to any one of claims 1 to 5, the means for supplying sealing inert gas to the tunnel furnace supplies inert gas to a region of the tunnel furnace where the sealing curtain is suspended. heat treatment equipment. The heat treatment apparatus further includes means for supplying an inert gas to the heating section,
The heat treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a nozzle for injecting the inert gas toward the object to be treated is provided in the heating section. The tunnel furnace heat-treats the fiber-reinforced resin while conveying it, thereby thermally decomposing the matrix resin contained in the fiber-reinforced resin to obtain a heat-treated product, or The heat treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which obtains a heat-treated product by thermally decomposing a sealing material contained in a solar cell module. The workpiece is heat-treated in a non-oxidizing atmosphere or a controlled oxygen-containing atmosphere while being transported by an endless belt in a tunnel furnace that has a heating section that heats the workpiece, which is a composite material or mixture containing a resin and a base material. A method of thermally decomposing a resin contained in the object to be treated to obtain a heat-treated object,
The tunnel furnace includes a loading port side seal chamber provided upstream of the heating section, a loading port side exhaust chamber provided upstream of the loading port seal chamber, and a loading port side exhaust chamber provided downstream of the heating section. further comprising an exit-side seal chamber provided with an exit-side seal chamber, and an exit-exhaust exhaust chamber provided downstream of the exit-side seal chamber;
A flexible seal curtain is suspended in the seal chamber on the import entrance side , and extends across the conveyance direction of the object to be processed and is in contact with the endless belt.
A flexible sealing curtain is suspended in the sealing chamber on the exit side , the curtain crossing the conveying direction of the heat-treated material and being in contact with the endless belt,
The object to be processed and the object to be heated are transported in the tunnel furnace while pushing up the seal curtain ,
supplying an inert gas for sealing to the tunnel furnace;
The outside air flowing in from the loading port is discharged from a first exhaust port formed in the loading port side exhaust chamber along with inert gas from the loading port side seal chamber and pyrolysis gas generated by thermal decomposition of the resin. death,
Exhaust the outside air flowing from the outlet, together with inert gas from the seal chamber on the outlet side and pyrolysis gas generated by thermal decomposition of the resin, from a second exhaust port formed in the exhaust chamber on the outlet side. A method for producing a heat-treated product. A plurality of stages of the seal curtains are suspended in the import entrance side seal chamber at intervals in the transport direction of the processed material,
10. The method for producing a heat-treated product according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of stages of the seal curtains are suspended in the sealing chamber on the exit side at intervals in a conveyance direction of the heat-treated product. The number of stages of the seal curtain in the import entrance side seal chamber is 2 to 100 stages,
The method for producing a heat-treated product according to claim 10, wherein the number of stages of the seal curtain in the sealing chamber on the exit side is 2 to 100 stages. The seal curtain located in the seal chamber on the import entrance side is composed of a plurality of bands arranged without gaps in a direction transverse to the conveyance direction of the to-be-processed object,
According to any one of claims 9 to 11, the seal curtain in the sealing chamber on the exit side is composed of a plurality of bands arranged without gaps in a direction transverse to the conveyance direction of the heat-treated material. A method for producing a heat-treated product. 13. The method for producing a heat-treated product according to claim 12, wherein the number of the strips per meter in the width direction of the seal curtain is 2 to 50 strips/m. The method for producing a heat-treated product according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein an inert gas is supplied to a region in the tunnel furnace where the seal curtain is suspended. The method for producing a heat-treated object according to any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein the inert gas supplied to the heating section is injected from a nozzle in the heating section toward the object to be processed. The method for producing a heat-treated product according to claim 15, wherein the inert gas supplied to the heating section is nitrogen gas or superheated steam. A method of thermally decomposing the matrix resin contained in the fiber-reinforced resin to obtain a heat-treated product by heat-treating the fiber-reinforced resin while transporting the fiber-reinforced resin, or heat-treating the matrix resin contained in the fiber-reinforced resin while transporting the solar cell module, The method for producing a heat-treated product according to any one of claims 9 to 16, which is a method of obtaining a heat-treated product by thermally decomposing a sealing material.

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