REHM RDS Solar

Energy efficient system at reduced operating costs

The RDS dryer for metallization lines dries pastes on silicon solar cells which have been applied by means of screen printing. The drying system comprises a combination of several infrared zones and one central convection zone. As a result, the temperature profile can be adjusted flexibly, but nevertheless extremely accurately. The solar cells are then cooled down gently so that they’re immediately ready for further processing. The system can also be ordered with a double or triple lane conveyor in order to assure high throughput levels. A VOC Thermal Oxidizer system is optionally available for purifying exhaust air.

Unique technology benefits

  • Best temperature profiling
  • Safe and vibration free transport
  • Efficient process gas cleaning
  • Excellent cooling gradient
  • High throughput (up to 5700 wafer/h at triple lane operation)
  • Divided belt system  (heating / cooling zone)
  • Already over 500 installed systems worldwide
  • Optional VOC Thermal Oxidizer

Award-winning technology: Solar Award “Excellent Product”

Energy efficiency and the sustainable use of resources are a central point of our company philosophy. We combine in the manufacture of our systems quality, energy-saving technologies with the requirements of a modern manufacturing company. With our environmentally friendly concept and the excellent deposition results, the technology implemented in our Thermal Oxidizer was already awarded in 2011 with the Solar Award in the category “Excellence” (Product).

Efficient systems for front-end and back-end applications

RDS Solar for back-end

The RDS process chamber consists of a highly stable stainless steel housing. The heating system is made up of individually configurable zones which are heated with IR radiators. Reflective sheet metal panels above and below the goods on the conveyor belt assure uniform heat reflection within the process chamber. Our RDS Drying Systems for Backend processes are laid out for temperatures up to 300 °C.

RDS HTX for front- and back-end

A homogenous heat input into the wafers up to 450 °C is ensured thanks to the user of convection heating and a clever air circulation concept. The RDS HTX version, has been qualified for the Innovalight Cougar Platform to achieve monocrystalline solar cells with efficiency up to 19%.

Clever solutions for easy maintenance!

The system is designed for great ease of maintenance. The top section of the chamber is equipped with a lifting motor which allows for simple opening and easy access to the inside of the chamber. The integrated, reflective sheet metal panels can be quickly removed, cleaned and replaced whenever necessary.
The radiator units are secured by means of an insertion opening in the system, and can be removed without great difficulty by dismantling the cover panels and insulation material.

Excellent heat transfer for best drying processes

Different temperatures at the same transport speed

Transport speed 2000 – 6000 mm/min

Energy efficient transport

Flexible belt systems

Thanks to its time-tested conveyor system, the RDS drying oven assures reliable transport of wafers though the system. The flexibility offered by the conveyor system is reflected in the ability to choose from a single, double or triple lane. The top quality conveyor belt assures low-vibration transport without additionally stressing the cells, resulting in a lower breakage rate. Belts with welded, arched or entwined edges are available for the different heating zone conveyor variants.

Divided transport

In addition to this, the conveyor unit is separated between the heating and cooling zones. Separate conveyance reduces carry-over of heat into the cooling zone, thus achieving a steeper cooling gradient. A further advantage of isolated conveyor belt units is reduced energy consumption, because only the mass of the substrate, and not the entire conveyor system, has to be cooled down.

Stand-offs for safe wafer transport

The horizontal throughput ovens guarantee a safe transport through the oven optionally with mesh belt, teflon belt or pin chain for single or dual lane. The mesh belt is avaible with several belt stand-offs for secure transport of the wafers.

Ceramic stand-off

Welded stand-off

Welded stand-off

99,9 % reduced VOC – The Thermal Oxidizer allows for it!

The Rehm Thermal Systems VOC counter-flow reactor (CFR), an advancement of the award-winning Thermal Oxidizer, is a very efficient exhaust after treatment system, for many different processes where the gas is loaded with high solvent (VOC) concentrations.

Destruction rates greater than 99 % can be achieved with the Rehm CFR. Therefor the exhaust gas is heated to about 750 °C. At this temperature the molecule chains of the VOC`s are cracked to mainly CO2 and water vapor. Due to the integrated heat recovery system, a highly efficient emission control and a very low energy consumption can be achieved. This gives lowest cost of ownership and compliance with the increasingly strict emission limits in legal environmental regulations. For this reason our excellent system guarantees a sustainable and efficient production.

Below 60 °C due to efficient cooling

The cooling chamber consists of a nozzle sheet through which uniformly cold air flows onto the solar cells. An outlet temperature of less than 60° C is possible thanks to the efficient cooling system and the isolated conveyor units. This assures and ideal cooling gradient.

The cooling chamber is easy top open, providing for good accessibility and simple cleaning.

Clever software solutions

You want to monitor, manage and report on all processes reliably? The Visu 2 includes process tools, remote maintenance and barcode connectivity. The RDS software has an intuitively designed interface that dramatically accelerates set up time and reduces operator training.  Extensive system documentation is available with a few keystrokes, and it offers password protected security levels as well as multilingual operations, data recording and maintenance logging.  A graph recorder for the process parameters drive speed and temperatures is also included.

Further Tools

  • Extensive online documentation
  • Multilingual Software
  • Data recording
  • Protocol Import/Export
  • Maintenance log
  • Barcode connection
  • Process interlocking
  • Remote maintenance